A first aid room is not simply a cupboard with a treatment bed. It is the place your team relies on when someone is injured, suddenly unwell or needs private, immediate support. This first aid room setup guide helps Australian workplace leaders create a space that is practical under pressure, appropriate for their risks and ready to support a capable first aid response.
The right setup will look different in a warehouse, childcare service, office, construction site or healthcare setting. What matters is that the room reflects the people, hazards, location and operating hours of your workplace – not a generic checklist copied from another business.
Start with a first aid needs assessment
Before choosing a room or ordering supplies, assess what can realistically happen at your workplace. Under Australia’s WHS framework, employers have a duty to provide adequate first aid arrangements. The model Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace provides useful guidance, but requirements and enforcement can vary by state, territory and industry. Your risk assessment, relevant regulations and any sector-specific requirements should shape the final decision.
Consider the size and spread of the workforce, shift patterns, the distance to medical services and the types of work performed. A low-risk office with a small team may need well-positioned first aid kits and trained first aiders rather than a dedicated room. A larger site, a workplace with higher-risk tasks, or a venue where workers and members of the public may need care may benefit from a dedicated first aid room.
Talk to your first aiders, health and safety representatives and workers during this process. They can identify issues that are easy to miss on a floor plan, such as a room that is difficult to reach from the loading dock or a treatment area that offers no privacy.
Choose a location people can reach quickly
A first aid room needs to be easy to find and easy to enter. It should be close enough to work areas that an injured person can reach it safely, or a first aider can bring equipment to the person without delay. In a large or multi-level site, one room may not be enough. Supplement it with accessible first aid kits, clear directions and communication arrangements across the workplace.
Avoid placing the room in an area exposed to workplace hazards, excessive noise, dust, fumes or heavy foot traffic. A cramped storage room at the back of the building is rarely a suitable choice, even if it is available. The room should remain accessible throughout operating hours and should not be locked in a way that prevents trained personnel from responding.
Use clear signage along common routes, including near reception, staff entrances and lifts where relevant. Signage should be visible, consistent and understandable for new workers, contractors and visitors. Make sure the location is included in induction material, emergency information and workplace maps.
Build for privacy, hygiene and practical care
The space should allow a first aider to treat someone respectfully and safely. Privacy matters when a person is distressed, has an illness, is breastfeeding, is experiencing a medical event, or needs to change clothing after an incident. A solid door, blinds or suitable screening can make a significant difference.
A clean, well-lit and ventilated room with enough space to move around a treatment couch is a practical baseline. Floors and surfaces should be easy to clean. Where possible, provide access to clean running water and a sink. If that is not feasible, your risk assessment should identify alternative hygiene controls, such as readily available water, hand sanitiser and suitable cleaning supplies.
Consider access for a person using a wheelchair, crutches or a mobility aid. Also think about how a first aider, colleague or emergency services crew would move through the space. A room that can only be reached through a narrow, cluttered corridor can delay care when time matters.
Equip the room for your actual risks
There is no single shopping list that makes every first aid room compliant. The contents must match the assessed hazards and the people who may need help. For example, a workshop may need controls for cuts and eye injuries, while an education and care setting may require supplies and procedures that reflect the needs of infants and children.
As a starting point, a well-prepared first aid room commonly includes:
- a stable treatment couch or bed with disposable covers, pillows and clean blankets
- an appropriate first aid kit with dressings, bandages, gloves, wound-care supplies and other items identified through the risk assessment
- hygiene and infection-control items, including hand hygiene products, disposable gloves, rubbish bags and a sharps container where there is a genuine need
- communication access, such as a charged mobile, internal extension or reliable two-way radio
- clear emergency contacts, workplace address details and incident reporting materials.
Keep supplies organised, labelled and stored within easy reach. First aiders should not have to search through mixed boxes while managing a bleeding injury or a person who has fainted. A simple layout, with frequently used items visible and replenishment stock stored separately, supports faster action.
Some equipment requires specific planning. An automated external defibrillator, or AED, should be available where your risk assessment supports it, but it must be maintained and positioned so it can be retrieved quickly. It is often more effective to locate an AED in a prominent shared area than inside a locked room. Eye wash equipment, burn treatment supplies and other specialised items should be selected for the hazards present and used according to workplace procedures and training.
Do not turn the first aid room into general storage. Cleaning chemicals, archived files, spare furniture and personal belongings can compromise access, hygiene and privacy. If an item does not support first aid care, it belongs elsewhere.
Make access and communication part of the setup
A room is only useful if people know what to do when help is needed. Display the names or contact methods for trained first aiders, along with clear instructions for calling emergency services. Include the full site address, building name, level or entry point where this could help an ambulance crew locate the person quickly.
Plan for situations where the room cannot be used. An injured person may be unable to move, the incident may occur outdoors, or a fire or other emergency may restrict access to part of the building. First aiders need portable equipment, reliable communication and clear escalation procedures as well as a designated room.
Your emergency plan should also clarify who meets emergency services, who controls access to the area and who contacts a worker’s emergency contact when required. First aid response and emergency management are connected. A calm, coordinated handover can protect the injured person and reduce confusion for everyone else.
Appoint capable first aiders and keep skills current
Even the best-equipped room cannot replace competent people. Ensure enough trained first aiders are available for your workforce, shifts, leave periods and site layout. Their training should be suitable for the work performed and the risks identified, including CPR and, where relevant, asthma or anaphylaxis response.
First aiders should know the room layout, the location of portable kits and AEDs, and the workplace procedure for documenting incidents. They also need confidence to make decisions under pressure: when to provide care, when to call 000 and when to seek further medical assessment.
Practical training is especially valuable because emergencies are rarely neat or predictable. A first aider may need to work around bystanders, communicate with a distressed colleague, manage infection-control considerations and give a clear handover to paramedics. Regular refreshers and scenario-based practice help turn equipment and procedures into usable capability.
Inspect, replenish and review the room
First aid readiness fades when no one owns it. Assign responsibility for routine checks and document what has been inspected, replaced or escalated. The frequency should reflect how often supplies are used and the level of risk, but a scheduled monthly check is a sensible starting point for many workplaces.
Check expiry dates, replace used or damaged items, test communication devices and confirm the room remains clean and accessible. Review signage after office moves, renovations or changes to building access. If the AED is part of your arrangements, follow the manufacturer’s maintenance requirements and ensure its status indicator is checked.
Review the setup after any first aid incident, near miss, change in workforce, new equipment purchase or change to the work environment. Ask the first aider what worked and what created delays. A small improvement – such as relocating the keys, adding a site map or changing the storage layout – can have a meaningful effect during the next incident.
A first aid room is a visible commitment to duty of care, but its real value is measured in the confidence it gives people when something goes wrong. Set it up thoughtfully, practise the response and keep it ready. That is how a room becomes part of a safer workplace, not just another compliance task.
