First Aid Room Equipment

What is a first aid room used for?

A first aid, or medical, room is a designated space within a facility used for the delivery of emergency care to an individual. This space is intended to facilitate the provision of immediate support to a person taken ill or injured while at work. This is particularly useful in instances where quick professional medical attention is required, to cover the time period before this additional help arrives at the scene.

Over and above a standard box, this space will contain an array of tools and specialist furniture as well as cabinets for storage of medical products.

Most commonly found in the workplace, your risk assessment will help you to identify if one is required. At Seton, we stock a full range of medical apparatus and products to fully prepare your nominated room, ensuring you have the necessary resources to respond to any incident which may occur on your premises. When setting up a medical room, don’t forget to include suitable signs to mark the location and guide those in need of aid. Signs should always be positioned so the view of them is not obstructed and their message can be delivered efficiently.

Where should a first aid room be located?

Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, your medical room should “be positioned as near as possible to a point of access for transport to hospital" to aid a quick departure from the site for those individuals that require such care.

Not only should your nominated room be clearly signposted, thereby making it easy for individuals to locate in an emergency, there is a requirement for it to be accessible via stretcher without special arrangements made for access - such as may be required in an evacuation situation.

Considering these needs, it makes sense for a dedicated room to be positioned on the ground floor of your building, ideally at the front of the site, if possible.

How do I find out if my workplace needs a first aid room?

As an employer you hold complete responsibility for ensuring that individuals are able to receive immediate medical assistance, in the event they are taken ill or injured at their place of work. It is easy to believe that rigorous processes and safety precautions will prevent such incidents, however such measures are preventative and not a substitute for proper first aid provisions. Despite our best efforts accidents and illnesses can strike at any time. Providing proper medical support provisions can save lives and prevent a number of single minor injuries from becoming much more serious.

So what defines proper provisions? To answer this question, the first thing you should do is undertake a health and safety assessment. Carefully considering the hazards, and associated risks, goes a long way in helping determine the level of provisions you may need. Your risk assessment should include some consideration of the nature and working patterns of the workforce, any history of accidents, as well as the size of the organisation.

If there are particular hazards or greater risk of more serious injury present, or if you run a business of a larger size or a school, then a medical room and suitable set of products will likely be necessary.

If you are looking for advice for office based facilities please see our guide to first aid in the office.

What should be kept in the first-aid room?

Your medical room should contain sufficient first aid resources to tackle the risks identified in your risk assessment. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides guidance on typical facilities and materials that should be included..

While not a complete and exhaustive list, typical contents of a first aid room are;

• A sink with hot and cold running water


• Soap and paper towels


• A store for first-aid materials


• Foot-operated refuse containers, lined with yellow, disposable clinical waste bags or a container suitable for safe disposal of clinical waste


• An examination/medical couch with waterproof protection and clean pillows and blankets


• A chair


• A telephone or other communication equipment


• A record book for recording incidents attended by a first-aider or appointed person

If you are unsure of where to start when it comes to furnishing a first aid room, then a First Aid Equipment Package could be immensely helpful to you, as they come with all the larger furnishings needed to get your new space set-up and working, at a cost-effective price.

Choosing First Aid Room Supplies

At Seton, we aim to provide a comprehensive product range without compromising on quality or price. Our range of furniture for first aid rooms includes cabinets and lockers used to store and secure medications or any other sensitive or hazardous treatments and items such as gloves. For larger rooms, we also have the Metal First Aid Storage Cabinet, which is lockable yet easily accessible. With glass upper doors, the user can easily view what is kept in the cupboard and what might be missing and need replacing. The lower compartment has adjustable shelves so that items of all shapes and sizes can be kept in storage there.

Other items to consider include hot and cold treatments. These are a great investment, as many injuries that are sustained while individuals are working can initially be treated with either hot or cold pain treatment so that pain can be lessened and relieved without the use of painkillers or other medication. Freeze Spray, for example, can be used to relieve muscle stiffness and strain, sprains, bruises or cramps and is very easily applied. The Reusable Hot and Cold Packs are also extremely versatile. Chill a pack in the freezer or warm it up in the microwave and then apply it to the area of pain to provide practically instantaneous relief.

Once you have established where to place, and stocked your assigned area; it is important to use appropriate signs to indicate the purpose of the space. Our Premium Medical Room Signage Kits includes all the signs you need to display in and around your new room, including a list of trained first aiders.

Many businesses choose to add a defibrillator to help protect their workforce. For more information, take a look at our huge range of UK-approved defibrillators - all supplied with quick delivery from our UK distribution centre.

Another way of provisioning your first aid area would be to invest in a First Aid Room Equipment Kit. A little more comprehensive than your average first aid kit, these economical solutions are a good investment for anyone looking to furnish a new first aid space from scratch, rather than those updating and replacing or adding to their current setup. The kits come with everything you could possibly need, from a treatment lounger to a lockable cabinet, surgical trolley and stainless steel bin. Economy and premium furniture product kits are available - please see the table below to compare their respective contents.

Other items to think about when getting your first aid space ready for use are disposable and reusable medical equipment. From disposable gloves to polythene aprons, clinical waste containers, scissors, forceps and scales, we have a great range of supplies, whether you’re in the market for reusable or disposable supplies.

Who should have access to the first-aid room? Can a first aid room be locked?

Whilst there is no defined legislation against locking a medical room, the HSE issues guidance on who should have access to your designated space;

"If possible, the room should be reserved specifically for providing first aid and a designated person (first-aider or appointed person) should be given responsibility for supervising it. The room should be easily accessible to stretchers and be clearly signposted and identified."
HSE.gov.uk

Many organisations choose to limit access exclusively to a selected group of individuals - such as first aider(s) and management - perhaps using the space as storage for medical supplies and apparatus. Others may provide access for all via some form of digital system; such as swiping a card to unlock the door; where the card identifies the individual, logging their access to the room in a computer-based record. Smaller businesses may assign sole-responsibility for the room to a single individual.

Provided there is suitable access for all individuals to administer first aid as required - by using an unlocked first aid box for example - limiting access to your medical room should not have a detrimental impact on an individual’s ability to receive emergency aid.