Every workplace in the UK must have adequate first aid provision. This isn't optional — it's a legal requirement under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981. But what does "adequate" actually mean for your workplace?
What's your current first aid provision?
Let's see if you're meeting your obligations.
What are the legal requirements?
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require all employers to:
- Provide adequate equipment, facilities, and personnel to enable first aid to be given to employees if they are injured or become ill at work
- Inform all employees of the first aid arrangements
- Carry out a first aid needs assessment to determine what provision is appropriate
- Keep the assessment under review and make changes if circumstances change
"Adequate" doesn't mean the same thing for every workplace. A low-risk office needs less provision than a construction site or chemical plant. Your obligation is to assess your specific needs and meet them.
First aid needs assessment
Before you can decide what first aid provision you need, you must assess your workplace. This isn't a box-ticking exercise — it's about understanding your actual risks and circumstances.
What to consider in your assessment
Workplace hazards and risks:
- What hazards are present? (machinery, chemicals, heights, vehicles, etc.)
- What injuries or illnesses might reasonably occur?
- How serious could they be?
- Are there any specific risks requiring special training? (chemical burns, confined spaces, etc.)
Your workforce:
- How many employees work at the site?
- Are there shift patterns or out-of-hours working?
- Do employees work alone or in isolated locations?
- Are there inexperienced workers, young workers, or new/expectant mothers?
- Does anyone have a disability or health condition requiring special consideration?
- Are there workers whose first language isn't English?
Your workplace characteristics:
- Is the workplace spread over multiple floors or buildings?
- Are there remote or off-site locations?
- Is there public access? (shops, offices, leisure facilities)
- What is the distance to emergency medical services?
- Do you have seasonal variations in work activity or staff numbers?
Historical evidence:
- What accidents have occurred in the past?
- What near misses have been recorded?
- Have employees required first aid, and for what?
- What about similar workplaces in your industry?
Record your assessment in writing. If HSE inspect, they'll want to see how you reached your conclusions about first aid provision. Your assessment also provides the baseline for future reviews.
How many first aiders do you need?
There's no fixed formula, but HSE provides guidance based on risk level and employee numbers.
Low vs Higher Risk Workplaces
Lower-hazard workplaces
- •Fewer than 25 employees: At least one appointed person
- •25-50 employees: At least one first aider (EFAW may be sufficient)
- •50+ employees: Additional first aider for every 50 employees
- •First aiders can be EFAW-trained unless needs assessment indicates FAW required
Higher-hazard workplaces
- •Fewer than 5 employees: At least one appointed person
- •5-50 employees: At least one FAW-trained first aider
- •50+ employees: Additional FAW first aider for every 50 employees
- •Consider extra first aiders for shift work, lone workers, or multiple sites
Bottom line: These are starting points only. Your needs assessment might require more first aiders depending on your specific circumstances — multiple shifts, remoteness, public access, or particular hazards.
Special circumstances requiring additional provision
You may need more first aiders if:
- Shifts and out-of-hours working — You need first aid cover during all working hours, including nights and weekends
- Multiple locations — Each site or floor may need its own provision
- Remote workers — Consider personal first aid kits and enhanced communication
- Lone workers — May need different arrangements (automated alert systems, regular check-ins)
- High staff turnover — Train more first aiders to maintain cover
- Staff absences — Holiday and sickness cover
- Public access — You may choose to extend provision to visitors (not legally required, but good practice)
- Special hazards — Certain risks need specific training (e.g., chemical exposure, drowning risk)
Manufacturing company expanded first aid provision after assessment
A small engineering firm with 35 employees initially had one FAW-qualified first aider. After a needs assessment, they realized this was inadequate.
- ✗Factory operated two shifts — first aider only present on day shift
- ✗Workshop and office in separate buildings 200m apart
- ✗Previous year saw three injuries requiring hospital treatment
- ✗First aider often attended off-site meetings
The company trained three additional first aiders: two more FAW (one for evening shift, one for workshop) and one EFAW for the office. They also improved their first aid room and equipment.
Don't just count heads. Consider working patterns, site layout, actual risks, and first aider availability. Your needs assessment should lead to practical, adequate provision.
First Aid at Work (FAW) vs Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)
There are two main types of first aid training for workplaces:
First Aid at Work (FAW)
Duration: 3 days (minimum 18 hours)
What it covers:
- All EFAW content, plus:
- Secondary assessment and treatment
- Spinal injury management
- Chest injuries
- Fractures and head injuries
- Anaphylaxis
- Eye injuries
- Poisoning and chemical exposure
Valid for: 3 years
Best for: Higher-risk workplaces, larger workplaces, or where employees travel significant distances to reach medical help.
Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)
Duration: 1 day (minimum 6 hours)
What it covers:
- Role and responsibilities of a first aider
- Assessing an incident
- Managing an unconscious casualty
- CPR and use of AED
- Choking
- Shock
- Minor injuries (cuts, burns, scalds)
Valid for: 3 years
Best for: Low-risk workplaces with smaller numbers of staff and close proximity to emergency medical services.
Your needs assessment tells you which level of training is appropriate. Many employers choose FAW even for lower-risk environments because it provides more comprehensive skills. If in doubt, FAW is the safer choice.
Appointed persons vs first aiders
Not every workplace needs a trained first aider — but every workplace needs at least one appointed person.
Appointed person
An appointed person is someone who:
- Takes charge when someone is injured or falls ill
- Calls an ambulance if needed
- Looks after the first aid equipment (including restocking)
- Maintains accident records
Important: An appointed person is not a first aider. They should not attempt first aid treatment beyond what any reasonable person might do (e.g., applying a plaster to a small cut). They need basic training in their role, but not full first aid training.
When is an appointed person sufficient?
For very low-risk workplaces with fewer than 25 employees (or fewer than 5 in higher-risk workplaces), an appointed person may be adequate — but only if:
- The workplace is low-hazard
- There are relatively few employees
- Employees work near each other
- Emergency medical services can arrive quickly
Many employers assume an appointed person is enough when they actually need qualified first aiders. Your needs assessment should make this decision, not just employee numbers.
First aid equipment and contents
First aid kits
At minimum, you need a suitably stocked first aid kit. HSE doesn't mandate specific contents, but recommends:
Minimum suggested contents (based on HSE guidance):
- A leaflet giving general guidance on first aid
- 20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (assorted sizes)
- 2 sterile eye pads
- 4 individually wrapped triangular bandages (preferably sterile)
- 6 safety pins
- 6 medium sized individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressings
- 2 large sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings
- 3 extra large sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings
- Disposable gloves (multiple pairs)
First aid kits should NOT contain medication — not even basic painkillers like paracetamol. First aiders are not qualified to administer medication, and you have no way to know about allergies or interactions with other drugs.
Additional considerations
- Multiple kits — Large workplaces need kits on each floor/area. Vehicles and remote workers may need their own kits.
- Special hazards — Some workplaces need additional items (e.g., eye wash for chemical work, burns dressings for hot work)
- Traveling first aid kits — Employees who travel for work should have access to first aid equipment
- Regular checks — Designate someone to check kits monthly and restock as needed
Where to keep first aid kits
- Accessible to all employees
- Clearly marked with a white cross on green background
- Protected from contamination and damage
- Near to areas of higher risk
- Not locked away (unless to prevent theft/tampering, with key holders clearly identified)
First aid room requirements
Most workplaces don't need a dedicated first aid room, but you must provide one if your needs assessment identifies it as necessary.
When might you need a first aid room?
- Large numbers of employees (typically 150+)
- Significant distances from emergency medical services
- Workplaces with special hazards
- Workplaces where serious injuries could occur
What a first aid room should contain
If you need a first aid room, it should:
- Be clearly marked and easily accessible
- Be large enough to hold a couch and allow movement around it
- Have clean, washable surfaces
- Be well lit and ventilated
- Contain:
- A sink with hot and cold running water
- Drinking water and disposable cups
- Soap and paper towels
- A smooth-topped work surface
- A suitable store for first aid materials
- A couch or examination bed
- Clean protective garments
- A chair
- A bin with a lid for disposal of waste
- A bowl
Even if you don't need a dedicated first aid room, you should identify a suitable location where someone who is ill or injured can rest until they recover or help arrives. This could be a quiet office, meeting room, or rest area.
Training and requalification
First aid qualifications don't last forever. To remain qualified, first aiders must attend refresher training.
Requalification requirements
- FAW qualification — Valid for 3 years, then requires full 3-day requalification course
- EFAW qualification — Valid for 3 years, then requires full 1-day requalification course
- Annual refresher training — Strongly recommended (though not legally required) to keep skills current
Choosing a training provider
Make sure your training provider is approved by a recognized body such as:
- HSE approved (training standards only, HSE doesn't directly approve providers)
- First Aid Industry Body (FAIB) members
- Awarding organizations like Qualsafe, First Aid Awards, St John Ambulance, British Red Cross
Check certificates carefully. Some online or shortened courses don't meet the legal requirements for workplace first aid. FAW must be at least 18 hours, EFAW at least 6 hours, and both require significant practical assessment.
Keeping track of expiry dates
Set up a system to track when first aiders' qualifications expire:
- Add renewals to your calendar with advance reminders (at least 3 months)
- Keep copies of certificates
- Book requalification training before expiry (training courses fill up)
- Train additional first aiders to ensure continuous cover
Recording first aid incidents
You should keep records of all first aid treatment given. This isn't just good practice — it's essential for:
- Insurance claims — Some injuries lead to compensation claims months or years later
- Monitoring trends — Frequent similar incidents suggest a hazard you need to control
- RIDDOR reporting — Some incidents must be reported to HSE
- Legal defense — Records demonstrate you took incidents seriously and acted appropriately
What to record
- Date, time, and location of incident
- Name of injured/ill person
- Details of the injury or illness
- Treatment given
- What happened to the person afterwards (went home, hospital, returned to work)
- Name and signature of first aider
- Signature of patient (if possible)
First Aid Maintenance Schedule
Ensure contents are in date, sterile items undamaged, kit properly stocked
Look for patterns in first aid incidents that might indicate new risks
Quick scenario-based refresher to keep skills current
Has anything changed? Staff numbers, hazards, layout, work patterns?
Book requalification training before certificates expire
Special considerations
Remote and lone workers
Workers who operate alone or in remote locations need special arrangements:
- Personal first aid kit — Smaller kit suitable for individual carrying
- Communication systems — Mobile phone, radio, or alert device
- Regular check-ins — Scheduled contact with base
- Local arrangements — Knowledge of nearest medical facilities
- Enhanced training — Consider additional first aid training since help may be delayed
High-risk activities
Some activities require specialist first aid knowledge:
- Chemical handling — Specific treatment protocols, eye wash stations, safety showers
- Confined spaces — Rescue procedures, breathing apparatus
- Heights/rope access — Casualty evacuation, working at height first aid
- Diving operations — Hyperbaric injuries, specialist medical support
- Electricity work — Electrical shock treatment, AED use
Your needs assessment should identify whether standard first aid training is sufficient or whether specialist training is needed.
Temporary changes
Don't forget to review first aid provision when circumstances temporarily change:
- Major refurbishment or construction work
- Seasonal peaks (tourism, agriculture, retail)
- Special events or activities
- School holidays (for workplaces with many working parents)
- Known staff absences
Frequently asked questions
The law only requires you to provide first aid for your employees. However, HSE recommends that you include non-employees in your first aid provision — it's good practice and reduces legal risks. Many employers extend their first aid provision to anyone on their premises.
No. Employees cannot be required to become first aiders. It must be voluntary. However, you can encourage employees to train, offer incentives (paid time off for training, recognition, small payment), and make it part of job descriptions for new hires (as long as candidates can decline).
There's no legal requirement to pay first aiders extra, but many employers offer a small additional payment or other recognition. Training should be provided at no cost to the employee and preferably during working hours.
First aiders are volunteers and cannot be forced to provide treatment if they feel unable or unwilling. However, they should still fulfill their basic duties (call an ambulance, stay with casualty). This is why having more than the minimum number of first aiders is wise.
As the employer, you're responsible for ensuring your first aiders are properly trained and that provision is adequate. If a first aider acts in good faith within their training, they (and you) are generally protected. Liability mainly arises from failure to provide adequate first aid provision, not from honest mistakes.
Possibly. Your needs assessment should consider different risk levels in different parts of your workplace. You might need FAW-trained first aiders in higher-risk areas and EFAW in lower-risk areas, or different equipment for different locations.
AEDs (automated external defibrillators) are designed to be used by anyone, with voice prompts guiding the user. However, first aid training includes AED use, and having trained first aiders provides confidence and better integration with other first aid responses. Anyone can and should use an AED in an emergency.
Mental Health First Aid is different from physical first aid and isn't required by law. However, it's increasingly recognized as valuable for supporting employee wellbeing. It complements, but doesn't replace, your legal first aid provision.
Next steps
If you haven't done a first aid needs assessment, that's your starting point:
How to do a first aid needs assessment →
Already know you need first aiders? Here's how to choose training:
Choosing first aid training for your workplace →
Not sure what first aid provision your workplace needs? A health and safety consultant can assess your specific circumstances and help you meet your legal obligations confidently.
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