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First Aid Supplies

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It is in an employer’s interest to ensure the provision of first aid apparatus and relevant first aid training in the workplace in order to deal with accidents as quickly and efficiently as possible, consequently ensuring that casualties avoid serious injury or death, and have the best chance to make a full recovery.

As indicated by The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 every employer needs to determine appropriate arrangements for first aid at work by assessing the required level of personnel and facilities. An occupational health specialist can be commissioned to undertake this if preferable. Although the nature of the appraisal is not set in stone, it would typically consider: the size of the organisation and its individual sites; distances to the nearest emergency services; the number of employees and their working arrangements; and cover for trained first aiders who are absent.

Based on the first aid needs assessment it is important for you to consider the different types of hazards in each of your workplace locations and ensure they are catered for with appropriate first aid kit supplies.

First Aid Equipment Buying Guide


Every workplace needs a first aid kit that is suitably stocked and clearly identified. The BS 8599-1:2011 standard, created by BSI and the British Healthcare Trade Association working together, ensures kits include a more comprehensive range of supplies than previous HSE ones, and Seton offers a fantastic selection of BS compliant items. The majority of our first aid boxes now come with an integral wall mounting bracket, enabling them to be easily sited in a convenient location. Most also include our own tamperproof label which makes it easy for you to recognise if a box has been opened and has a space to write the next date for inspecting the contents. We offer a range of kits for different environments and circumstances such as vehicles, childcare, sports, physiotherapy and catering.

For kitchens and catering environments, or if there is a specific burn risk such as those involving electricity or radiation, it is prudent to have equipment dedicated to the treatment of burns. Seton offers specialised kits for this purpose and these contain burn relief dressings and gels which we also offer individually, along with plasters designed for treating scalds and burns.

Eye wash is another important factor to consider and is mandatory where mains tap water is not easily available. We can provide neutralising and saline solutions in pods, sprays and bottles. It is also worth weighing up the need for locating showers or eyewash stations near to conceivable hazards, because in an eyesight related accident immediate response is critical to minimise potential permanent damage to vision.

A first aid assessment may also bring up the need for a dedicated room to be used for medical treatment, and this is mandatory in schools. In our First Aid Room category you will find everything you need to kit out such a room. There are stretchers and chairs for evacuating or moving patients safely, as well as items to keep them warm and comfortable. You will also find hot and cold therapy products here which are used to treat swelling and promote healing, along with sundries like scissors, safety pins and tweezers. Additionally you will find a range of essential furniture such as mobile curtain screens and medical instrument trolleys.

Which First Aid Supplies your business needs

For each of your sites it is necessary to assess the risk of cardiac arrests in order to determine the need for an automated external defibrillator, other equipment for the purposes of resuscitation. Factors which may influence this decision include the average age and the number of people on site, as well as the nature of work undertaken.

Protect against infection in a first aid situation with our great solutions for sharps and biohazard clean up. We offer a range of products to help minimise cross contamination, both at the time of treatment and also for cleaning up in the aftermath. These include hand sanitisers, containers for cleaning up bodily fluids and sharps, as well as innovative kits and clean up stations.

If your employees work with certain hazardous materials, or other workplace hazards, such as chemicals, batteries, or high voltage electricity, this should also be considered when thinking about the first aid supplies and other safety equipment you might need. Chemical and electrical burns can be extremely serious, and equipment such as emergency safety showers will probably be necessary, as well as specialised first aid supplies. Working with chemicals also increases the need for eye wash stations, and first aid supplies specifically for treating eye injuries.

There may be other specific risks that your staff are exposed to, depending on where they work and the nature of their tasks, such as head, hand or foot injury. Wherever there is increased risk of a specific injury, this should be factored in when stocking first aid stations. It is also vital to protect staff from these types of injury in the first place by providing relevant PPE. You can also increase the chances of staff remembering to wear that PPE by providing specialised signage, reminding them that in this area, they need to be wearing, for example, hard hats, protective footwear or safety gloves.

Remember, however, that you still need to plan for potential accidents and injuries, and ensure that all first aid stations are appropriately stocked. Be aware that the nature of your organisation can impact the supplies you need. First aid supplies for schools, for example, will be somewhat different in content from first aid supplies for factories and warehouses. We have a guide to provide advice for first aid in office environments.

For more information about first aid in different environments, take a look at our First Aid Emergency - First Aid in Different Environments guide.

How to store your First Aid Supplies

Considering the locations and visibility of your kits and equipment is highly significant in terms of providing a swift response to incidents. Containers should be easily accessible and near hand-washing facilities if this is viable. First aid storage receptacles should be used exclusively for first aid equipment and should not be mixed with tablets or other medications. If any protective equipment has been recommended as part of the assessment it should be stored next to first aid containers, in a first aid room, or in the area which has been highlighted as hazardous.

Seton can help you to position your first aid supplies and protect them from dust and water by offering a range of first aid stations and storage options. Our internally developed first aid stations are one example and they contain everything you need to comply with British standards and keep supplies visible, safe and accessible. Reduce the time it takes for people to locate these resources by implementing our extensive range of first aid signage.

You should carry out frequent inspections of first aid stocks which should be replenished as soon as possible after use. Check you always have dressings, plasters, bandages and tapes which are essential items to have on hand for treating injuries ranging from minor abrasions to larger wounds. All of the highest wound dressings here are of the highest quality and available in different sizes and varieties.

Consequences of inadequate First Aid Supplies

The consequences of inadequate first aid supplies UK are serious. According to statistics from the Health and Safety Executive, almost 70,000 employee injuries were reported by employers in 2018/19, and the real figure seems to be much higher, with self-reported injuries from the Labour Force Survey indicating that there were over 580,000 injuries sustained by UK workers in 2018/19. Many of these injuries would have been very minor, of course, but around 138,000 resulted in over seven days absence from work, indicating that they were much more serious injuries.

Nobody wants their staff to get injured at work, but it is a real risk, and also a potentially expensive one. Apart from the lost productivity, there is always the risk of a compensation claim. While the right first aid supplies cannot negate this risk, they can certainly reduce it. There can be a significant difference in the impact that an injury has on a worker, depending on whether it is quickly, effectively and appropriately treated. Also, when it comes to first aid supplies, UK health and safety rules are strict, and there are hefty fines for inadequately providing for employee safety in the workplace, so it is well worth investing in the right first aid kit supplies.

FAQ's

What is first aid?

First aid can be defined as help provided for someone who has an injury or illness until they can get more advanced medical treatment

What are the minimum requirements for emergency first aid at work?

For any workplace which deems that a first aider is not required, it is essential to have an appointed person. The role of an appointed person includes looking after the equipment and facilities and calling the emergency services when required. Appointed Persons should not attempt to give first aid for which they have not been trained.

How many first aiders do I need?

There is not a definitive answer to the question of who needs first aid training, it should be based entirely on the risk evaluation. You can, however, find some recommendations in our article about assessing first aid needs.

What are the requirements for reporting accidents?

Each employer has an obligation to report health issues or injury in the workplace. Under RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995), an employer is required to report deaths, certain diseases, major injuries, injuries lasting more than 7 days, any incident that could have resulted in injury and injuries to members of the public.

Do I need an Accident Book?

You need an accident book if own or occupy a quarry, mine or factory OR if you have more than 10 employees.

Do I need to provide first aid supplies for off-site employees?

Employees working away from the main site are still the responsibility of the employer for purposes of first aid provision. They are subject to the usual risk assessment and this should be used to determine whether or not they need to carry personal equipment such as one of our Travel First Aid Kits

What are the best first aid supplies for my organisation?


This will depend on the nature of your organisation and the details of your own risk assessment, but here are some of our top first aid kit supplies:

  • British Standard First Aid Kits – Fully compliant with relevant British Standards, these kits contain HSE-approved supplies. In different sizes to suit the size of your company or workspaces.


  • HSE First Aid Kits – Affordable HSE-compliant kits in a durable, economy case to protect content and provide portability.




  • First Response Rucksack First Aid Kit – This portable first aid supplies kit has multiple internal compartments and full-length zips to make contents easy to view and find. The small detachable internal kit is useful for when it is not convenient to carry the full rucksack.




Here at Seton, we have a wide range of first aid supplies to suit different needs, risks and organisation types. If you are not sure what you need, get in touch and ask our friendly experts for advice.