Yes. OSHA does require first aid kits in almost every workplace. Under 29 CFR 1910.151(b), an employer must keep adequate first aid supplies readily available and have someone trained to use them whenever there is no infirmary, clinic, or hospital near enough to treat injured employees quickly.1eCFR. 29 CFR 1910.151 — Medical Services and First Aid Because most workplaces do not sit next door to a medical facility, the practical effect is that nearly every employer needs a stocked, accessible kit on site. The employer pays for it; no OSHA rule allows the cost to be pushed onto employees.2Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA’s Requirement to Provide First Aid Supplies Specific to the Needs of the Workplace
When the Rule Applies to Your Workplace
The kit requirement is triggered by distance and response time, not by employee count or square footage. OSHA has clarified what “in near proximity” means through interpretation letters, and the numbers matter.
For workplaces where serious injuries are possible — falls, amputations, electrocution, suffocation — OSHA expects emergency medical care to be available within three to four minutes. That window comes from medical literature on cardiac arrest, stopped breathing, and severe bleeding, where treatment delays lead to death or permanent harm. For lower-risk workplaces like offices, where those catastrophic injuries are unlikely, a response time of up to 15 minutes may be reasonable.3Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Clarification of “In Near Proximity” and OSHA’s Discretion in Enforcing First Aid Requirements in Particular Cases
If outside medical services cannot meet the window that applies to your worksite, you need a trained first aid responder and supplies on site. Remote worksites and facilities far from hospitals will almost always need their own first aid capability.
What Has to Be in the Kit
OSHA does not publish a single mandatory contents list for general industry. Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.151 points employers to the ANSI Z308.1 standard as the guideline for minimum contents.4Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 1910.151 App A – First Aid Kits (Non-Mandatory) The current version, ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021, is the benchmark most employers follow.
ANSI/ISEA sorts kits into two classes. A Class A kit covers common workplace injuries and includes items like adhesive bandages, adhesive tape, antibiotic treatment, antiseptic, a breathing barrier, burn dressings, a cold pack, an eye covering, medical exam gloves, eye and skin wash, roller bandages, scissors, sterile pads, trauma pads, and triangular bandages. A Class B kit is built for more populated or higher-risk environments; it holds larger quantities of everything in Class A, plus a splint and a tourniquet.
That list is a floor. OSHA expects each employer to assess the hazards in its own workplace and add supplies accordingly. A warehouse full of box cutters and forklifts has different first aid needs than a chemical processing plant. Reviewing your OSHA 300 injury log to spot recurring injuries is a practical way to figure out what else belongs in your kit.2Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA’s Requirement to Provide First Aid Supplies Specific to the Needs of the Workplace
Bloodborne Pathogen Gear
If employees might encounter blood or other potentially infectious materials while providing first aid, 29 CFR 1910.1030 adds another layer. The Bloodborne Pathogens standard requires the employer to supply personal protective equipment at no cost to workers: gloves, face shields or masks, eye protection, and ventilation devices such as pocket masks or resuscitation bags.5eCFR. 29 CFR 1910.1030 — Bloodborne Pathogens Where there is any reasonable chance of blood exposure, that equipment belongs in the kit.
Where the Kit Goes and Whether You Can Lock It
A stocked kit does nothing if nobody can reach it in an emergency. OSHA reads “readily available” to mean a trained first aid provider can get to the supplies quickly, without navigating multiple doorways, hallways, or stairways. The kit should sit in a clearly marked, easy-to-reach spot that all employees know about. OSHA does not set a placement formula based on headcount or facility size; that call falls to the employer based on the layout.6Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Clarification of 1910.151 (Medical Services and First Aid)
Locked cabinets are allowed, but only if the supplies stay readily available in an actual emergency. In practice, the trained first aid provider needs immediate access to the key or combination, and the lock cannot create a meaningful delay.7Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Locked First Aid Cabinets in the Workplace
The general industry standard does not set a fixed inspection schedule, but checking kits regularly for expired or missing items is common sense and the kind of thing an OSHA inspector will look for. Construction is stricter: kits must be checked before being sent out on each job and at least weekly while on the job.8eCFR. 29 CFR 1926.50 — Medical Services and First Aid
You Also Need a Trained Responder
The kit requirement travels with a training requirement. Whenever there is no nearby medical facility, at least one person at the worksite must be adequately trained to render first aid.9Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 1910.151 – Medical Services and First Aid That person actually has to be present during work hours. Having someone on the payroll who once took a class does not satisfy the rule if they are not on site.
Online training alone does not meet OSHA’s first aid or CPR training requirement. The agency’s reasoning is that bandaging wounds and performing chest compressions can only be learned through hands-on practice. A blended approach that pairs online coursework with in-person skills practice on mannequins and training partners is acceptable; a purely virtual course is not.10Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Clarification of OSHA Training Requirements for Basic First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
OSHA does not prescribe a specific renewal cycle for general industry, but training organizations set their own. The American Red Cross issues first aid certifications valid for two years.11American Red Cross. First Aid Renewal and Recertification Lapsed certifications are a common compliance gap. The construction standard actually requires documentary proof that the designated first aid provider holds a valid certificate from the American Red Cross, U.S. Bureau of Mines, or equivalent training program.8eCFR. 29 CFR 1926.50 — Medical Services and First Aid Keeping copies of training certificates on file is a straightforward way to demonstrate compliance in general industry too.
Stricter Rules in Certain Industries
The general industry rule at 29 CFR 1910.151 covers most workplaces, but some industries face more detailed requirements built around their particular risks.
Construction
Construction sites fall under 29 CFR 1926.50, which uses the same basic framework but adds specifics. Kit contents must be stored in weatherproof containers with individually sealed packages. Employers must inspect kits before dispatching them to each job and at least weekly thereafter to replace used items. The standard references ANSI Z308.1 as a baseline, with the expectation that employers add supplies based on the injuries common at their sites.8eCFR. 29 CFR 1926.50 — Medical Services and First Aid
Logging
Logging has one of the most prescriptive first aid rules in the entire OSHA rulebook. Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.266 is mandatory, not advisory, and it lists specific required items: gauze pads in two sizes, adhesive bandages, roller bandage, triangular bandages, wound-cleaning towelettes, scissors, a blanket, tweezers, adhesive tape, latex gloves, resuscitation equipment, elastic wraps, a splint, and directions for requesting emergency assistance.12Occupational Safety and Health Administration. 1910.266 App A – First-Aid Kits (Mandatory) That list is calibrated for a crew of two to three workers; larger operations need additional kits or more supplies.
Maritime
Maritime operations have their own first aid standards under 29 CFR Part 1915 and related subparts, addressing hazards specific to work on and around vessels. Employers in maritime industries should consult the standards for their sector.13Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Medical and First Aid – Overview
Related Requirements People Often Confuse With Kits
Eyewash Stations Are Required Separately
29 CFR 1910.151(c) is a separate obligation from the first aid kit rule. Any area where workers may be exposed to corrosive materials must have eyewash and body-drenching facilities within the immediate work area for emergency use.1eCFR. 29 CFR 1910.151 — Medical Services and First Aid Even a workplace with a hospital across the street still needs eyewash stations if corrosive chemicals are on hand.
AEDs Are Not Required
OSHA does not require automated external defibrillators in the workplace. No general industry or construction standard mandates them.14Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) The agency does encourage employers to install AEDs, noting that accessible units can bring cardiac arrest response times into the three-to-five-minute window where survival rates are highest.15Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) – AED Programs Some states and local jurisdictions require AEDs in certain buildings, so check local rules even where federal OSHA is silent.
What Non-Compliance Costs
An employer with no first aid kit, expired supplies, or no trained responder can be cited under 29 CFR 1910.151(b). OSHA classifies most first aid violations as “serious,” meaning the hazard could cause death or significant physical harm. As of the most recent adjustment in January 2025, the maximum penalty for a serious violation is $16,550 per violation. Willful or repeated violations carry a maximum of $165,514 per violation.16Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA Penalties These figures are adjusted for inflation annually. States running their own OSHA-approved plans may impose penalties at or above federal levels, so the amounts above are a floor rather than a ceiling.
The fine is the visible cost. The larger exposure for most employers is what happens during an actual emergency when supplies are missing or nobody knows first aid: an untreated injury can turn into a wrongful death claim or workers’ compensation case that dwarfs any citation. Keeping kits stocked and training current is one of the cheaper compliance obligations an employer faces.