Which first aid kit do I need?
Size your kit by risk level and headcount, then add provision for the specific hazards on site. In a low-risk workplace, one BS 8599-1 small kit covers up to 25 people, a medium kit covers 25 to 100 and a large kit covers 100 or more. Higher-risk workplaces step down those thresholds to 5, 25 and 25-plus. Extra floors, buildings, shifts and vehicles each need their own kit.
Step 1
Choose the kit size
BS 8599-1 is the British Standard for workplace first aid kit contents. The HSE does not mandate a specific kit, but a BS 8599-1 kit is the recognised way to show your provision is adequate.
Low-risk workplaces
Offices, shops, libraries, light assembly
| People | Kit |
|---|---|
| Up to 25 | Small kit |
| 25 – 100 | Medium kit |
| 100+ | Large kit (add one large kit per additional 100) |
Higher-risk workplaces
Construction, warehousing, engineering, food production, chemicals
| People | Kit |
|---|---|
| Up to 5 | Small kit |
| 5 – 25 | Medium kit |
| 25+ | Large kit (add one large kit per additional 25) |
Step 2
Add provision for your specific hazards
A general kit is the baseline. These five additions cover the hazards a risk assessment most often identifies.
Eyewash
Add eyewash wherever there is a splash, dust, chemical or biological risk.
Keep sterile saline at the point of risk, not in a central cupboard. Single-use 20 ml pods suit kits and vehicles; 500 ml bottles on a wall station suit workshops, labs, cleaning stores and food production.
Burns provision
Add a burns kit wherever there are hot surfaces, hot liquids, steam, ovens, fryers or welding.
General kits carry only a token amount of burns cover. A dedicated burns kit with assorted hydrogel dressings lets a first aider cool and cover a real burn while water is still running.
Defibrillator (AED)
Recommended for any site with public footfall, physical work, lone shifts or a slow ambulance response.
Survival from a cardiac arrest falls with every minute. An AED with clear prompts can be used by an untrained bystander, and outdoor heated cabinets let a site share the unit with its community.
Vehicle kits
Add a BS 8599-2 kit for every work vehicle and mobile worker.
Employers' duty to provide first aid covers people who work away from the premises. A compact motoring kit in each vehicle is the practical way to meet it.
Spill kits and PPE
Add where staff could deal with blood or body fluids.
Nitrile gloves for every first aider, plus a body fluid spill kit for schools, transport, retail, hospitality, leisure and care settings.
Step 3
Keep it compliant with scheduled restocking
Check kits monthly and always after use. Replace used items, anything out of date and anything whose sterile wrapper is damaged, and record the check.
- 1
Walk the site with a list of every kit, eyewash station, burns kit and AED, and note where each one is.
- 2
Open each kit, compare against the contents list in the lid, and note used, missing and expired items.
- 3
Order refill packs by kit size, plus loose consumables for the items that run down fastest.
- 4
Diarise AED pad and battery expiry dates, and eyewash bottle expiry dates, so they are replaced before they lapse.
- 5
Record the check. Evidence of regular checks is what an auditor or inspector asks to see.
FAQs
Workplace first aid questions
- What first aid supplies should every UK workplace have?
- Every workplace needs first aid provision matched to its risk assessment: at least one BS 8599-1 kit sized to the headcount and risk level, plus eyewash where there is a splash or dust risk, burns provision where there are hot processes, PPE such as nitrile gloves for the first aider, and an accident book. Many sites also hold a defibrillator, a body fluid spill kit and vehicle kits for mobile staff.
- How do I choose between a small, medium and large first aid kit?
- Use risk level and headcount. Low-risk workplaces: small up to 25 people, medium 25 to 100, large over 100. Higher-risk workplaces: small up to 5, medium 5 to 25, large over 25. Extra floors, buildings, shifts and vehicles need their own kits rather than one larger kit.
- Do first aid supplies have expiry dates?
- Yes. Sterile dressings, plasters, wipes, eyewash solution, hydrogel burn dressings and gloves all carry expiry dates, and defibrillator pads and batteries do too. Expired items should be replaced because sterility and performance are no longer assured.
- What is the difference between an AED and a defibrillator?
- AED stands for automated external defibrillator, which is the type of defibrillator designed for use by first aiders and members of the public. It analyses the heart rhythm and only advises a shock when one is needed, guiding the user by voice through the process.
- Which first aid brands does Lanson Group supply?
- Our lead first aid brands are St John Ambulance and Steroplast Healthcare, supported by Reliance Medical, Essity Leukoplast, Clinell, Cederroth, Blue Dot, 3M, Laerdal, Mediwrap and ZOLL. That combination covers compliant workplace kits, UK-manufactured dressings and eyewash, defibrillators, responder equipment and high-volume gloves and PPE from one trade account.
- How do I get first aid trade prices from Lanson Group?
- Product information on this site is open to everyone. Trade prices and ordering appear once you log in with an approved Lanson Group trade account — apply online and we review the application, usually within one working day.
- Can Lanson Group build bespoke first aid kits?
- Yes. We can build kits and responder bags to a contents list, supply refills matched to your kit sizes, and set up scheduled restocking so kits stay compliant between audits. Send us your contents list or risk assessment and we will quote against it.
Send us your risk assessment and we will spec the provision
Tell us your headcount, sites, shifts, vehicles and hazards, and we will put together a kit schedule with refill quantities so you know exactly what to hold and what to reorder.
Apply for a trade account