Irish Workplace First Aid Regulations
What the law actually requires, what changed in the HSA's December 2024 guidelines, and exactly how much kit, how many first-aiders and what training your workplace needs.
AT A GLANCE
- What law covers this? Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 — S.I. No. 299 of 2007. Unchanged since 2007.
- What's mandatory? A first aid kit, a trained first-aider (numbers scale with headcount) and clear signage.
- What changed in December 2024? The HSA updated its guidance — training standard, kit contents and AED/eye-wash sections — not the law itself.
- Training standard? PHECC First Aid Response (FAR) — 18 hours, 2-year validity.
- Is an AED required? No — recommended wherever a first-aider is present. See our AED Compliance guide.
CONTENTS
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) periodically updates its Guidelines on First-Aid at Places of Work to reflect current best practice — most recently in December 2024. The guidelines change what "good compliance" looks like in practice; they are not a new piece of legislation. S.I. No. 299 of 2007 is the only correct citation for workplace first aid — other statutory instrument numbers sometimes seen elsewhere do not apply here.
↑ Back to top| Requirement | What the law requires |
|---|---|
| First aid kit | Contents scaled to headcount — see Section 03. |
| Trained first-aider(s) | Number scales with workplace type and headcount — see Section 04. |
| Signage & location | First aid point clearly signed and accessible to all staff — see Section 06. |
An AED is not part of this legal minimum — it's a recommendation under the HSA's guidelines, covered in Section 08.
↑ Back to topThe HSA's December 2024 guidelines (Table 1) set out minimum kit contents by workplace size. These are minimums — you can always provide more.
| Item | Travel Kit | 1–10 persons | 11–25 persons | 26–50 persons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individually wrapped sterile plasters (assorted) | 20 | 20 | 20 | 40 |
| Sterile eye pads No. 16 (bandage attached) | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Individually wrapped triangular bandage | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Sterile wound dressing, medium No. 8 (10×8cm) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Sterile wound dressing, large No. 9 (13×9cm) | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Sterile wound dressing, extra large No. 3 (28×17.5cm) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Individually wrapped disinfectant wipes | 10 | 10 | 20 | 40 |
| Paramedic shears | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Disposable examination gloves (latex-free pairs) | 3 | 5 | 10 | 10 |
| Sterile water (where no clear running water) | 2×20ml | 1×500ml | 2×500ml | 2×500ml |
| Water-based burns dressing, small (10×10cm) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Water-based burns dressing, large | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Crepe bandage (7cm) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Foil blanket | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Vomit bag | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Hazardous waste bag | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Mouth shield for CPR (pocket mask or flat face shield) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Pen torch | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
- For more than 50 employees: provide pro-rata to the table above.
- Medications must not be stored in first-aid kits — the only exception is aspirin, stored separately or with an AED, for suspected cardiac chest pain and only as part of training.
- Check sterile items regularly for expiry.
- Eye baths, cups or refillable containers must not be used for eye irrigation (infection risk) — use sealed, single-use, CE-marked containers instead.
| Type of workplace | Employees present | First-aiders required |
|---|---|---|
| Factory, construction, surface mine/quarry | Up to 49 | 1 (if risk assessment shows necessary) |
| 50–149 | Minimum 1 | |
| 150–299 | Minimum 2 | |
| More than 300 | 1 extra per 150 employees | |
| Underground mines | Any | 1 per 10 employees |
| Other workplaces (offices, shops, schools etc.) | Up to 99 | 1 (if risk assessment shows necessary) |
| 100–399 | 1 | |
| 400–699 | 2 | |
| More than 700 | 1 extra per 300 employees |
Headcount is one factor among several — also weigh up workplace size, the nature of the work, hazards present, shift patterns, access to medical services, and lone or remote working.
↑ Back to top| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 18 hours (3 days) initial; 12 hours (2 days) recertification. A blended-learning option can reduce classroom time to 2 days initial / 1 day recert. |
| Validity | 2 years |
| Who can deliver it | Only PHECC Recognised Institutions (RI) or Approved Training Institutions (ATI) |
| Records | The workplace must keep written training records |
Also recognised for occupational first aid: Emergency First Responder, Emergency Medical Technician, Paramedic, and Advanced Paramedic qualifications.
↑ Back to topThe first aid kit location must be clearly signed and accessible to all staff — not locked away or hidden in a manager's office. Where an AED is provided, its location must be signposted too. Where lighting is poor, the HSA guidelines suggest a high-visibility marker and a torch kept near the first-aid box.
↑ Back to topWhether your workplace needs emergency eye wash provision is determined by a risk assessment of the activities and hazardous substances on site — it is not automatic for every workplace.
- Must be easily accessible, clean, and inspected and tested frequently.
- Access must be kept clear, with signage in place.
- If positioned externally, it must be protected from adverse weather.
- Relevant standard: EN 15154 (Emergency safety showers — plumbed and non-plumbed body/eye units).
For the full picture — HSA guidance detail, VAT, NAS registration, AED Guardian tracking and multi-site organisations — see our dedicated guides: AED Compliance in Ireland and Why Every Workplace Needs an AED.
↑ Back to top- Recertify first-aider training every 2 years (PHECC FAR).
- Check and restock kit contents regularly — sterile items expire.
- Review your risk assessment when the workplace, headcount or hazards change — this can change how many first-aiders you need.
- If you have an AED, keep it registered and its consumables in date — see our AED Maintenance Guide and AED Guardian Service.
What is the law that governs first aid at work in Ireland?
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 — S.I. No. 299 of 2007, Chapter 2 of Part 7. This hasn't changed since 2007; the HSA's December 2024 guidelines updated the recommended practice, not the law.
How many first-aiders does my workplace need?
It depends on workplace type and headcount. For most offices and shops: 1 first-aider up to 99 employees, rising to 2 at 400–699, then 1 extra per 300 employees. Factories, construction and mining follow a different scale — see Section 04.
What must be in a workplace first aid kit?
The HSA's December 2024 guidelines (Table 1) set minimum contents scaled by headcount — plasters, eye pads, triangular bandages, wound dressings, disinfectant wipes, gloves, burns dressings and more. Medications are excluded (aspirin is the only exception). See Section 03.
What training do first-aiders need in Ireland?
PHECC First Aid Response (FAR) is the recognised minimum standard since December 2024 — 18 hours initial training, 2-year validity, delivered only by PHECC Recognised or Approved Training Institutions.
↑ Back to topFor a compliance review, a kit recommendation for your headcount, or any other question:
Castle Demesne
Newcastle West
Co. Limerick, V42 N220