What Should Be in a Construction First Aid Kit in Australia?

If You're on a Worksite—You're Responsible

Whether you're a foreman, subcontractor, or solo tradie—first aid is your responsibility. But here’s what most don’t realise:

Standard first aid kits aren’t enough. Construction is classed as high-risk under the WHS Act, which means the rules—and the risks—are different.

This guide breaks down exactly what you need to stay compliant, covered, and ready when injuries hit your site.

⚖️ WHS Requirements You Need to Know

"All workplaces must have access to appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and trained personnel."
– Safe Work Australia

For high-risk sites like construction, this means:

• Immediate treatment for cuts, burns, bleeding, and eye injuries
• Kit must be clearly labeled and quickly accessible
• Contents must match actual risks on-site
• Regular restocking and expiry checks are required

Use this free checklist to audit your kit

🔧 What Should Be in a Construction First Aid Kit?

Here’s what every high-risk job site kit should include—no junk, no fillers:

✅ Wound & Bleeding Care

• Heavy-duty adhesive bandages
• Sterile gauze + combine dressings
• Wound cleaning saline + antiseptic wipes
• Compression bandage (for major bleeding)
• Tape, dressing strips, eye pads

✅ Trauma & High-Risk Tools

• Burn gel dressing
• CPR face shield
• Snake bite compression bandage
• Thermal blanket, instant cold pack, eye wash

✅ Instruments

• Blunt-edged scissors (to cut clothing)
• Stainless steel tweezers, forceps, splinter probes
• Safety pins

✅ PPE & Hygiene

• Nitrile gloves (multiple pairs)
• Waste bags, face masks, alcohol sanitiser

✅ Admin & Emergency Info

• Notebook + pen
• First aid instruction card
• Emergency contact sheet
• Reorder/restock card

Grab a free WHS-compliant First Aid sign for your site

Pre-Built Kit or DIY?

If you're a solo tradie, a ready-made WHS kit is a no-brainer:

• Costs less than buying all items individually
• Already aligned with the Code of Practice
• Compact and built to fit your ute, backpack or tool box
• Easy to restock online with our checklist

Explore trade & construction kits

Site manager? You’ll want to go bigger:

• Wall-mounted or metal cases for larger teams
• Custom modules for high-risk tasks (burns, chemicals, etc.)
• Refillable systems with easy tracking

⛔ What If You're Not Compliant?

Under the WHS Act, you can be fined for:

• Having no first aid kit on-site
• Letting kits expire or run out
• Failing to provide access to basic first aid

And if someone is injured and you’re not covered? It’s on you.

Real Talk From the Field

“We used to run a cheap kit until a nail gun incident. That’s when we realised it wouldn’t have done jack.”
— Glenn, Carpenter, NSW

“We now carry two kits in every ute. One tradie kit, one eye and burn module. Better than being caught short.”
— Amanda, Site Supervisor, VIC

Don’t Let Your First Aid Kit Be the Weak Link

You wouldn’t run a grinder without eye protection.

Or climb without a harness.

So don’t let a junk first aid kit be what fails you when it counts.

✅ Meet the Assurance Tradie First Aid Kit

• WHS-compliant for high-risk worksites
• Built with real supplies—no fillers, no junk
• Compact, rugged, and refillable
• Trusted by sparkies, chippies, supervisors and site managers

Get a real tradie kit that’s ready when it matters

Want Free Resources?

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• Use the website chat to talk directly with Samantha, the author of this post and a first aid trainer with over 20 years in WHS compliance