First Aid Equipment

First aid equipment covers the kits, refills, dressings, burns kits, eyewash and cold packs used to treat injuries at work, at home and in vehicles, together with fire extinguishers, fire blankets and safety signs for the same places.

First aid kits and refills

Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, employers must provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, so base the contents on a first aid needs assessment. BS 8599-1 sets out recommended contents for workplace kits in small, medium and large sizes, and BS 8599-2 covers vehicle kits. Following the standard is not a legal requirement, but it is a useful benchmark. Sterile items carry an expiry date, so check kits regularly and replace used or out-of-date items with refills. Tablets and medicines should not be kept in a first aid box. Where clean tap water is not close at hand for rinsing eyes, keep sealed sterile eyewash.

Fire extinguishers and blankets

Extinguishers are made to BS EN 3 with a red body and a coloured band showing the type:

• Water (no band): Class A fires in solids such as wood, paper and textiles.
• Foam (cream): Class A and Class B, flammable liquids.
• Dry powder (blue): Class A, B and C, which covers gases, and electrical equipment.
• Carbon dioxide (black): Class B and electrical equipment.

Fire blankets for small fires, including cooking oil fires and burning clothing, are made to BS EN 1869.

Safety signs

Employers must provide safety signs where a significant risk cannot be removed or controlled in other ways. Signs using the symbols in BS EN ISO 7010 meet this need.

For gloves, eye protection and hi-vis clothing, see personal protective equipment, or browse the wider safety and security range.