First aid kits at work in Germany: number, DIN 13157/13169 and checks

Is a first aid kit mandatory at work?

Yes. Every employer in Germany must provide first aid material – regardless of the sector and from the first employee. Under Section 25(2) DGUV Regulation 1 of the statutory accident insurance, first aid supplies must be quickly accessible and easy to reach at all times in suitable containers, protected against harmful influences, available in sufficient quantity and replenished and renewed in good time.

The Workplace Ordinance additionally requires these supplies to be checked regularly for completeness and usability (Section 4(5) ArbStättV). How many first aid kits (Verbandkästen) are needed and what goes into them is specified in the technical rule ASR A4.3 “First aid rooms, supplies and equipment for first aid”. Guidance is provided in DGUV Information 204-022 “First aid in the workplace”.

How many first aid kits does a company need?

The minimum number depends on the type of business and the number of employees (ASR A4.3, tables 1 and 3):

• Administration and retail

  Small first aid kit1–50 employees: 1

  Large first aid kit51–300: 1 · 301–600: 2 · per further 300: 1 additional

• Manufacturing, processing and comparable businesses

  Small first aid kit1–20 employees: 1

  Large first aid kit21–100: 1 · 101–200: 2 · per further 100: 1 additional

• Construction sites

  Small first aid kit1–10 employees: 1

  Large first aid kit11–50: 1 · 51–100: 2 · per further 50: 1 additional

Two small first aid kits can be used instead of one large one – which makes it easier to spread the material across several locations. Unlike the rule for first aiders, the table refers to the number of employees, not the number present at the same time.

The table is a minimum. On construction sites, the employer must also check whether individual workplaces, for example on linear sites such as roads or pipelines, need their own first aid kits.

Small and large first aid kits: DIN 13157 and DIN 13169

The small workplace first aid kit is described in DIN 13157, the large one in DIN 13169. Both contain the same materials, the large kit double the quantity for most items. ASR A4.3 sets the minimum contents itself in its table 2; kits complying with the current standards meet this minimum and go beyond it. The contents include:

• Plasters: adhesive tape roll, wound dressings, finger and fingertip dressings, plaster strips
• Dressing packs in three sizes, a dressing towel, compresses and eye pads
• Fixation bandages and triangular bandages
• Rescue blanket and instant cold pack
• Scissors, plastic bags, nonwoven cloths and disposable medical gloves
• First aid booklet with first aid instructions and a list of contents

New editions of both standards were published in November 2021. According to the DGUV, no material was removed; new or increased are:

• Face masks, at least type I

  Small kit (DIN 13157)2 (new)

  Large kit (DIN 13169)4 (new)

• Wet wipes for cleaning uninjured skin

  Small kit (DIN 13157)4 (new)

  Large kit (DIN 13169)8 (new)

• Wound dressings

  Small kit (DIN 13157)12 instead of 8

  Large kit (DIN 13169)24 instead of 16

• Finger and fingertip dressings and narrow plaster strips

  Small kit (DIN 13157)6 each instead of 4

  Large kit (DIN 13169)12 each instead of 8

• Wide plaster strips

  Small kit (DIN 13157)12 instead of 8

  Large kit (DIN 13169)24 instead of 16

Where first aid kits must be kept and how they are marked

• wherever working conditions require them – including workshops, storage areas and workplaces with a higher risk of injury
• distributed so that they are no more than 100 m walking distance or one storey away
• protected against contamination, moisture and high temperatures, but easy to reach at all times – not locked away or blocked
• marked in line with ASR A1.3 with the safety sign E003 “First aid” (white cross on a green background), in large or complex premises also with directional arrows

Employees must know where the nearest first aid kit is. This is ensured by notices with information on first aid, emergency numbers, first aiders and first aid equipment, which the employer must keep up to date (Section 24(5) DGUV Regulation 1), and by regular safety instruction.

Checking first aid kits: completeness and expiry dates

Section 4(5) ArbStättV requires regular checks but sets no fixed interval. Define it in the risk assessment and name a responsible person, such as one first aider per area. This routine has proven useful:

1. 1

   Restock after every use

   Under ASR A4.3, material is topped up or replaced after use, when it becomes unusable or once its expiry date has passed – not only at the next routine check.

2. 2

   Check at fixed intervals

   Compare the contents with the list of contents, for example quarterly or at every safety inspection.

3. 3

   Check expiry dates

   Sterile products such as dressing packs, compresses and eye pads carry an expiry date. Expired items are replaced.

4. 4

   Check the condition

   Is the packaging undamaged, is the kit clean and dry? Store instant cold packs according to the manufacturer's storage conditions.

5. 5

   Document the check

   Record the date, result and the person who checked – so the regular inspection can be proven.

Additional supplies, first aid log and vehicle first aid kit

The basic equipment is not enough everywhere. If the risk assessment identifies particular risks, additional first aid supplies are needed (ASR A4.3) – for example an automated external defibrillator (AED), eyewash bottles for work with corrosive substances or an antidote for certain hazardous substances. Medical devices and antidotes are agreed with the company doctor.

Every first aid treatment – even a plaster from the first aid kit – is documented, and the records are kept available for five years (Section 24(6) DGUV Regulation 1). A first aid log (Verbandbuch) or record pad therefore belongs at every first aid point.

Checklist: first aid kits at work

• Number determined under ASR A4.3 for type of business and number of employees
• First aid kits distributed so that no more than 100 m or one storey must be covered
• Contents at least as in table 2 of ASR A4.3, preferably as in the current DIN 13157 or DIN 13169
• Locations marked with the safety sign E003
• First aid notice with emergency numbers and first aiders up to date
• Person responsible for checks named
• Completeness and expiry dates checked and documented regularly
• Used material replaced immediately
• First aid log or record pad at every location
• Additional supplies such as an AED or eyewash bottle considered in the risk assessment

Free templates for this guide

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