Office first aid requirements calculator How many first-aiders your office needs, which course, and what else to put in place.
- Free, no account
- Based on HSE guidance L74, 2024
- Nothing is stored
Your first-aid cover
Enter how many people
How many first-aiders an office needs
Offices are in HSE’s lower-risk band. The law sets no fixed number; HSE suggests these minimums. Count the most people in the office at once, not everyone on the payroll.
| 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 every office needs for first aid
- A first aid needs assessment. It doesn’t have to be written down.
- A stocked first-aid kit, easy to reach. HSE gives a minimum for low-risk work, not a fixed list.
- An appointed person to take charge, call 999 and look after the kit, or trained first-aiders if you need them.
- Staff told who they are and where the kit is, for example on a notice.
- Cover while they are on holiday, off sick or out of the office.
- Certificates renewed every 3 years. HSE strongly recommends a yearly refresher.
First aid cover for a multi-floor or shared office building
- Several floors
- Consider how many first-aiders or appointed persons each floor needs, so help and a kit are close by.
- More than one building
- Check whether each one needs its own cover.
- Shared with other businesses
- One employer can cover everyone if all agree, share what the risks are and tell their staff. HSE strongly recommends a written agreement.
- Hybrid working
- Count the most people in on any one day, not the average.
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
HSE’s guidance covers Great Britain. Northern Ireland has its own first-aid regulations.