Introduction: Does the perfect first aid kit exist?
When we teach our first aid courses, participants often ask what they should have in their first aid kits. We love that they want to have the best tools in place so that they can help family, friends or colleagues quickly and effectively with any minor injury or medical emergency. A well-stocked first aid kit is important in any home, vehicle, or workplace.
But, does the perfect first aid kit exist? Well, unfortunately, it’s not quite as simple as printing off a checklist. A good basic kit may be all you really need – or that might just be the start. You will need to first consider if there are any specific needs, but don’t worry, we’ll walk you through what that means. We’ll also take you through your legal obligations if you’re putting together a first aid kit for work, when to replace items and even where to keep your first aid kit.
So whether you’re assembling a kit for the first time or updating an existing one, here’s a comprehensive guide on how to build your first aid kit.
Why do I need each item? What do they actually do?
A little guide to some first aid essentials:
Cleansing Wipes
These clean the wound and are more convenient than a disinfectant liquid.
Gloves
An important barrier for infection, gloves are available in different sizes. It’s hard using gloves that are too large. Gloves that are too small could tear. Also consider materials:
- Latex gloves are flexible and less likely to tear. However, some people have latex allergies. Beware, there’s always a first time to find out!
- Latex-free gloves (Nitrile) are the best alternative.
Plasters
Plasters are for small cuts and grazes. There are plenty of fun designs and colours. Here are some of the main types to consider:
- Fabric plasters are comfortable, fit to the contours of the body and are suitable for dry environments.
- Waterproof plasters can withstand moisture and are practical for injuries in damp conditions/those who need to wash frequently.
- Blue Plasters are a requirement for kitchens or catering. They are waterproof to prevent cross-contamination and easier to spot if they fall in the soup. Yuck! They have a scannable metal strip in case one goes missing!
- Butterfly Plasters hold deeper cuts that might otherwise be stitched.
A well-stocked first aid kit ensures you can help others easily and effectively.
Bandages
Triangular Bandages
Triangular bandages make great slings, but they have other uses:
- Holding large dressings in place, including around the head or jaw
- Immobilizing broken bones and soft tissue injuries
- Applying extra pressure for a bleeding wound
- Splinting broken bones and soft tissue injuries
- Improvised tourniquet
Note: if you are using them to support a dressing, they must be sterile.
Other Bandages
Open weave bandages: These will hold the dressing in place without putting pressure on the wound. The open weave means that the wound can ‘breathe’.
Conforming Bandages: Stronger and more flexible than ordinary bandages, these can ‘hug’ the body. The are used to support injuries involving joints and limbs, such as a sprained ankle. They are synthetic, lightweight, fray-resistant and breathable.
Crepe Bandages: Like conforming bandages, these will support the joints well. These are usually made of cotton so they are breathable, but contain elastic which allows the joints to move.
Cohesive Bandages: These are designed to stick to themselves and can be used both for wounds and joints or muscles that need compression.
Microporous Tape: This breathable tape secures a dressing. It is lightweight and easily tears if you wish to remove the dressing.
Wrapping a bandage around a hand – make sure you have one in your first aid kit!
Other Useful Additions:
Cold Compress – Also known as a cool pack or ice pack, this is mainly to help reduce inflammation to an impact injury or sprained joint. You will need to keep cool packs or compresses in the fridge unless you have one of the instant ones.
Thermometer – If this is the usual oral thermometer, you will need to consider how you will make it clean and sterile. Alternatively, consider a good quality body scan thermometer.
Paracetamol – This medicine is best kept locked away – overdose can have serious consequences, including death.
Aspirin – This medicine can be life-saving in the event of a heart attack or stroke. While waiting for an ambulance, it may help to chew and then swallow a tablet of aspirin (ideally 300mg), as long as the person is not allergic to aspirin.
Pocket Mask – A simple mask with a one-way valve is important for safely performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation during a cardiac emergency.
Universal Shears – These special scissors can cut through clothing. This can be especially important if defibrillation is required, when even bras must be removed.
Emergency Foil Blanket – Also known as a space blanket, this can help retain body heat in cases of shock or exposure to cold environments. It can be a life-saving item.
Sterile Eye Wash – This can be used for eyes and wounds alike. You may need several eye washes available – make sure they can be quickly and easily found.
Assessing Risks: Tailoring Your First Aid Kit to Your Environment
How will you know what you need? It might sound dull, but start by risk assessing what your requirements are. This can seem daunting, but don’t worry.
In a nutshell, this comes down to people, place and activity.
Businesses should complete a First Aid Needs Assessment, which should include not just your kit, but your first aid provision – such as whether there will be enough first aiders to comfortably cover the needs of your business, even when your main first aiders are away on holiday, training or off sick.
1. How many: Will the first aid kit need to cover a high-volume area, perhaps temporarily due to a special event? Or regularly because it is needed in a public-facing area? You’ll need to consider whether you have a kit that will meet the needs of the people using your space. The more people there are within the space, the greater the likelihood that one of them will need your help.
2. Who: Will any individuals with particular needs or with higher risks need to be considered? Is this a first aid kit for a school with children with special needs? A residential home for the elderly?
3. Identified High Risks: Does something about the place or the activity within the place present a particular risk? For example, what sort of kit might be needed at a butcher’s shop? A biscuit factory? An ice skating rink where junior ice hockey teams regularly play? A fish and chip shop? A prison?
Once you have identified additional risks caused by either the environment, the footfall or the type of user, you can add to the kit. See examples below.
For more on this topic see: the Red Cross’s first aid need assessment guide.
Quick Checklist for the Low Needs Environment (eg. home or a small office)
- A leaflet with general guidance on first aid – because we all sometimes need reminders
- Sterile cleansing wipes
- Disposable, non-latex protective gloves
- Individually wrapped, sterile plasters of assorted sizes
- Large and medium-sized sterile, individually wrapped, unmedicated gauze dressings
- Bandages
- Micropore tape
- Conforming bandage for joints
- Triangular bandages
- Tweezers
- Safety pins or grips
- Sterile eye wash
What about my car?
Start with the Quick Checklist and consider adding the following items:
- Single use cold packs activated by crushing or twisting
- Foil blanket
- Burn dressing
- Pocket mask for CPR
- Universal shears
- Any medication that is crucial to your family/colleagues e.g. aspirin, glucose tablets, spare inhaler, EpiPen
You will also need to consider other safety aspects if you need to help someone following an accident – such as high visibility vest or coat, a torch, a blanket and a warning triangle. Consult your vehicle association for the most up-to-date safety advice.
You never know when you might need to use your first aid kit.
High Needs Environment(s)
Your needs will differ depending on the environment.
For example, consider the needs of:
- a butcher’s shop
- a care home for elderly
- a restaurant
- a factory
- a construction site
What is needed could be based on a combination of what has already happened (check those accident books!) and what might happen despite reasonable safeguards.
You may need to draw from several of the following categories. So, if you manage a nightclub, for example, you may need to consider having most of the following additional items.
Start with the quick checklist, decide on the quantity, then consider which of the following you might also need.
Catastrophic Bleed Risk:
- Disposable gloves
- Tourniquet
- Haemostatic gauze or powders that can help blood to clot quickly and effectively in the event of a catastrophic bleed
- Chest seal
- Emergency foil blanket (core temperature can drop)
- Catastrophic bleeds can lead to cardiac arrests so you will need to consider that too once the bleed is under control.
Exposure to Chemicals or Eye Injury Risk:
- Sterile, individually wrapped eye pads
- Sterile eye wash station
Cardiac Arrest Risk:
- AED (defibrillator)
- Universal shears (scissors which can cut cloth)
- Razor
Burns Risk:
- Cling film for burns
- Specialised wash station may be required in a busy kitchen
- Burns gels
Anaphylaxis Risk
- Steroid Injector
Hypothermia Risk:
- Foil Blanket
- Hot water bottle or similar to allow gentle re-warming
Hypoglaecemia Risk:
- Glucose Tablets
- Blood sugar test
Serious Injury/ Illness Risk:
- Oxygen canister
Kitchen Environment:
- Waterproof, blue plasters, which can easily be seen if they drop in the food.
Risk assessment ensures your first aid kit has everything it needs.
All the gear and no idea?
If you have identified a high-needs environment, you will need first aiders with the skills to match the first aid kit. They could benefit from doing our Emergency First Aid at Work or our First Aid at Work courses. There is a new High-Risk version of these courses which covers the use of tourniquets and haemostatic dressings. Additional courses with greater depth include our Outdoor Pursuits First Aid Course and First Responders on Scene: Emergency First Responders (FROS®). The most advanced, expensive, spectacular first aid kit won’t help if you don’t feel confident using it.
Do items need to be of a particular make, quality or standard?
When replacing items in your first aid kit, look for British Standard (BS) 8599. By law, your kit doesn’t have to meet this standard, but it does guarantee a minimum quality.
Where should I keep my first aid kit?
The best place for your first aid kit is wherever seems the most central, obvious place to you.
- Where it will likely be needed
- Visible, clearly labelled
- In a protective case
- Accessible to anyone who will need to use it or fetch it
- In a high footfall area
- Possibly close to other tools which cannot easily be kept in a first aid kit, eg near the fridge that has cool compresses.
At home, your first aid kit could be mounted on a wall in the kitchen. If you are concerned about a person with dementia or there’s another situation where carers come into the space, that would also be appropriate. However, for most of us, this is probably unnecessary. If you decide to put your first aid kit inside a cupboard, you could perhaps put a First Aid Kit sticker on the outside of the cupboard door to show where it is. While you will remember where it is (you hope!), you never know when it might be you needing help. Consider whether your friend or neighbour will waste time looking for your first aid kit.
At work, your first aid kit could go in the Reception area if you have one. In a shop, this could be in the Customer Service area or behind the till. Obviously, if you have a large workplace, it could need several first aid kits and these could have different items within them depending on the identified needs of that department.
In a car, it could be in the glove compartment or the boot.
What about an AED (defibrillator)?
When AEDs are used quickly, they improve chances of survival for the person who has had a cardiac arrest. They are easy to use, but can be very expensive. There are now highly portable, single-use models which are much cheaper, such as CellAED. They do expire, but you can arrange a subscription where they replace any used or expired.
Consider having an AED around if there is a higher risk of cardiac conditions, there are a lot of older people in the area you are considering, or there is a high footfall.
Legal Requirements: Do I really need a first aid risk needs assessment?
Yes, all employers must complete a first-aid needs assessment. This is required by the HSE (Health & Safety Executive).
If there is ever a legal case taken against your company, an investigation would look into whether you carried out an effective First Aid Needs Assessment and what you did to meet those needs. This assessment should consider the full provision – not just the kit, but whether the people helping those injured or unwell were trained at a suitable level given the known risks of that environment.
So you need to decide whether the provision is:
- suitable for the people who use it, including any non-employees (eg members of the public)?
- appropriate for the space(s)?
- satisfactory given what has happened before (recorded in accident books)?
- meets any specific needs that might be reasonably foreseen?
- meets the needs on any and all times that the business has people present within it?
- meets the needs across all sites that the business covers as well as any travelling lone workers?
Obviously, in your own home there is no legal requirement, but again, you will naturally want to make sure that you have enough kit to manage the usual mishaps and the odd more serious accident.
A well stocked first aid kit
When should I replace my first aid kit?
When we run courses in workplaces, we invite participants to open up their first aid kit(s). This is a good opportunity for first aiders to take a good look at the contents. We give course members a chance to check the kit themselves, so they get a sense about what to do.
First of all, start by checking the dates of any items in the kit. Not every item will have an expiry date, however, anything sterile will do so. This is because packaging will lose its integrity over time, allowing bacteria to get into sterile dressings. Supplies that have lost their sterility are unsafe to use. While it can be tempting to keep items going a little longer than the expiry dates, however, we would not advise it – for the safety of the injured person. In addition, the adhesive part of plasters will degrade over time, and you may find that out of date plasters no longer stick as required.
Occasionally, these can be alarmingly out of date! We found some items over thirty years old – impressive!
We understand and applaud the desire not to waste items. If you just can’t bear to throw them away, you may be interested to learn that we go through a lot of dressings on our first aid courses. Just imagine: dressings from years ago may finally have their day of glory, wrapped against a hideous, fake wound – giving first aiders of the future greater confidence at a White Cross Training first aid course!
If you have a stash of expired items, please let us know. You can email us on info@whitecrosstraining.co.uk or phone/ text us on 0778 777 2332.
How often should I check my first aid kit?
While it is up to you how often you check your first aid kit, we recommend every three months. When you do, check that the packaging is still sealed, that there are no expired items and nothing essential is missing. If there’s nothing to replace, use the time to remind yourself about what is in the kit and how to use it. Take a look at that first aid leaflet or book and remind yourself how to make a sling!
After any incident, it is worth noting what should be replaced.
A really busy, high risk environment will need more frequent checks.
Conclusion
Having a well-equipped first aid kit is a vital part of emergency preparedness. By including these essential items, you can ensure that you are ready to handle a wide range of medical situations, from minor injuries to more serious emergencies. It is important to regularly check and replenish your first aid kit to keep it fully stocked, in date and ready for use.