First Aid Requirements for Workplaces: Boxes, First Aiders and Training
The first aid requirements for workplaces look minor next to risk assessments and committees — until someone is bleeding on your floor and the box is empty, the plaster expired in 2019, and nobody knows what to do. The General Safety Regulations under the OHS Act set clear minimums, inspectors check them on every visit, and they are among the cheapest compliance items in this entire guide. Here is exactly what is required.
- ✔Stocked first-aid boxes matched to your hazards are a baseline duty.
- ✔More than 10 employees at work = at least one certified first aider.
- ✔Ratios: 1 per 50 employees in shops/offices; 1 per 100 in other workplaces.
- ✔Certificates come from accredited providers and expire — track refreshers.
- ✔Everyone must know where the box is and who the first aider is.
First-aid boxes: when, how many, what inside
Employers must provide first-aid boxes at or near the workplace, stocked according to the hazards present — an office box and a workshop box are not the same inventory. Boxes must be accessible, clearly marked, and under the control of a responsible person; where more than five employees are at work, the box requirement applies squarely, and larger or spread-out workplaces need boxes per area or floor so that one is always reasonably near.
- Basics: wound dressings, bandages, sterile gauze, adhesive plasters, antiseptic, scissors, tweezers, disposable gloves, CPR mouthpiece, burn dressings, eye pads, triangular bandages, safety pins, first-aid manual.
- Hazard-driven additions: eye-wash where chemicals are used; burn gel near hot work; splints where fracture risk exists.
- No medicines: boxes contain dressings and equipment — not tablets, painkillers or ointments administered internally.
- Maintenance: monthly checks against a contents list; replace used and expired stock.
An empty or expired first-aid box is one of the most common inspection findings — and one of the hardest to explain after an injury. Assign the monthly check to a named person and keep the contents list inside the lid.
Trained first aiders: the 10-employee trigger and the ratios
Where more than 10 employees are at work, the regulations require a trained first aider to be readily available during working hours. The prescribed ratios are one first aider per 50 employees in shops and offices, and one per 100 employees in other workplaces. ‘Readily available’ means actually present — a first aider who only works night shift does not cover the day shift.
| Workplace | Trigger | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Shops and offices | More than 10 employees at work | 1 first aider per 50 employees |
| Other workplaces | More than 10 employees at work | 1 first aider per 100 employees |
| Shift operations | Every shift | Coverage per shift, not just per headcount |
First aiders must hold a valid certificate from an accredited training provider, and certificates expire — diarise refresher training before they do. Appointment should be in writing, like your safety representative designations, and the role belongs in the same OHS file.
First aid is not medical treatment — and other rules employers miss
First aid is emergency assistance until medical help arrives — nothing more. Two consequences: first aiders do not play doctor (no medication, no diagnosis), and first aid never replaces professional treatment for anything beyond trivial injuries. After any real injury, the medical and reporting machinery takes over — see injury on duty claims and incident reporting.
- Communication: employees must know where boxes are and who the first aiders are — put it in induction and on notice boards.
- Eyewash and emergency facilities: where corrosives or irritants are used, immediate flushing facilities are expected.
- Records: keep a first-aid treatment register — small injuries logged today become the pattern your risk assessment review needs.
- Remote and lone workers: field staff need kits and a check-in protocol, not just the office box.
The small-business first aid checklist
- ✓First-aid boxes provided per area, stocked to your hazards
- ✓Monthly box checks assigned to a named person
- ✓Certified first aider(s) appointed once past 10 employees
- ✓Certificates current — refreshers diarised
- ✓Box locations and first aiders known to all staff
- ✓Treatment register kept and reviewed
- ✓Eyewash where chemicals are used
- ✓Field and lone workers covered with kits and protocol
Total cost for a small office: a few hundred rand and one training course every few years — the best value line item in the entire OHS system. The full employer picture is in the OHS pillar guide.
Always confirm current requirements with the official source — rules and deadlines change.
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Frequently asked questions
When must a workplace have a trained first aider?
When more than 10 employees are at work. The prescribed ratios are one first aider per 50 employees in shops and offices, and one per 100 in other workplaces — available during working hours, per shift.
What must be in a workplace first-aid box?
Dressings, bandages, plasters, antiseptic, gloves, scissors, tweezers, CPR mouthpiece, burn dressings and a first-aid manual as a baseline — plus hazard-specific items like eye-wash or burn gel where the workplace demands them. Boxes should not contain medicines or tablets.
Does first aid training have to be accredited?
Yes — first aiders must hold a valid certificate from an accredited provider, and the certificate must be kept current through refresher training before it expires.
Can a first aider give employees painkillers?
No. First aid is emergency assistance until medical help is available — administering medication is outside its scope, and workplace first-aid boxes should not stock internal medicines at all.
Last reviewed: July 2026 · How we research our guides
EmployerGuide.online provides general information about South African employer obligations — not legal, tax or professional advice for your specific situation. Laws, rates and deadlines change; confirm current requirements with the official sources linked above, or ask Admin Boss. See our disclaimer.