If you haven’t already, it is time to think about updating your current workplace first aid kit to a British Standard First Aid Kit.
The contents of the British Standard Compliant first aid kits have been developed to take into account more modern and functional products. These include a wider range of common risks and are much more comprehensive than the previous HSE compliant kits.
There is a wide range of British Standard Workplace First Aid Kits available for you to choose between including portable kits, kits with wall brackets and fully comprehensive first aid points, helping you pick the most suitable for your workplace.
BS 8599-1 is the British Standard for first aid kits in the workplace. Current health and safety guidelines advise employers to use risk assessment to help decide on the first aid provision required. The risk assessment can be matched to one of the BS8599-1 standard kits, simplifying and assisting product selection.

Contents of British Standard Compliant (BS 8599-1)
First Aid Kits for the Workplace

Contents                                   Small     Medium    Large     Travel
F/A guidance leaflet                  1              1                1               1
Medium sterile dressing           4             6                8              1
Large sterile dressing                1              2                2              1
Triangular dressing                   2              3                4              2
Safety pins                                  12            12              24            12
Eye dressing                                2              3                4              1
Adhesive dressings                   40            60            100           20
Sterile wet wipe                         20            30             40             4
Microporous tape                       1               1                1               1
Nitrile gloves – pair                    6              9               12              1
Face shield                                   1              2                 3              1
Foil blanket                                 1               2                 3              1
Burn dressing 10 x 10cm          1               2                 2              1
Clothing shears                           1               1                 1               1
Conforming bandage                 1               2                 2              1
Finger dressing                           2               3                4              0
Sterile eyewash 250ml               0              0                0              1

 

The size of the first aid kit required is a combination of the level of risk
and the number of employees in the workplace

Risk / Employees                       Small            Medium          Large

Low risk / less than 25                1
Low risk / 25-100                                                   1
Low risk / 100 +                                                                             1

High risk / less than 5               1
High risk / 5-25                                                      1
High risk / 25 +                                                                              1

First Aid Kit to British Standard for Travel (appropriate for 1 person)
This information is for guidance only, you should carry out a risk assessment for each workplace.
Low risk environments includes offices, libraries, shops etc.
High risk workplaces include engineering, processing, warehousing, construction and manufacture.