Last updated 2026-07-10
TL;DR
OSHA's general industry standard at 29 CFR 1910.151(b) requires adequate first aid supplies when a clinic or hospital isn't near the worksite. OSHA doesn't publish a shopping list, but ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021 is the accepted benchmark. For most small shops and offices, a Class A kit covers the minimum. Inspect regularly, and write it down.
What does OSHA actually require for first aid kits?
OSHA's core rule is short and deliberately vague. 29 CFR 1910.151(b) states: "In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid. Adequate first aid supplies shall be easily accessible to the workplace." [1]
That's the whole rule. OSHA hands you the word "adequate" and leaves you to define it against the hazards at your site. The ambiguity frustrates a lot of owners. It also means a landscaping crew and an insurance office aren't held to the same bar, which is fair.
The document that fills the gap is ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021, published by the American National Standards Institute and the International Safety Equipment Association. OSHA has pointed to this standard in letters of interpretation as its benchmark for "adequate." [2] Compliance officers pull it out during inspections all the time.
One more piece of the rule matters. 29 CFR 1910.151(a) requires a "person or persons" trained to render first aid when professional medical services aren't close by. Training and supplies travel together. A fully stocked kit means nothing if nobody in the building knows how to open it.
What counts as "near proximity" to a hospital or clinic?
OSHA never defines "near proximity" in minutes or miles, and that silence has produced a stack of interpretation letters. The most-cited one, from 1997, confirms that 3 to 4 minutes is the response-time benchmark for judging whether professional help arrives fast enough to lift the on-site first aid training obligation. [3]
Practically, if your shop sits in a suburban strip mall two miles from an urgent care and a 911 call brings help in under four minutes, you're probably fine without a trained responder on site. Run a fabrication shop in a rural county where EMS averages 12 minutes, and you need at least one trained first-aider on every shift.
Most compliance officers apply plain judgment here. A downtown office tower is a different animal from a machine shop twenty miles out of town. When in doubt, train someone. A basic first aid and CPR course costs almost nothing next to a citation, or a death you could have prevented.
What supplies does ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 say a kit must contain?
ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021 created two kit classes. Class A is the baseline for most workplaces. Class B is for higher-hazard environments where injuries tend to be worse. [2]
Here are the minimum quantities side by side:
| Supply item | Class A minimum | Class B minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Absorbent compress (32 sq in) | 1 | 1 |
| Adhesive bandages (1 x 3 in) | 16 | 50 |
| Adhesive tape (2.5 yd) | 1 | 2 |
| Antibiotic treatment (0.5 g packets) | 10 | 25 |
| Antiseptic (0.5 g packets) | 10 | 50 |
| Breathing barrier (resuscitation device) | 1 | 2 |
| Burn dressing (4 x 4 in minimum) | 1 | 2 |
| Burn treatment (0.9 g packets) | 10 | 25 |
| Cold pack (instant) | 1 | 2 |
| Eye covering (with means of attachment) | 2 | 2 |
| Eye/skin wash (1 fl oz minimum) | 1 | 1 per 50 workers (up to 6) |
| First aid guide | 1 | 1 |
| Hand sanitizer (0.9 g packets or wipes) | 6 | 10 |
| Medical exam gloves (pairs) | 2 | 4 |
| Roller bandage (2 in x 4 yd) | 1 | 2 |
| Roller bandage (4 in x 4 yd) | 0 | 1 |
| Scissors | 1 | 1 |
| Sterile pad (3 x 3 in) | 2 | 4 |
| Tourniquet | 0 | 1 |
| Triangular bandage (40 x 40 x 56 in) | 1 | 2 |
For most offices with no power tools, chemical exposure, or machinery, a Class A kit is the honest answer. For a machine shop, an auto body shop, or anywhere with serious laceration or burn risk, Class B is the floor, not the ceiling.
Remember that ANSI standards are voluntary. OSHA adopts them through enforcement policy, not rulemaking, so a compliance officer could theoretically cite you without naming ANSI at all. In practice, a kit that meets Z308.1-2021 Class A or B is your best defense.
How many first aid kits does a small business need?
OSHA doesn't set a kit-per-worker ratio. It requires that supplies be "easily accessible." [1] That phrase does real work.
For a single-floor office with 10 people, one kit near the break room probably clears the bar. For a two-story shop floor spread across 20,000 square feet, one kit locked in the manager's office is almost certainly a violation.
A practical rule that safety consultants use, and that matches ANSI guidance, is one kit per floor, one per work area separated from others by more than a few seconds of travel, and one wherever the highest-hazard work happens. A compliance officer thinks about it this way: if someone opens a deep laceration at the far end of the floor, how long until a bandage is on it?
For very small shops, one well-stocked kit in a visible, unlocked spot usually does it. The unlocked part matters. OSHA has cited employers for keeping kits behind locked cabinet doors that workers couldn't open without a supervisor.
How often do you have to inspect and restock your first aid kit?
OSHA sets no inspection interval. It only says supplies must be "adequate." ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021 recommends inspections monthly at minimum, and after every use. [2]
A five-minute check once a month is the right cadence for most small businesses. You're hunting for expired items (most antiseptics and ointments carry a two- to four-year shelf life), depleted quantities, and torn packaging. Write down the date and who checked it. That log is what you hand an inspector.
If your work causes frequent minor injuries and you burn through supplies, either restock faster or sign a service contract where a vendor refills the kit on a schedule. Those contracts are common and run roughly $15 to $60 per month depending on kit size and visit frequency, based on typical vendor pricing, though rates swing a lot by region.
The inspection log is the piece most small shops skip. Don't. A kit untouched for three years, with expired antiseptic and two lonely bandages, is evidence of non-compliance even if the box was fully stocked the day you bought it.
Does OSHA have different first aid kit rules for offices vs. shops?
Not in the general industry standard. 29 CFR 1910.151 covers both office environments and manufacturing or fabrication shops under the same text. [1] The difference shows up in what "adequate" means for each one.
An office where the worst injury is a paper cut genuinely needs less than a shop where workers run grinders and handle chemicals. OSHA's hazard-based approach means your kit contents should match the injuries your workers could realistically suffer.
Construction has its own standard at 29 CFR 1926.50, which is more specific about kit contents and references a particular kit type by crew size. If you're a contractor with employees doing construction work, that's your standard. [4]
For light manufacturing, fabrication, or auto repair, stay with 29 CFR 1910.151 and use ANSI Class B as your guide. For a pure office, Class A is almost always enough.
One place the line blurs: if your office workers sometimes walk a production floor or pitch in on physical work, stock to the higher standard. An inspector looks at the actual work environment, not the job title on an org chart.
What are the OSHA penalties for not having a compliant first aid kit?
OSHA classifies most first aid violations under 29 CFR 1910.151 as "other than serious," which carries a lower penalty than imminent-danger situations. As of 2024, other-than-serious violations top out at $16,131 per violation. [5] Serious violations, which is how an inspector could classify a first aid gap if the exposure is high, carry that same maximum.
In practice, most first aid citations against small employers with no prior history land well below the cap, often between $500 and $3,500 after informal settlement. OSHA reduces fines based on employer size: businesses with 25 or fewer employees typically get a 60% cut, and those with 26 to 100 employees get 40%. [5]
A repeat violation, meaning you've been cited for the same thing within five years, can run up to $161,323 per instance. That's where a small business feels actual pain.
The honest math: a $30 Class A kit and a $15 inspection log template cost less than a single citation even at the minimum penalty.
Does OSHA require a first aid kit if you have only one or two employees?
Yes. 29 CFR 1910.151 applies no matter how small you are. There's no employee-count floor below which the standard vanishes. [1]
OSHA's enforcement resources are thin, and inspections at very small employers usually follow a complaint or an injury rather than random selection. But "we're too small to get inspected" is a terrible safety plan. A two-person shop with no supplies and a serious laceration turns into a workers' comp claim, a likely OSHA complaint from the hurt worker, and possibly a citation.
The practical answer: buy a Class A kit, mount it somewhere obvious, and check it quarterly. Total annual cost for a small employer is under $100. Ignoring it costs much more.
Do you need an AED alongside your first aid kit?
OSHA general industry standards don't require automated external defibrillators. 29 CFR 1910.151 says nothing about AEDs. [1] Some state OSHA plans and certain industry-specific standards do require them, so check your state plan if you're in one of the 22 states with an OSHA-approved program. [6]
The American Heart Association and other cardiac care bodies strongly recommend AEDs in workplaces, and many states require them in buildings above a set occupancy under non-OSHA law. If you have 50 or more employees, check your state's public access defibrillation laws separately from OSHA.
For a small shop with 5 to 10 workers and no elevated cardiac risk, an AED is a good idea but not an OSHA requirement. If you buy one, train your staff. An untrained responder can still help because the device talks you through the steps, but trained responders get better outcomes.
Workplace AED units run roughly $1,200 to $2,500 depending on model. Wall cabinets with inspection logs add another $100 to $300. That's real money for a very small employer, and I wouldn't fault a 3-person shop for putting a solid first aid kit and CPR training ahead of an AED.
What first aid training does OSHA require for small businesses?
The training requirement in 29 CFR 1910.151(a) is triggered by proximity to professional medical care. [1] If your shop sits genuinely close to a hospital or clinic with response times under about four minutes, OSHA doesn't mandate first aid training. Most safety professionals, and most practical people, would train someone anyway.
The standard names no certification and no hour count. It says the person must be "adequately trained to render first aid." American Red Cross and American Heart Association first aid/CPR courses are the most widely accepted credentials. They run 4 to 8 hours and cost $50 to $150 per person depending on provider and format.
For a small shop, the sensible target is one trained person on every shift. One trained employee is the legal floor. Two or three is common sense, because people take vacations and get sick.
If you're building a written safety program, document the first aid training: who's trained, which certification they hold, and when it expires. Red Cross and AHA first aid/CPR certifications are typically valid for two years. Keeping that documentation current is part of what inspectors check. If you need a written safety program fast, SafetyFolio has a generator that walks you through this exact documentation in about 15 minutes.
For more on OSHA training requirements generally, see our guide to osha training.
How should you document first aid kit compliance?
OSHA prescribes no specific format for first aid documentation, but documentation is your proof of compliance when an inspector shows up or an injured worker files a complaint. Keep three things on record.
First, a kit inventory log. Write down what's in the kit, the expiration dates of perishable items, and the date you verified it. A simple spreadsheet or paper form is fine.
Second, an inspection log. Date, inspector name, what got restocked or replaced. Monthly is the right cadence, plus after any use of supplies.
Third, training records for anyone designated as a first aid responder. Name, certification type, issuing organization, expiration date. This feeds your broader incident report process when an injury actually happens.
Hold these records for at least three years, which matches OSHA's general recordkeeping practice under 29 CFR 1904. [7] If an inspection happens, you want to hand over a tidy folder, not dig through a filing cabinet while the inspector waits.
For chemical-heavy environments, connect your first aid documentation to your hazard communication program. Safety data sheets often spell out first aid measures for specific chemical exposures, and your kit should reflect those needs.
What else do small shops need beyond the kit itself?
A few things get missed in a narrow reading of 1910.151.
Eyewash stations. If your shop uses corrosive chemicals, you likely need an eyewash under 29 CFR 1910.151(c). [1] The standard says "suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body" are required where employees may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials. A bottle of eyewash in the kit satisfies the ANSI standard for the kit itself, but a plumbed or self-contained eyewash station is usually required separately if you regularly handle acids, caustics, or other corrosives.
First aid procedures posted where people can see them. Not strictly required by 1910.151, but OSHA's 1910.38 emergency action plan standard and general duty clause inspections favor workplaces that post emergency procedures.
A written first aid policy. Again, not explicitly required by 1910.151, but a written policy covering who's trained, where kits live, and how injuries get reported ties your first aid program into your broader safety documentation. It also makes new-hire onboarding easy.
For shops with forklifts, machine guarding, or lockout tagout programs, your first aid program should account for the injuries those hazards create. A shop with a press brake has different first aid needs than one doing light assembly.
Last, make sure employees actually know where the kit is. Post a sign. Mention it in orientation. An inspector will sometimes ask workers to point to the kit. If nobody can, that's a problem no matter what's inside it.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a specific OSHA-approved first aid kit I have to buy?
No. OSHA doesn't certify or approve specific kit brands or products. The requirement under 29 CFR 1910.151(b) is that supplies be "adequate" for the hazards present. ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021 defines adequate for most workplaces, and any kit labeled as meeting that standard is a solid choice. You can also build your own kit from the ANSI supply list.
Can I keep my first aid kit in a locked cabinet?
You shouldn't. OSHA requires that supplies be "easily accessible," and a locked cabinet employees can't open during an emergency fails that standard. Compliance officers have cited employers for locked kits. Mount your kit in an unlocked, clearly marked location that anyone on the floor can reach without tracking down a key or a supervisor.
Does my first aid kit need to be inspected on a specific schedule?
OSHA doesn't set a specific interval, but ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021 recommends monthly inspections at minimum and after every use. A monthly check for expired items, depleted supplies, and damaged packaging, followed by a brief written log entry, is what most compliance officers expect to see. Quarterly is the practical floor for very low-hazard offices.
What's the difference between a Class A and Class B first aid kit under ANSI?
Class A kits cover the minimum supply types and quantities for low-hazard environments like offices. Class B kits carry higher quantities and add items like a tourniquet, built for greater injury risk such as manufacturing, construction, or auto repair. Most compliance professionals recommend Class B for any shop with machinery, cutting tools, or chemical exposure.
Do I need a first aid kit if I work from home or run a one-person business?
OSHA's general industry standard covers employers with employees. A sole proprietor with no employees doesn't fall under OSHA jurisdiction. If you have even one employee, the standard applies regardless of where the work happens. Home-based businesses with employees are technically covered, though enforcement in home offices is rare and typically complaint-driven.
How do I know if I need an eyewash station in addition to my first aid kit?
Under 29 CFR 1910.151(c), eyewash or drench facilities are required if employees may be exposed to corrosive chemicals. If you use acids, caustic cleaners, solvents, or other substances that could injure eyes or skin, you need a dedicated eyewash station beyond what's in the kit. Check your safety data sheets: any chemical rated as a skin or eye corrosive triggers this requirement.
What happens during an OSHA inspection related to first aid kits?
An inspector typically checks that a kit exists, that it's accessible and unlocked, that supplies aren't expired or depleted, and that at least one person has first aid training if professional medical care isn't close by. They may ask workers where the kit is. Having an inspection log, a current inventory, and training records on hand substantially cuts the chance of a citation.
Does the construction standard require different first aid supplies than the general industry standard?
Yes. 29 CFR 1926.50 covers construction and is more prescriptive than 1910.151. It requires a specific kit type for crews of fewer than 25 workers and a larger kit for up to 200 workers. It also addresses emergency contact numbers and proximity to medical facilities. If your employees do construction work, use 1926.50 as your primary reference, not 1910.151.
How long should I keep first aid kit inspection records?
OSHA doesn't specify a retention period for first aid kit inspection logs. The general recordkeeping rule under 29 CFR 1904 requires OSHA 300 logs and related records for five years. For consistency and to cover potential litigation tied to an injury, keeping first aid inspection logs for at least three to five years is a practical standard most safety professionals follow.
What penalty could I face for not having a compliant first aid kit?
Most first aid violations are cited as other-than-serious under 29 CFR 1910.151, with a maximum penalty of $16,131 per violation as of 2024. Small employers typically get reductions by size: 60% for 25 or fewer employees, 40% for 26 to 100. Real-world settlements for small first aid violations without prior history often land between $500 and $3,500.
Can employees help themselves to first aid supplies, or should a designated person manage the kit?
OSHA expects supplies to be accessible to employees, not gatekept by a manager. Employees should be able to grab a bandage or antiseptic without asking permission. A designated person should manage restocking and inspections, but access shouldn't require approval. Restricting employee access to emergency supplies produces both an OSHA citation and a bad outcome when someone is actually hurt.
Does OSHA require me to document which employees have been trained in first aid?
29 CFR 1910.151 doesn't explicitly list training records as a required document, but proving compliance during an inspection means showing that someone is trained. A simple log with the employee name, certification type, issuing body, and expiration date is standard practice. It also protects you if a worker is injured and questions come up about whether trained help was available.
Are over-the-counter medications like pain relievers or antacids required in a workplace first aid kit?
No. ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021 doesn't include OTC medications like aspirin or ibuprofen in either kit class, and OSHA doesn't require them. Many employers include them as a convenience, but they're outside the scope of compliance requirements. Some employers avoid them to limit liability around dispensing medication. A first aid kit is for treating injuries, not managing employee wellness.
Sources
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.151 Medical Services and First Aid: 29 CFR 1910.151(b) requires adequate first aid supplies to be easily accessible when no infirmary or clinic is in near proximity; 1910.151(a) requires trained first aiders; 1910.151(c) requires eyewash facilities where corrosive chemicals are present.
- ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021, Minimum Requirements for Workplace First Aid Kits and Supplies: ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021 defines Class A and Class B kit contents and recommends monthly inspections at minimum and after every use.
- OSHA Letter of Interpretation, Medical Services and First Aid (1997): OSHA uses a 3 to 4 minute response time as the benchmark for evaluating whether professional medical facilities are in near proximity to the workplace.
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1926.50 Medical Services and First Aid (Construction): 29 CFR 1926.50 is the construction-specific first aid standard and requires different kit types based on crew size.
- OSHA, Penalty and Debt Collection Procedures: As of 2024, OSHA other-than-serious and serious violations carry a maximum penalty of $16,131 per violation; small employers with 25 or fewer employees receive a 60% penalty reduction.
- OSHA, State Plans: 22 states and 2 territories operate OSHA-approved state plans that may have additional or different requirements beyond federal OSHA standards.
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1904 Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses: 29 CFR 1904 establishes general recordkeeping requirements for occupational injuries and illnesses; OSHA 300 logs and related records must be retained for five years.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses 2023: BLS injury and illness data for tracking workplace injury rates by industry sector.
- American Red Cross, First Aid/CPR/AED Training: American Red Cross first aid and CPR certifications are widely accepted for OSHA compliance purposes and typically run 4 to 8 hours.
- OSHA, General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act: The General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm, which can apply to first aid program deficiencies not covered by a specific standard.