We visit a lot of workplaces across Yorkshire, and one of the most common things we see is a first aid kit that's either hopelessly out of date, completely inadequate for the size of the workforce, or tucked away in a cupboard that nobody can actually find in an emergency. Sound familiar?
Here's the thing: getting your first aid provision wrong isn't just a health risk — it's a legal one. Let's walk through what the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) actually requires.
The Legal Basis
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require all employers to provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and personnel. The key word is adequate — which means it has to be appropriate for your specific workplace, not just a minimum standard kit off the shelf.
What Goes in a Compliant First Aid Kit?
For a low-risk workplace with fewer than 25 employees, the HSE recommends as a minimum:
- A leaflet giving general first aid guidance
- 20 individually wrapped sterile plasters (assorted sizes)
- 2 sterile eye pads
- 4 individually wrapped triangular bandages
- 6 safety pins
- 2 large and 6 medium sterile wound dressings
- 1 pair of disposable gloves
But here's where many businesses fall short: if you have more staff, a higher-risk environment (construction, manufacturing, catering), or specific hazards like chemicals or machinery, your kit — and your trained personnel — need to reflect that.
Do You Need a Trained First Aider?
Yes — and this is where the real gap tends to be. The HSE requires employers to carry out a first aid needs assessment and appoint:
- A First Aider at Work (FAW) if your workplace has significant hazards or a larger workforce — trained via a 3-day course
- An Emergency First Aider at Work (EFAW) for lower-risk environments — trained via a 1-day course
Certificates are valid for 3 years and must be renewed. We speak to businesses every week who don't realise their first aider's certificate lapsed 18 months ago — meaning they're operating without compliant provision.
What's the Penalty for Getting It Wrong?
The HSE can issue improvement notices, prohibition notices, and fines. In serious cases — particularly where someone has been injured and inadequate first aid provision has contributed to the outcome — the consequences can be significant. Beyond the legal risk, consider the moral one: if a colleague has a heart attack and nobody knows how to use the defibrillator, that's something that stays with a team forever.
We Make Compliance Simple
At Livius Training, we deliver both Emergency First Aid at Work (1 day) and First Aid at Work (3 day) courses from our centre in Boroughbridge, and we come out to workplaces across North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Leeds, Harrogate, Bradford and beyond.
We'll also happily advise you on your first aid needs assessment — completely free — so you know exactly what you need before you book. No upselling, no jargon. Just practical advice from people who know their stuff.
📞 Get in touch and let's make sure you're covered.
