What should I consider before purchasing a first aid kit in Australia?
Short Answer: Start with your workplace rather than the product. The right first aid kits are the ones matched to your hazards and to how far you are from medical help, which is exactly what a first aid risk assessment under the Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice sets out to identify. Once that is clear, confirm the kit is included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) and that its contents meet the Code's recommended list or the AS 2675-1983 baseline. The last check is whether the supplier can keep it stocked for years after the sale.
Ordering a kit takes a few minutes, but choosing the right one takes a little more thought, so before you buy, you also need to consider the following:
• How do I determine the correct kit for my industry?
• What compliance standards must be met?
• Are premium kits worth the investment?
• How can I choose a reputable Australian supplier?
How do I determine the correct kit for my industry?
Industry is a useful starting point, but risk is what decides the kit. The Model Code separates low-risk workplaces such as offices from high-risk ones where hazards could cause serious injury, and the same business can sit in both categories. A builder's head office needs a standard kit while its sites need trauma supplies and eye care. In the same way, a café's front counter needs far less than its kitchen.
Regulation 42 of the model WHS Regulations lists the matters to weigh, from the nature of the work and its hazards through to the size and location of the workplace and the people who work there. In practice, that means reading your injury register for what has already happened and walking the site for what could happen. Distance matters as well, so estimate how long an ambulance would take to reach you.
Format follows the workplace. A wall-mounted cabinet suits a fixed site with a known first aid point, while the Model Code expects mobile workers to have a portable kit in their vehicle, secured so it cannot become a projectile in a crash. Modules then add depth where the hazards call for it. Burns modules suit kitchens and workshops, and remote or outdoor work calls for heavy-duty bandages and a thermal blanket.
What compliance standards must be met?
The legal requirement sits in the WHS Regulations. In every jurisdiction except Victoria, Regulation 42 requires a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) to provide first aid equipment that every worker can access. The Model Code explains how to meet that duty, and its recommended contents list in Appendix C is the benchmark an inspector will usually refer to. The Code also expects each kit to carry a list of its contents and to show a white cross on a green background so it can be found quickly.
State differences are worth checking. Victoria works under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, and WorkSafe Victoria's compliance code on first aid, in effect since November 2021, offers either a prescribed approach based on workplace size and risk or a full risk assessment. It also suggests items such as an asthma reliever with a spacer. Western Australia updated its first aid code of practice in November 2024, and South Australia's Automated External Defibrillators (Public Access) Act 2022 requires defibrillators at certain buildings and facilities.
Two further markers apply to the kit itself. The Therapeutic Goods Administration regulates first aid kits as medical devices that must be included in the ARTG, so a kit supplied in Australia should carry an ARTG number you can check on the TGA website. AS 2675-1983 is a voluntary Australian Standard for kit contents, and a kit built to it gives you a recognised baseline before workplace-specific modules are added.
Are premium kits worth the investment?
Often they are, but premium should be judged over the working life of the kit rather than on the price tag. A kit stays in service for years, and over that period the case and the refills matter more than the first purchase. A soft bag that splits or a plastic case that cracks lets in the dust and moisture a kit is meant to keep out, and the whole kit then has to be replaced.
Organisation is the less obvious return. Clearly labelled compartments let a first aider find a trauma dressing in seconds rather than tipping the kit out on the floor, and an orderly kit is far quicker to inspect. Refill pricing matters too, because a cheap kit with expensive or unavailable refills soon costs more than a better one.
Premium does not mean buying everything. A tourniquet in an office kit adds cost without adding much capability if nobody is trained to use it, while the same item on a sawmill floor may be the most important thing in the box. The best value comes from a quality kit matched to the hazards your assessment identified.
How can I choose a reputable Australian supplier?
Look for accountability. A reputable supplier sells kits with an ARTG entry naming an Australian sponsor, which means someone in Australia is responsible for product quality and for running a recall if one is ever needed. An Australian Business Number and local stock are basic signs that the business will still be there when you need refills.
Ask a few questions before ordering. A good supplier will send the full contents list and ARTG number on request, and can quote individual refill prices rather than only whole kits. They should also understand how the Model Code applies to your industry and state, and be able to explain why a kit suits a warehouse but not a commercial kitchen.
The relationship should outlast the sale. A kit is only compliant while its contents are complete and within date, so the supplier who can keep it that way is worth more than the one with the lowest price on the day.
Furthermore, a special duty is placed on the PCBU to ensure that all first aid kits are routinely inspected and maintained, which turns every purchase into an ongoing commitment. SURVIVALSWAP takes on the restocking side with a managed schedule that replaces used and expiring items, and keeps a record of each visit for your next audit.
Related Question
Should a business buy one large first aid kit or several smaller ones?
For most workplaces, several smaller kits work better. The Model Code asks for kits to be located close to the areas where injuries are most likely, and recommends at least one kit on every second floor of a multi-level building. Large or spread-out sites may need first aid in several locations, because a well-stocked kit at the far end of a warehouse does little for a worker bleeding at the other end. A single large kit still has a place in a first aid room or as a central store for restocking smaller kits. The usual pattern is a main kit at the first aid point with smaller kits spread out to where the work happens, including vehicles.
Conclusion
Buying a first aid kit in Australia works best when the risk assessment comes first and the product second. Compliance and quality can then be judged against what your workplace actually needs, and the right supplier makes the years of upkeep that follow much simpler. SURVIVAL supplies Australian first aid kits built to AS 2675-1983, along with burns and eye modules and the other accessories to match each kit to the work it supports. If you are equipping a new site or reviewing an old one, a short conversation about your hazards is the quickest place to start.