The contents of your workplace first aid kit should always be informed by a comprehensive first aid needs assessment. This assessment must evaluate the level of hazards present, the nature of your workplace environment, the number of employees, and the footfall of visitors. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), employers have a duty of care not only to staff but also to members of the public on their premises. This makes choosing the right first aid kits for the workplace a critical part of your health and safety strategy.
What should a basic Workplace First Aid Kit include?
Every office first aid kit or work first aid kit should contain essential items to manage injuries effectively and immediately. Here's a breakdown of must-have components:
- Plasters: Ideal for treating small cuts, grazes, and minor abrasions.
- Dressings: Used to apply pressure and help stop bleeding from larger wounds.
- Bandages: Help support injured joints, secure dressings, and manage swelling or bleeding.
- Scissors: Useful for cutting tape, clothing, or bandages quickly during emergencies.
- Disposable gloves: Protect both the injured person and the first aider from infection.
- Face shields or pocket masks: Essential when administering rescue breaths during CPR.
- Cleansing wipes, alcohol-free wipes: Used to clean wounds safely.
- Adhesive tape: Keeps dressings or bandages securely in place.
- Foil blankets: Help retain body heat in shock or emergency conditions.
Which Workplace First Aid Kit is right for you?
Selecting the correct kit starts with your risk assessment. High-risk environments, such as construction sites or factories, require more comprehensive kits than a first aid kit for office environments. Specialised industries, such as catering or manufacturing, may also require industry-specific solutions like catering first aid kits featuring blue detectable plasters.
We strongly recommend choosing first aid kits that comply with British Standard BS 8599-1:2019, ensuring contents are appropriate and up to date.
Review of British Standard BS 8599-1
In 2011, the British Standards Institution published BS 8599-1:2011 for workplace kits. This was reviewed and updated to BS 8599-1:2019 in January 2019
Why is the standard changing?
British Standards may be reviewed every five years if feedback indicates updates are needed.
What has changed in the standard?
There are now four sizes: small, medium, large, and travel kits. Two new additions include:
The Personal Issue Kit is a small kit that can be issued to individuals, while the Critical Injury Pack is designed for the treatment of catastrophic injuries.
In addition to the creation of the new kits, there have been changes to the composition of the workplace kits:
- Safety pins have been removed, and the number of tape rolls has been increased in the medium and large kits.
- The number of medium dressings has been reduced while the number of large dressings has been increased.
Finally, the travel first aid kit has been renamed the Travel and Motoring Kit and its components amended to conform with the requirements of the British Standard for motor vehicle first aid kits BS8599-2:2014. This means the contents of the Travel and Motoring Kit now have the same components as the Medium Motor Vehicle Kit.
When was the standard launched?
The new standard was published on 10 January 2019 with a 12-month transition period. It's worth noting that conforming with the British Standard is voluntary and not required by law. Once you have completed your risk assessment, browse our range of workplace first aid kits below.
Should you have a motor vehicle First Aid Kit for business use?
If your business involves any kind of vehicle use-whether company cars, delivery vans, taxis, or mobile work units-having a vehicle first aid kit is essential. In the event of a roadside emergency, workplace travel accident, or minor injury like a cut or burn while on duty, a vehicle kit can provide immediate, potentially life-saving care.
To improve on-the-road safety, the British Standards Institution introduced the BS 8599-2:2014 standard for motor vehicle first aid kits. This standard is specifically designed for vehicles used in business, outlining the correct size and contents based on vehicle type and passenger numbers. It ensures your company vehicles are equipped to handle common injuries encountered while travelling or working remotely.
There are two kit sizes defined in this standard:
- Small travel first aid kit: Ideal for single-rider work vehicles such as mopeds, motorcycles, quad bikes, or any business transport carrying 1–3 people.
- Medium travel first aid kit: Suitable for cars, taxis, and commercial vehicles transporting 1–8 people-commonly used for business travel, service calls, or delivery operations.
For larger transport like minibuses, shuttles, or worksite buses carrying over 8 passengers, multiple kits may be required to meet safety expectations.
We recommend that all business or workplace vehicles carry motor first aid kits that conform to BS 8599-2:2014. All our vehicle kits are compliant and designed to support mobile workers, drivers, and field-based teams.
