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.