What Provisions need to be kept in our First Aid Kit?

The Health & Safety Executive advises that the following be kept in the First Aid kit at all times:

-- A leaflet giving general guidance on first aid, e.g. HSE leaflet Basic advice on first aid at work
-- 20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (assorted sizes)
-- Two sterile eye pads & Eye Wash
-- Four individually wrapped triangular bandages (preferably sterile)
-- Six safety pins & Micropore Tape
-- Six medium-sized (approximately 12 cm x 12 cm) individually wrapped sterile wound dressings
-- Two large (approximately 18 cm x 18 cm) sterile individually wrapped wound dressings
-- At least one pair of disposable gloves.

At All Wales Ambulance Services we advise that in addition to the above, you consider including the following items:

-- A Pair of strong scissors
-- A Resuscitation Shield / Barrier (Such as the Vent-Aid barriers found here)
-- Gauze Swabs (Much better for cleaning cuts and grazes than most anti-septic wipes)

You should not keep tablets or medicines in the first-aid box. We would also advise you not to keep any creams or antiseptics such as Savlon and Dettol in a First Aid box in the workplace, in case of any allergic reactions which may occur.

This list, however, is inexhaustible and can be tailored to the specific needs of the people in your workplace. For example, if you have a diabetic on site you may want to include some high-glucose tablets or a sugary drink in the kit incase they suffer a hypoglycaemic attack. You may want to add more sterile water to your kit if you have no running water available, in case of burns. The only limit is how much space you have in the box!

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