How to Audit Your Workplace First Aid Kit

Did you know that businesses must carry out an audit of their first aid kit once every 12 months?

Auditing workplace first aid supplies for WHS compliance

This is just one of the duties of employers set out in the Safe Work Australia Code of Practice, which aims to make workplaces safer environments.

We explain how you can audit your workplace first aid kit in our latest post. It will help you stay on top of your duties and ensure that your workplace is a better place to be.

Why should you audit a workplace first aid kit?

There are lots of reasons why it’s important to monitor your workplace first aid kit:

It helps you understand how often it is used and which items are used the most.
It means you regularly replace used, unsuitable and expired items.
It’s a reminder of the importance of all aspects of first aid.

How often should you audit your workplace first aid kit?

While the Safe Work Australia guidelines say you should carry out your audit once every 12 months, this is just the minimum requirement.

You may wish to do your checks more frequently, depending on how often you use your first aid kit and what your workplace risk level is.

For low-risk or low-usage workplaces (for example, offices or shops), schedule a first aid kit audit every six to 12 months.
For medium-risk or medium-usage workplaces (for example, warehouses), schedule a first aid kit audit every three to six months.
For high-risk or high-usage workplaces (for example, construction, farming or industrial sites), schedule a first aid kit audit every week or month.

First aid kit audit checklist

Here are the steps you need to take to audit your first aid kit:

Workplace first aid kit audit with inventory checklist

1. Take out all the contents and check the expiry dates of items as well as their condition. Some items may have a manufacturing date instead of an expiry date. You should remove these products six years after manufacture or sooner if they are worn or damaged. Discard any items that are expired or in poor condition.

2. Have a good look at any instruments like scissors, thermometers and tweezers. Clean and sanitise them.

3. Inspect your first aid kit’s outer container and give it a good clean. Discard it if it’s damaged or no longer water-, dust-, or contaminant-proof.

4. Next, check any remaining items against your contents list and make a note of any that are missing or need replacing.

5. Repack your first aid kit and leave the updated contents list and a record of your audit (with the date of the check and who carried it out) inside the container. Keep copies of these digitally too.

6. Check out the kit refills section in MediBC’s online shop to order any missing items.

7. Schedule the next audit in your diary and communicate this to key colleagues.

8. Check that employees know where to find your first aid kit and ensure that it is easily accessible to them and visitors to your place of work.

What else do I need to know about my workplace first aid duties?

Checking your workplace first aid kit isn’t your only obligation. Safe Work Australia’s Code of Practice also says that:

Your first aid kit should be big enough to accommodate all the necessary items.
The exterior design should have a white cross on a green background so that it can be easily identifiable.
It should include a list of contents.
The container must be able to protect its contents from contamination, dust and moisture.
Your first aid kit must be kept in a prominent and accessible location.
Signs showing the location of the first aid kit are recommended.
As well as a fully stocked kit, you should consider keeping other first aid kit equipment at your workplace. This could include an automated external defibrillator (AED), which can reduce the risk of death from a cardiac arrest.

These are just a few of the recommendations. Refer to the Code of Practice to know more.