Be Honest, When Was the Last Time You Checked Your First Aid Kit?

Struggling to stay on top of first aid supplies maintenance? Read on to find out how to easily stay on top of it all.

When was the last time you checked your first aid kit?

Although it’s been the law since 1981 for workplaces and businesses to have one on site, many forget to check the products inside to ensure they haven't expired.

Many sterile products, such as dressings and eye wash kits, will have an expiration date, which means they will no longer be safe to use in a medical emergency. If a first aid kit is tucked away in a cupboard, it can be easy to forget about it, but it’s important to regularly assess the contents to ensure your workplace is prepared for every kind of emergency.

HSE Compliant First Aid Kit

The Health and Safety First Aid Regulations introduced in 1981 made it the law for every employer to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure their employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work.

Every workplace is therefore required to have a first aid kit and ensure that at least one person is responsible for its contents. As well as this, it is generally recommended that for a business with between 25-50 people, at least one person is required to be first aid trained.

So, alongside having the necessary and up to date medical equipment, having someone who is qualified to administer first aid is essential.

A HSE compliant first aid kit must be free from expired items like antiseptics, burn gels, and eye wash and have an ample amount of plasters, gloves, and scissors to adhere to guidance. Not only is this a non-negotiable for businesses, but it also helps keep everyone safe.

We recommend nominating at least one person in your workplace who is responsible for checking your first aid kit and making sure everything is in date.

What to Check

A survey of commercial kitchen workers in 2025 revealed that 60% had found vital items missing from their first aid kits. For serious medical emergencies, to everyday scratches and scrapes, maintaining an up to date first aid kit is essential for all types of businesses.

To make it simple, nominate one person in your office or business who is to be responsible for checking your first aid supplies and send them the following checklist (or even this blog!) to guide them.

Check the following:

1. Expiry dates on sterile items like eye wash
2. Quantities of key supplies like plasters to see if refills are needed
3. Condition of packaging
4. Kit location and accessibility

First Aid Kit Maintenance Guide

Now you know what to look for, the next question you probably have is, how often should you be checking your first aid essentials?

Roughly, we recommend sticking to the following schedule to ensure your workplace first aid kit adheres to the correct standards and doesn’t contain out of date items.

1. Every month visual checks for the condition of packaging and the location of first aid kits
2. Every three months inventory reviews and checking you have everything
3. Every year a full audit is recommended for business HSE compliance

Depending on your business size, you can either nominate one person to do this, or split it up and have a selection of people to do all the different checks throughout the year. Alongside first aid kits, we stock first aid kit refills, which are ideal if you come across several products in your first aid box that are expired.

Restocking and Upgrading - What we Offer

Alongside first aid kits from top brands like Safety First Aid, and Astroplast, we also stock refill packs, alongside key items like eye wash and firt aid scissors. To ensure you are compliant, be sure to set up a calendar reminder to check your workplace's first aid kit and nominate someone who is responsible for its upkeep.

We also stock a variety of emergency first aid kits, designed for serious injuries and to help larger venues comply with Martyn's Law. All of our first aid supplies can be purchased here online, but if you need any help locating anything, please reach out to our friendly UK team.