First Aid Regulations 2016

The Health and Safety at Work (First Aid) Regulations 2016 set out the minimum first aid requirements for New Zealand workplaces. Every PCBU must provide first aid equipment and facilities, and ensure workers can access first aid.

This page is not legal advice. For specific compliance questions, consult a qualified health and safety advisor or lawyer.

What the regulations require

First aid equipment

Every PCBU must provide first aid equipment that is appropriate for the workplace. The regulations do not specify exactly what must be in a first aid kit — the requirement is that it is adequate given:

The nature of the work
The nature of the hazards in the workplace
The number of workers
The remoteness of the workplace from medical services

In practice, WorkSafe guidance and Australian/New Zealand standards (AS/NZS 2675) are the benchmark for what “adequate” looks like. Kits should be checked regularly to ensure contents are in date and replenished after use.

SteadyOn support: Use the Inspections module (First Aid Readiness template) to schedule and record first aid kit checks. The BRAG status will flag when a scheduled check is overdue.

First aid facilities

Where the nature of the workplace makes it necessary, you must also provide first aid rooms or other appropriate facilities. This typically applies to larger workplaces or those with significant injury risk (construction sites, manufacturing facilities, etc.).

Access to first aid

Workers must be able to access first aid — this means both having the equipment available and having a person available to provide first aid when it is needed.

The regulations do not specify a minimum ratio of trained first aiders to workers. WorkSafe guidance is that the number of first aiders should be sufficient that a trained person is always available during working hours, taking into account shift patterns, remote locations, and the number and nature of hazards.

A practical starting point:

1 trained first aider per 50 workers in low-risk workplaces
1 trained first aider per 20–25 workers in higher-risk workplaces
At least 1 trained first aider present at all times during working hours

First aid training

First aiders must be appropriately trained. Acceptable qualifications include:

Qualification	Suitable for
Standard First Aid (Level 2)	General workplace, 2-year revalidation
Comprehensive First Aid (Level 3)	Higher-risk workplaces, 2-year revalidation
CPR/AED only	Supplementary, not a standalone first aid qualification
Occupational First Aid	Industrial / remote workplaces

Training must be kept current — most qualifications expire after two years and require revalidation.

SteadyOn support: Track all first aid qualifications in the Training module under the First Aid certification category. SteadyOn will automatically calculate each record’s BRAG status:

🟢 Green — Current and within the warning window
🟠 Amber — Expiring soon (within the configurable warning window, default 30 days)
🔴 Red — Expired
🔵 Blue — No expiry date set

Use the Training Gaps view to identify workers who have no First Aid record — this surfaces people who have never been trained.

Inspections and record-keeping

While the regulations do not require specific records to be kept, being able to demonstrate that:

First aid kits were checked and adequately stocked
Trained first aiders’ certifications were current
First aid provision was reviewed as the workforce or workplace changed

…is essential if an incident occurs and you need to show your first aid arrangements were adequate.

SteadyOn support:

Requirement	SteadyOn record
First aid kit checks	Inspections — First Aid Readiness template
First aider certification	Training module — First Aid category
Expiry monitoring	BRAG status on each training record
Gaps identification	Training — Gaps view

When first aid requirements change

First aid provision is not static. You must review it when:

The number of workers increases or decreases significantly
New hazards are introduced to the workplace
Work locations change (e.g. new remote sites)
A first aider leaves the organisation
A trained first aider’s certification lapses

SteadyOn support: The Training module BRAG status will automatically flag lapsing certifications. Use a corrective action to track the response (booking a refresher course, organising replacement training).