📱

Best viewed in landscape & full screen

Rotate your phone sideways, then tap the button below for the best experience. You can also swipe left/right to navigate slides.

Continue without full screen

📋 Toolbox Talk · Health & Safety

First Aid in the Workplace:
Be Ready When It Matters

Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 — first aider ratios, kit requirements, appointed persons, RIDDOR reporting and your right to prompt first aid.

✅ Verified July 2026📚 HSE · First Aid Regs 1981🇬🇧 Applies across the UKukworkrights.co.uk

The law

First Aid Regulations — your employer's duties

Employers must provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and trained personnel
What's adequate depends on the size and nature of the workplace — assessed by risk assessment
Every workplace must have at least an Appointed Person — someone responsible for calling emergency services
Higher-risk workplaces must have trained First Aiders — HSE guidance gives recommended ratios
First aid kits must be stocked, accessible and checked regularly
Employers must inform workers of first aid arrangements — where the kit is, who the first aider is
First aiders must complete HSE-approved training and renew every 3 years

💡 Know your first aiders

All workers should know who the first aiders are and where the first aid kit is. Check the notice board or ask your manager.

First aider ratios

How many first aiders do you need?

Environment	Employees	Requirement
Lower risk (office)	<25	Appointed person
Lower risk (office)	25–50	At least 1 First Aider
Lower risk (office)	>50	1 per 100 employees
Higher risk	<5	Appointed person
Higher risk	5–50	At least 1 First Aider
Higher risk	>50	1 per 50 employees

⚠ Shift cover

First aid cover must be available during all working hours — including night shifts, weekends and remote locations. One first aider trained but only on Monday–Friday is not adequate cover.

In an emergency

If someone is injured or collapses

Assess the situation — is it safe to approach?

Do not put yourself in danger. Make the area safe before approaching the casualty.

Call for a first aider

Shout for help, send someone for the first aider. Do not leave the casualty alone if avoidable.

Call 999 for serious incidents

If unconscious, not breathing, or seriously injured — call 999 immediately. Give your location, the number of casualties and what happened.

Start CPR if needed

If trained — begin CPR. If not trained, 999 call handlers will guide you through hands-only CPR. Use a defibrillator (AED) if available.

Record the incident

Every incident must be recorded in the accident book — however minor. RIDDOR-reportable incidents must be reported to HSE.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Is a first aid kit a legal requirement?

Yes. The First Aid Regulations require employers to provide an adequate first aid kit. The contents depend on the risk assessment — a construction site kit needs more than an office kit. Kits must be regularly checked and restocked.

Does my employer have to provide a defibrillator?

There is currently no legal requirement to provide an AED (automated external defibrillator), but HSE strongly recommends considering one — particularly in larger workplaces or those far from emergency services. AEDs are designed to be used by untrained bystanders safely.

Can I be held liable if I give first aid and something goes wrong?

Not if you act in good faith and within your training. There is no UK law that specifically protects Good Samaritans, but the courts consistently recognise that a person acting reasonably in an emergency, without negligence, should not face civil liability. Always act — delay is usually far more dangerous than a well-intentioned attempt at first aid.

Who pays for first aid training?

Your employer. First aid training required by the employer's risk assessment is a business cost — not something workers should pay for or contribute to. First aiders should also receive paid time off to attend training.

Free H&S guidance

First Aid
free guidance

Get plain-English guidance on your rights and your employer's legal duties.

HSE Infoline

0300 003 1747

hse.gov.uk

ACAS

0300 123 1100

acas.org.uk

Citizens Advice

0800 144 8848

citizensadvice.org.uk

UK Work Rights

First Aid

ukworkrights.co.uk/toolbox-firstaid.html

First Aid in the Workplace:Be Ready When It Matters