First Aid Requirements for Australian Workplaces
First aid requirements for Australian workplaces
Every Australian workplace has first aid obligations under WHS law, but the codes are written for regulators rather than for the person doing the ordering. This is the practical version: how many kits, what goes in them, how many trained first aiders, and how often it all has to be checked.
The short answer. Every workplace needs at least one first aid kit that all workers can reach. Low-risk workplaces need one trained first aider per 50 workers; high-risk workplaces need one per 25. Kits must be checked after every use, and at minimum once every 12 months.
How many kits, and where
The Code of Practice sets a floor rather than a formula: all workers must be able to access a kit, which means at least one kit per workplace. Beyond that it scales with the shape of the site:
- Multi-storey buildings — at least one kit on every second floor.
- Large or dispersed sites — additional kits where work areas are spread out or access is difficult.
- Mobile workers — a portable kit in the vehicle.
- Higher-risk areas — site kits close to where injury is most likely, not just at reception.
Kits should be in a prominent, accessible location and marked with the standard white cross on a green background on the outside.
What has to be in the kit
The Code lists a recommended minimum. A compliant kit contains, at least:
| Item | Minimum quantity |
|---|---|
| Resuscitation face mask | 1 |
| Disposable nitrile gloves | 5 pairs |
| Sterile gauze pieces | 5 packs |
| Saline solution 15ml | 8 |
| Antiseptic liquid or spray 50ml | 1 |
| Conforming cotton bandages, 5cm and 7.5cm | 3 of each |
| Crepe bandage 10cm | 1 |
| Triangular bandages | 2 |
| Eye pads | 4 |
| Emergency rescue blanket | 1 |
| Access to 20 litres of clean running water, or hydrogel sachets | 5 sachets |
| CPR instruction flowchart | 1 |
One thing not to include: the Code is explicit that medication — including analgesics such as paracetamol and aspirin — should not be kept in a workplace first aid kit.
How many trained first aiders
| Workplace type | Ratio |
|---|---|
| Low risk | 1 first aider per 50 workers |
| High risk | 1 first aider per 25 workers |
| Remote or isolated high risk | At least 1 first aider per 10 workers |
Count the people actually on site at once, including contractors and shift overlaps — not the payroll headcount.
Checking and restocking
Someone has to own this. The Code expects a nominated person to monitor kit access and replace used items as soon as practicable, with regular checks after each use, or at minimum once every 12 months if the kit hasn't been opened. Each check should be recorded on a signed and dated inventory list, confirming items are in working order, undamaged and within their expiry dates.
Expiry is the one most sites miss. Saline, antiseptic and hydrogel all date, and a kit full of expired stock fails an inspection just as surely as an empty one.
When you need more than a kit
Defibrillators (AEDs)
Recommended where there is a risk of electrocution, or where large numbers of members of the public are present — so retail, education, clubs, gyms and public buildings. Units should be clearly visible, accessible, and not exposed to extreme temperatures, which rules out an unshaded vehicle or an uninsulated shed.
Eye wash and emergency showers
Eye wash equipment is recommended wherever hazardous chemicals or infectious substances could cause eye injuries — chemical handling, spraying, welding. Emergency showers are needed where there is a risk of skin absorption of hazardous chemicals, or of serious burns to a large area of the face or body.
Hazard-specific additions
- Outdoor work with snake or insect risk — heavy-duty crepe bandage and sting relief.
- Remote locations — thermal blanket, whistle, and a torch.
- Burn risk — hydrogel dressings, polythene sheets and burn treatment instruction cards.
- Outdoor work generally — sunscreen is treated as PPE for outdoor workers; mount it where people leave the building rather than in a cupboard.
Source: First aid in the workplace — Code of Practice, Safe Work Australia (model code, adopted by most states and territories; see safeworkaustralia.gov.au). This guide summarises the Code for buying purposes and is general information only — it is not legal advice, and requirements vary by jurisdiction and by workplace risk. Check your state or territory regulator for the version that applies to you.
Not sure what your site needs?
Tell us your industry, headcount and whether the work is low or high risk, and we'll put a compliant starting list together — kits, refills, signage and the AED question answered.
