Last Updated on 18/12/2023 by Sarah Sarsby
Road accidents are common in the UK with 181,384 injuries reported in 2016.
It is an employer’s legal responsibility to ensure all employees have access to a first aid kit, appropriate to the level of risk in their workplace, including employees who work away from the office and on the road.
A vehicle first aid kit, designed with associated risks in mind, contains essential equipment to provide early treatment at the roadside.
Ambulances are targeted to reach an emergency in eight minutes, though it can often be longer due to traffic and volume of calls. An untreated casualty with a severe enough injury can bleed out in a much shorter time, without treatment. A trauma dressing can be used by any bystander to potentially save someone’s life.
Kits that meet British Standard 8599-2 are designed for professionals and untrained bystanders. Items carried in the kit are designed to be useful and practical for professional first aiders, but they are also simple and intuitive enough to be used by anyone in an emergency situation.
While there are many vehicle first aid kits on the market, the British Standard 8599-2 compliant first aid kit is the first to be designed by a panel of industry experts who were invited to help the BHTA design the new vehicle first aid kits. The kits have been created to treat the most common roadside injuries.
Examples of products include:
Employers must provide first aid suitable to risks identified in the workplace. Company vehicles should be considered a workplace. It is for employers to decide if the first aid kit carried by their employees is sufficient for the risks employees are exposed to. A British Standard 8599-2 compliant first aid kit is the ideal solution for vehicle first aid.
| Number of passengers | Vehicle examples | Number of first aid kits required |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Mopeds, motorcycles, motor tricycles, and quadricycles | 1 |
| 1-8 | Cars, taxis, and commercial vehicles | 1 |
| 1-16 | Minibuses and small buses | 1 |
| 17+ | Buses and coaches | 2* |
*Multi-level vehicles might require more than two kits
1 x Triangular Bandage
1 x Dressing, Adhesive 7.5cm x 7.5cm
1 x Dressing, Sterile Medium 12cm x 12cm
1 x Dressing, Sterile Medium Trauma 10cm x 18cm
2 x Hydrogel Burn Dressings 10cm x 10cm
1 x Foil Blanket 130cm x 210cm
2 x Nitrile disposable gloves (pair)
1 x Guidance Leaflet
10 x Plasters, Washproof Assorted Sizes
1 x Resuscitation Face Shield
1 x Shears (suitable for cutting clothing, including leather)
10 x Alcohol Free moist cleaning wipes
1 x Contents List
Please contact BHTA on 020 7702 2141 to find your nearest First Aid Supplier to you.
Copies of the document are available to purchase from the BSI here or by telephone on 0345 086 9001.