1. The Statutory Mandate: General Safety Regulation 3 Annexure Breakdown
In any workplace medical emergency, the contents of the on-site First Aid box represent the frontline barrier between simple first-aid stabilization and catastrophic blood loss, irreversible wound infection, or fatal respiratory collapse.
Under General Safety Regulation 3(4) (GSR 3) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act 85 of 1993), every employer employing more than 5 employees must provide a first aid box readily available at or near the workplace.
The law prescribes a mandatory minimum list of medical consumables in the Annexure to GSR 3. Inspecting Department of Employment and Labour officers routinely open first aid boxes during site audits; finding empty boxes, expired antiseptics, or unauthorized pain tablets triggers immediate administrative Contravention Notices.
South African First Aid Station Benchmarks
2. The Mandatory First Aid Box Contents Checklist (Kits A, B & C)
In South African safety practice, first aid kits are scaled according to the number of employees and workplace risk levels: Kit A (small offices / vehicles up to 5 staff), Kit B (commercial operations with 6 to 50 staff), and Kit C / Heavy Industrial (manufacturing factories and construction sites exceeding 50 staff).
Mandatory First Aid Box Contents Checklist under GSR 3
| Mandatory Consumable Item | Minimum Quantity (Kit B: 6-50 Staff) | Clinical Application / Use Case | Inspection Checkpoint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wound Cleaner / Antiseptic (100ml) | 1 Bottle (Cetrimide/Chlorhexidine) | Cleaning and disinfecting contaminated dirt wounds and grazes. | Verify liquid is within manufacturer expiry date. |
| Sterile Gauze Swabs (75mm x 75mm) | 10 Packs (Pack of 5 swabs) | Direct pressure wound dressing and absorbing arterial bleeding. | Confirm sterile packaging is intact and sealed. |
| Conforming Bandages (75mm & 100mm) | 4 of each size (8 total) | Securing sterile dressings and immobilizing sprained joints. | Check elasticity and cleanliness. |
| Triangular Bandages (Calico) | 4 Bandages | Immobilizing arm fractures, shoulder dislocations, and collarbones. | Verify safety pins are attached. |
| First Aid Dressing No. 3 & No. 5 | 4 of each (Large pressure pads) | Emergency compression dressing for deep bleeding wounds. | Inspect sterile moisture barrier wrapper. |
| CPR Mouthpieces / Resuscitator | 2 CPR Key-ring Face Shields | Hygienic barrier protection during mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. | Confirm one-way valve is clean and undamaged. |
| Nitrile Examination Gloves | 4 Pairs (Large / Medium) | Barrier protection against bloodborne pathogens (HIV, Hepatitis). | Verify gloves have not degraded or powdered. |
| Burn Dressing / Hydrogel (100x100mm) | 2 Burnshield Dressings | Cooling and protecting thermal and chemical burn trauma. | Confirm hydrogel packaging is foil-sealed and moist. |
| Stainless Steel Scissors & Forceps | 1 First Aid Shears + 1 Splinter Tweezers | Cutting clothing away from injuries and removing superficial splinters. | Check for rust, sharpness, and clean pivot joints. |
3. Prohibited Items: Why Headache Tablets & Oral Medicines Are Illegal
The single most frequent violation discovered in workplace first aid boxes across South Africa is the presence of headache tablets, flu syrups, antacids, and prescription pills.
Under the Medicines and Related Substances Act (Act 101 of 1965) and General Safety Regulation 3, non-medical personnel (including appointed First Aiders) are legally prohibited from dispensing oral medications. If a worker is given an aspirin and suffers a fatal anaphylactic allergic reaction or internal gastric hemorrhage, the company and the individual who dispensed the tablet face direct criminal and civil prosecution.
A workplace first aid box must contain exclusively external topical first aid dressings and emergency trauma supplies. All oral pain tablets must be removed immediately.
4. SANS Signage, Mounting Heights & Physical Accessibility Rules
Under SANS 1186 and GSR 3, first aid boxes must be positioned in prominent, easily accessible locations near high-risk zones (such as workshop machine bays, chemical stores, and staff kitchens).
The box should be mounted on a sturdy wall between 1.2 metres and 1.5 metres above the floor, ensuring it is easily reachable without bending or climbing. Storing a first aid box locked inside a manager's desk drawer is a serious violation.
A standardized SANS Green-and-White Cross Sign (minimum 150mm x 150mm) must be mounted directly above the box, and the exterior of the box must clearly display the contact details of the appointed Certified First Aiders.
5. Step-by-Step Monthly First Aid Box Inspection & Restocking Protocol
The appointed First Aider retrieves the official GSR 3 monthly inspection checklist and inspects the external container for damage.
Physically count gauze swabs, conforming bandages, triangular calico bandages, and sterile pressure pads against statutory minimums.
Examine antiseptic solutions, burn gel dressings, and eye wash vials. Discard and replace any expired items.
Inspect for and immediately confiscate any unauthorized pain tablets, lozenges, or prescription medications.
Sign and date the inspection card affixed inside the box and submit an immediate requisition for any consumed supplies.
6. Workplace First Aid Station Quality & Legal Compliance Checklist
- First aid box is mounted securely on the wall between 1.2m and 1.5m in an unlocked, easily accessible location.
- SANS 1186 green-and-white cross sign is mounted above the box and visible from across the room.
- Box contains 100% of statutory GSR 3 consumables in required minimum quantities.
- Box contains ZERO unauthorized oral medications, headache pills, or prescription drugs.
- Monthly inspection card is mounted inside the door, signed and dated within the last 30 days.
- First Aider legal appointment letter and accredited training certificate are on file in the safety file.
- Incident dressing register is maintained to record every use of first aid supplies.