First aid needs assessment: how many first aiders do you need?

There is no single statutory ratio such as one first aider per 50 employees for every workplace in Great Britain. Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, employers must provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel so employees can receive immediate attention if injured or taken ill at work. Northern Ireland employers should check their own corresponding rules. The amount and type of provision come from an assessment of the workplace's first-aid needs. HSE's L74 guidance explains how to do that and offers suggested numbers. Those suggestions are guidance, not fixed statutory ratios.

Start with the work and workforce

List the activities, hazards and accident history. Consider numbers of workers, shift patterns, lone or remote workers, travel between sites, distance from emergency medical services, and whether members of the public or contractors may need assistance. Think about periods when trained people are absent through leave or sickness. HSE's needs-assessment guide asks employers to choose provision that fits their circumstances rather than copying another company's staffing number.

A small office may need an appointed person and a suitable kit. A workshop with machinery, chemicals or work at height may need trained first aiders and more specialized equipment or procedures. A multi-site employer should assess each location and the time people actually work there. A central certificate register does not provide physical cover if every trained person is on another shift.

Appointed person versus first aider

An appointed person takes charge of first-aid arrangements, such as looking after equipment and calling emergency services. That role is not a substitute for a trained first aider where the needs assessment shows first-aid skills are required. Emergency First Aid at Work, or EFAW, and First Aid at Work, or FAW, are training routes with different scope. The employer should select training that matches the expected injuries and illnesses, and make sure qualifications remain current. The title on a certificate is only part of the decision; competence, availability and site arrangements also matter.

HSE's L74 includes indicative tables for lower and higher hazards and workforce size. Use them as a starting point, then adjust for circumstances. Do not write the suggested number into a policy as if Parliament set a universal minimum. Record the assessment, why the provision was chosen, and who will cover absences. Revisit it when the workforce, process, location or hours change.

Equipment, communication and mental health

The needs assessment also determines kits, any room or specialized equipment, and how employees know where to get help. Check supplies and replace items after use or expiry. Tell new starters and contractors who to contact and how to summon emergency services. Where workers are dispersed, ensure the arrangements work outside normal office hours.

L74 was updated in 2024 to emphasize considering employees' mental health in a first-aid needs assessment. This does not create a blanket statutory requirement to appoint a mental health first aider by a fixed ratio. Consider the nature of the work, available support and how a person in distress can obtain prompt help. Keep clinical care and diagnosis with appropriately qualified services.

A practical calculation process

Write a site-by-site matrix of work patterns and hazards. Identify what first aid may be needed before professional help arrives. Compare HSE's suggested provision with your own risks. Assign named cover for each shift, include backup, confirm training is suitable, and explain the plan to workers. Test whether someone can actually reach a casualty in the location and time the incident could occur. Review accident and near-miss data for signs the plan is inadequate.

The first-aid compliance software page is the commercial route for evaluating how Complys may fit record workflows. A separate UK first-aider calculator has been proposed elsewhere but is not a verified live tool, so it is not linked here. No claim is made that Complys determines the number of first aiders legally required or verifies qualifications.

General information, not legal advice. Verify current requirements against the primary sources linked above.