First aid kits for vehicles

A vehicle first aid kit can be an important addition to a vehicle. Each agency is responsible for deciding whether a vehicle needs a first aid kit and what each kit should contain.

This decision should be based on a risk assessment performed in consultation with the agency’s first aid officers and Workplace Health and Safety Committee. The risk assessment should determine whether a first aid kit is needed and any special items should be included.

For example, a metropolitan courier driver might need a different vehicle first aid kit than a field worker, as they experience different hazards and risks.

The risk assessment should consider factors such as:

• the type of driving and work being undertaken
• the risk of injury or death
• the distance from ambulance services and their likely call-out times
• the availability of other medical support
• remote locality considerations
• first aid qualifications and capabilities.

To be effective, agencies must manage first aid kits in vehicles in the same way as other workplace-based first aid kits.

The kit should be:

• conveniently located and easily accessible
• equipped with single-use, disposable and sterile equipment to minimise the risk of cross infection
• replenished as soon as possible after use
• checked regularly to ensure that it contains the contents listed, and that the contents haven’t deteriorated or exceeded their use-by date.