Under the Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations, every workplace is required to have a first aid kit that meets the needs of its specific environment.
However, that kit is only as good as the effort you put into maintaining it. Supplies that are expired, misplaced, or missing altogether could leave you scrambling at the worst possible moment.
Failing to maintain your office first aid kit is one of the fastest ways to get in trouble with the law. For example, fines for non-compliance with WHS standards can reach up to $600,000 for businesses and even include potential jail time for severe breaches.
But legal obligations aside, every business owner or manager needs to see having a first aid kit for the workplace as a commitment to the team’s safety and well-being.
Here are practical steps on how to maintain an office first aid kit properly:
Replace Items Immediately After Use
Here’s a scenario that happens all the time: someone uses the last tube of antiseptic cream or the only pair of scissors, and nobody remembers to replace them. The next time there’s an emergency, those missing items could cause serious delays.
This is why it’s so important to have a system in place. Maybe you assign one person, your first aid officer or someone in admin, to keep an eye on the kit and restock as needed. Better yet, consider working with a reliable supplier who can make restocking easy.
It’s a good idea for the first aid officer to have some basic first aid training themselves, so they not only know how to maintain the kit but also how to use it effectively in emergencies.
Know What’s Required for Your Workplace
Not every workplace needs the same type of first aid kit. A small office in Sydney won’t have the same risks as a construction site in Brisbane or a café in Perth.
In other words, the risks in your workplace determine what goes into the kit. For example:
- Offices might need basic items like bandages, antiseptic wipes and cold packs.
- Construction sites may require additional supplies, such as burn treatment packs or heavy-duty bandages for deep cuts.
- Kitchens and hospitality settings might need specific items for burns, cuts, and scalds.
You can refer to the Code of Practice for First Aid in the Workplace, which provides detailed guidelines on what your kit should contain based on your industry and risks.
Ensure All the Components are Organised
There’s nothing worse than opening a first aid kit and finding a complete mess. Nobody wants to waste precious seconds rummaging through a chaotic first aid kit during an emergency.
You could use small compartments or clear bags to separate items into categories. For example, bandages in one section, antiseptic supplies in another, and tools like scissors or tweezers in their own space.
If possible, try to include a contents list inside the kit. This can easily act as a quick reference for both inspections and emergencies. Also, with this, if something’s missing or out of place, you’ll notice it immediately.
After anything is used at all, whether it’s a simple band-aid for a paper cut or a more serious treatment, try to make sure the items are logged. Not only does this help with keeping track of what’s been used, but it also offers insight into what’s happening in the workplace.
Inspect the Kit Regularly
Regular inspections are non-negotiable if you want to be prepared for anything. For most workplaces, checking the kit once a month is a good rule of thumb. But if you’re in a high-risk environment, you might want to bump that up to every fortnight.
During these inspections, you’ll want to go through every single item. Yes, every single one. Look for anything that’s expired, like saline, antiseptic creams, or pain relief tablets, and get rid of them. Items past their expiry dates don’t just lose their effectiveness; they can become unsafe to use.
Check for missing supplies too. It’s so easy for someone to grab a bandage or an ice pack and forget to tell anyone. Before you know it, half your kit’s gone. By inspecting it regularly, you’ll catch these gaps early before they become a major issue.
And here’s a little tip: keep a logbook to track inspections. This can be a simple notebook or an electronic document that records the date of inspection, who conducted it, and any items that were restocked.
Update the Content of the Kit
As your office or workplace evolves, so too do the potential hazards. If you’ve recently added new equipment, changed work processes, or brought in new staff with different needs, it’s a good idea to revisit your first aid kit.
For example, if your team now uses more chemicals, you would have to add materials like an eye wash solution or a chemical burn kit. Likewise, if your workplace has become more physically demanding (say, lifting heavy boxes or moving equipment), you may need to include more splints or back support items.
An office that has evolved but hasn’t updated its kit can end up missing the supplies necessary for new risks.
Make Sure Everyone Knows Where the Kit Is
This might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how often people have no idea where the workplace first aid kit is kept. The location of your kit is just as important as what’s inside it. It should be easy to find and accessible to everyone.
Choose a central spot in the workplace where it’s visible and reachable. You can also consider having multiple kits if your team is spread across a large space, like a factory or a multi-level office.
Make sure the area is marked with a standard green and white first aid sign, so there’s no confusion.
Educate Your Team on First Aid Basics
Having a fully stocked and perfectly maintained first aid kit is fantastic, but it’s only useful if your employees know how to use it.
It would be in everyone’s best interest if there were regular training sessions that cover everything from how to treat common workplace injuries to understanding when an injury requires professional medical attention.
If everyone knows how to properly use the components of the first aid kits such as gloves, bandages, and antiseptic wipes, they would be better prepared to treat injuries effectively and also keep infection from spreading while they wait for medical help.
Also Read: Workplace First Aid Kits: Essential Components and Compliance Requirements