First aid requirements calculator How many first-aiders HSE suggests for your workplace, and what else to put in place.
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- Based on HSE guidance L74, 2024
- Nothing is stored
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How many first-aiders HSE suggests
The law sets no fixed number per employee. HSE suggests these minimums, counted by the most people at work at once.
| People | HSE suggests |
|---|---|
| Under 5 | 1 appointed person No course needed |
| 5 to 50 | 1 first-aider EFAW (1 day), or FAW (3 days) where serious injuries are likely |
| Over 50 | 1 first-aider for every 50 FAW (3 days). 51 people: 2 · 101 people: 3 |
| People | HSE suggests |
|---|---|
| Under 25 | 1 appointed person No course needed |
| 25 to 50 | 1 first-aider EFAW (1 day) |
| Over 50 | 1 first-aider for every 100 FAW (3 days). 51 people: 1 · 101 people: 2 |
What workplace first aid law asks of every employer
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 apply to every employer in Great Britain, however small.
- Assess what first aid your work needs.
- Keep a stocked first-aid kit where people can reach it.
- Name an appointed person, or train first-aiders if your assessment calls for them.
- Tell everyone who they are and where the kit is.
When to add first-aiders beyond HSE’s numbers
- Shifts
- Each shift needs its own cover.
- Holidays and sickness
- Train a spare, so one absence leaves no gap.
- Several floors or buildings
- Cover each one.
- Lone or remote workers
- Personal kits and a way to call for help.
First aid rules for construction sites, offices, nurseries and schools
Construction sites
Higher-risk numbers, induction, and cover shared with other contractors.
Offices
Lower-risk numbers, and cover across floors or a shared building.
Nurseries and childminders
The EYFS paediatric rules: on the premises, on outings and at meals.
Schools
The DfE sets no number. Lower-risk numbers for staff, and the EYFS for reception classes.
Have first aid requirements changed for 2025 or 2026?
No. The Regulations were last amended in 2013. HSE reissued its L74 guidance in January 2024 with minor changes; the suggested numbers stayed the same.
The one 2026 change is for childcare in England: a new EYFS framework from 1 September 2026.
Sources
- Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981
- HSE, L74 First aid at work (2024)
- HSE, First aid: what employers need to do
- HSE, First aid at work: your questions answered
- DfE, EYFS framework for group and school-based providers (September 2026)
- DfE, First aid in schools, early years and further education
HSE’s guidance covers Great Britain. Northern Ireland has its own first-aid regulations.