To comply with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines, workplaces are required to have first aid kits and first aiders to provide help in an emergency. The level and quantity of first aid kits and first aiders in your workplace will depend on the outcome of a first aid needs assessment, but the HSE states as a minimum, workplaces must have:
- a suitably stocked first aid kit,
- an appointed person to take charge of first aid arrangements,
- and information for all employees giving details of first aid arrangements.
This blog explains why and how first aid kits need to be maintained to remain HSE compliant and deliver effective first aid in the workplace.
Do first aid kits have an expiry date?
Many of the items in a first aid kit are provided in hygienically sealed sterile packaging. Over time, the seals may deteriorate, and the item inside would no longer be classed as sterile. Wherever possible, sterile bandages, plasters and other equipment should be used, and manufacturers indicate how long they are able to guarantee the integrity of the packaging by putting expiry dates on the relevant items.
If there is a date on the outside of a pre-packed kit, it would reflect the date on the item(s) inside that expires first. It’s important to keep an eye on the expiry dates of your first aid equipment – it's an important part of why first aid kits need to be maintained but is easy to overlook.
Who is responsible for the first aid kit?
Ultimate responsibility for first aid provision, including first aid kits and their contents, falls to the employer. In many organisations, this responsibility may be delegated to others such as health and safety, operations, facilities or department heads, or even first aiders themselves.
If you’re not sure who checks your first aid kit, it’s worth finding out. While there are no firm regulations about checking contents of first aid kits, it’s good practice to schedule a regular check of any safety-related equipment in the workplace and understand how first aid kits need to be maintained. Expired items should be replaced as should anything that is damaged or used.
Can first aid kits be refilled?
While first aid kits should always be suitably stocked, and the simplest way to fulfil this is to purchase pre-packed first aid kits, sometimes replacing a few expired items is a more economical and ecological option than buying an entire new kit.
Some items have shorter expiry dates, and some tend to get used much more frequently, so, for example, it may be appropriate to stock up on extra plasters which can be used to quickly replenish first aid kits as part of their regular checks.
What to do with out-of-date first aid supplies
Out-of-date first aid equipment should not be used to treat first aid incidents. Supplies should be disposed of and replaced with new, as required.
If you would like to see some good come of your unused first aid supplies, you could use them to run short in-house refresher or awareness sessions with first aiders and other interested colleagues; you could schedule a mock-scenario to help first aiders practise their skills and use ‘real’ equipment. Alternatively, you might want to contact local voluntary or educational groups – a nursery school might like to use bandages for their role-play corner, an animal shelter may need equipment, or an art centre might have a creative use for your supplies.
Buy your first aid supplies from a brand you can trust
Buying first aid supplies for the workplace from your training provider is beneficial as it means you will already be familiar with the equipment. Our commitment to first aid training provides learners with the skills and confidence they need to respond to a range of first aid situations in the workplace. Buying from our range of British Red Cross first aid kits for the workforce equips your organisation with the necessary tools to provide lifesaving first aid, whatever your requirements.