OSHA First Aid Kit Requirements: 29 CFR 1910.151 and ANSI Z308.1 Explained (2026 Guide)

What does OSHA require in a workplace first aid kit?

Short answer: Under 29 CFR 1910.151(b), every general industry employer must ensure adequate first aid supplies are "readily available" when no infirmary, clinic, or hospital is in near proximity to the workplace. ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 (the incorporated standard) defines two kit classes — Class A for common workplace injuries and Class B for higher-hazard or remote worksites — each with a mandatory minimum contents list. The construction standard at 29 CFR 1926.50 adds specific kit-quantity ratios and proximity-to-medical-care requirements.

OSHA First Aid Kit Requirements: 29 CFR 1910.151 and ANSI Z308.1 Explained (2026 Guide)

First aid kits are among the most commonly cited items on OSHA general industry inspections — not because the law is complex, but because employers frequently either stock kits that are out of date, use non-ANSI-compliant contents, or fail to place kits where workers can reach them in the critical first minutes after an injury. Untreated or improperly treated workplace injuries account for thousands of preventable days away from work and millions of dollars in workers' compensation costs annually.

OSHA's first aid requirement sits at 29 CFR 1910.151 for general industry and 29 CFR 1926.50 for construction. Both standards require employers to provide first aid supplies adequate to address the types of injuries reasonably expected at the site. ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021, the national consensus standard for first aid kits, specifies the minimum contents by class and is incorporated by reference into the OSHA standard through 1910.151(b)'s reference to "adequate first-aid supplies." This guide is written for safety managers, plant managers, and construction site supervisors responsible for maintaining compliant first aid programs.

Why this matters.
OSHA 1910.151 is a performance standard — it says "adequate" but doesn't always define exactly what adequate means for your specific site. That ambiguity is a double-edged sword: it gives safety managers flexibility, but it also means an OSHA inspector can cite a kit as inadequate if the contents don't address foreseeable hazards at your site. Stocking an ANSI Z308.1-compliant Class B kit, supplemented for site-specific hazards (chemical burns, lacerations, eye injuries), is the most defensible compliance posture.

Part 1 — The OSHA First Aid Obligation: Three Requirements

The Three-Part Rule Under 1910.151(b)

The core OSHA general industry first aid requirement at 1910.151(b) actually contains three distinct obligations that work together:

1. Trained personnel. "A person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid" in the absence of a nearby medical facility. OSHA interprets this as requiring at least one person per shift — not just per facility — who holds current first aid and CPR certification. A single trained person on the day shift leaves the night shift out of compliance.
2. Adequate supplies. "Adequate first-aid supplies shall be readily available." Supplies must match the types of injuries reasonably foreseeable at the site. A chemical plant must stock burn treatment supplies; a sawmill must stock wound closure materials appropriate for laceration depth; a warehouse must address struck-by injuries.
3. Proximity to medical care. The entire 1910.151(b) requirement is conditioned on the absence of an "infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity." OSHA interprets "near proximity" as 3–4 minutes response time in most cases. If a hospital is 3–4 minutes away, OSHA may grant some latitude on on-site supplies — but "near proximity" does not mean "30-minute ambulance transport."

Construction: 29 CFR 1926.50

Construction's first aid standard at 1926.50 mirrors 1910.151 but adds specificity. 1926.50(c) requires first aid kits to meet ANSI Z308.1 or equivalent. 1926.50(d)(1) requires that when a hospital, clinic, or surgeon is not in near proximity to the worksite, a person trained in first aid must be available. 1926.50(e) requires that where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided. This is the regulatory basis for the eyewash station requirement on construction sites handling acids, caustics, or corrosive adhesives.

Part 2 — ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 Class A vs. Class B

Part 3 — Minimum Required Contents (ANSI Z308.1-2021)

Part 4 — How Many First Aid Kits Are Required

General Industry: "Adequate" and Readily Accessible

1910.151 does not set a numeric ratio of kits to employees. The standard requires supplies that are "readily available" — which OSHA interprets as accessible within the time it would take for an injured worker to reach them without assistance. In practice, OSHA compliance officers apply a 3-to-4-minute accessibility standard: if any work area is more than 3-4 minutes from a first aid kit (or a trained responder), additional kits are required. A single kit in a far corner of a 500,000-square-foot warehouse is not "readily available" to workers throughout the building.

Construction: 1926.50 and the Per-Crew Standard

Construction's 1926.50 is more specific. First aid kits are required at each job site. For worksites with more than one work crew operating in dispersed locations, OSHA interprets "readily available" to mean one kit per crew — not one kit per project. A general contractor with four trade crews working in separate areas of a building should have four accessible first aid kits (or a fixed kit location accessible to all within 3-4 minutes). The kit must meet ANSI Z308.1 Class A or B (1926.50(c)).

Rule of Thumb: 25 Employees or 300 Feet

While not codified in federal OSHA regulations, a widely accepted industry benchmark is one first aid kit per 25 employees or per 300 feet of separation between work areas, whichever requires more kits. This benchmark aligns with OSHA guidance documents and state-plan requirements in several states, and is defensible during an OSHA inspection when no specific ratio is cited in the applicable federal standard.

Part 5 — Construction-Specific Requirements (1926.50)

Medical Personnel and Ambulance Access

1926.50(d)(1) requires that where the eyes or body of a person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, eyewash facilities and emergency drenching equipment must be immediately accessible. 1926.50(a) requires that in the absence of a clinic or physician in near proximity, a person trained in first aid must be available. "Available" is interpreted to mean on-site, not on-call. 1926.50(b) requires that provision be made for prompt medical attention in case of serious injury, including ambulance or emergency transport access where the site is remote.

Corrosive Exposure: Eyewash Requirement

Any construction task involving corrosive chemicals — acid-based concrete etching products, epoxy resins, tile adhesives, or chemical grout — triggers the eyewash requirement under 1926.50(e). A portable eyewash station meeting ANSI/ISEA Z358.1 (15-minute flow at the eye) must be within 10 seconds of travel time from the hazard. In-kit eyewash solution (4-oz bottles) does not satisfy this requirement for corrosive chemical exposures — it satisfies the kit contents requirement but not the immediate-drench-access requirement.

Part 6 — Inspection Frequency and Refill Obligations

OSHA's Inspection Requirement

OSHA 1910.151 requires that first aid supplies be "adequate" at all times — which implies a maintenance obligation, not just an initial stocking requirement. OSHA compliance officers have cited employers for depleted or expired first aid kits even when the kit was initially compliant. While OSHA does not specify a mandatory inspection interval, most safety programs set monthly inspections as the minimum cadence.

What to Check During Inspection

During each inspection: (1) verify all minimum ANSI Z308.1 item types are present in required quantities; (2) check expiration dates on antiseptics, eye wash, burn gel, and other dated items; (3) confirm the kit is accessible (not locked, not buried under materials); (4) confirm the kit is clean and dry with no contaminated or damaged supplies; (5) restock any items used since the last inspection. Document the inspection date, inspector name, and items restocked in the safety program log.

Expiration Management

Adhesive bandages, antiseptic wipes, burn gels, and eyewash solutions all carry expiration dates. Expired items do not meet the ANSI standard's performance requirements and may be cited as non-compliant even if present in the correct quantity. A simple system: write the inspection date on a card inside the kit lid, mark the earliest-expiring item's date on the same card, and set a calendar reminder to check before that date. For the complete first aid kits and first aid kits in our catalog, most manufacturers print a kit expiration date on the packaging that reflects the shortest-expiring item.

Part 7 — Special Hazard Additions

Chemical and Acid Burns: Beyond Kit Contents

Sites handling hydrofluoric acid, sulfuric acid, or other aggressive corrosives require supplemental first aid supplies not included in ANSI Z308.1 minimum contents — such as calcium gluconate gel for HF burns. These additions must be documented in the site's first aid program and matched to the specific chemicals in use per the SDS. Consult an occupational physician or Certified Industrial Hygienist to specify first aid treatment protocols for specialty chemical exposures before an incident occurs.

Bloodborne Pathogen Supplemental Kits

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030 (Bloodborne Pathogens) requires that when employees may be occupationally exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials, engineering controls and PPE must be available. First aid responders are "occupationally exposed" when rendering first aid. The first aid kit for trained responders should include biohazard-rated sharps containers, additional gloves, and a CPR barrier with one-way valve — these are typically not included in standard ANSI Z308.1 kits but should be added for designated first aid responders.

Part 8 — Worked Example: 75-Person Plastics Manufacturing Facility

To make the compliance workflow concrete, here is how to spec the first aid program for a plastics injection-molding facility with 75 employees across two shifts, chemical colorant handling, and two work buildings 400 feet apart:

1. Count employees and map the facility. 75 employees total; 40 on day shift, 35 on night shift. Two buildings separated by 400 feet — neither building can reach the other's first aid kit in under 3 minutes. Minimum: one kit per building.
2. Assess hazard profile. Chemical colorants include concentrated dyes with pH <2 — corrosive eye hazard. Injection mold presses create crush and burn injury risk. Class B kits required for both locations; eyewash station added at colorant mixing area per 1910.151(e) analog and 1910.1030.
3. Select kit class. Class B from the complete first aid kits collection for both locations. Stock two kits per building (one per 25 employees on shift) from the first aid kits collection.
4. Mount kits in labeled, accessible cabinets. First aid cabinets mounted at eye height, labeled with red cross signage, unlocked during production hours. Location posted on the emergency action plan and safety bulletin board.
5. Train one first aid responder per shift per building. Four trained responders minimum (2 shifts × 2 buildings). Current Red Cross or ASHI first aid + CPR certification. Certifications tracked in the safety training log.
6. Set monthly inspection cadence. First aid coordinator inspects all four kits monthly. Inspection form records date, items restocked, expiration dates checked. Non-compliant items replaced same day. Documentation retained for 3 years.

The first aid and medical equipment collections cover every component needed to build a compliant program from scratch — from individual kit contents to wall-mount cabinets and eyewash supplies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Further Reading on This Site

• First aid kits — ANSI Z308.1-compliant Class A and Class B kits for general industry and construction.
• Complete first aid kits — fully stocked Class B kits ready for high-hazard and multi-crew worksites.
• First aid cabinets — wall-mount cabinets for organizing and displaying first aid supplies in compliance with OSHA accessibility requirements.
• First aid — full first aid supply category including individual item refills and specialty additions.
• Medical equipment — AEDs, CPR barriers, splints, and other medical-grade workplace safety equipment.
• NIOSH vs. OSHA Explained — regulatory framework guide for understanding how OSHA standards are set and enforced.
• OSHA Hard Hat Requirements — companion reference for head protection requirements that apply alongside first aid programs on construction sites.

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