What does OSHA ask for on first aid?
| Duty | General industry | Construction |
|---|---|---|
| Supplies | Adequate, readily available (1910.151(b)) | Easily accessible when required (1926.50(d)(1)) |
| Kit checks | No frequency set | Before each job and at least weekly (1926.50(d)(2)) |
| First aid person | Adequately trained, where no clinic or hospital is in near proximity (1910.151(b)) | Valid first-aid certificate, where no clinic, hospital or physician is reasonably accessible (1926.50(c)) |
| Eyewash or drench | Where corrosive materials can reach the eyes or body (1910.151(c)) | Same duty (1926.50(g)) |
| Emergency numbers | No rule | Posted where 911 is not available (1926.50(f)(1)) |
The full text is on the 29 CFR 1910.151 page and the 29 CFR 1926.50 page.
How often should a first aid kit be inspected?
On a construction site the answer is in the regulation: before the kit is sent out on each job and at least weekly on each job, so that used items are replaced (29 CFR 1926.50(d)(2)). General industry has no frequency in the standard. The International Safety Equipment Association, which publishes ANSI/ISEA Z308.1, recommends inspecting kits monthly or after each use. The checklist has five check columns, enough for a month of weekly checks on a jobsite.
ANSI/ISEA Z308.1: Class A, Class B and the 2026 edition
ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 is a consensus standard, not an OSHA rule. Its kits come in two classes chosen from the workplace and its hazard assessment, not from the headcount; in the 2015 and 2021 editions, Class B kits carry more supplies plus a splint and a tourniquet. The 2021 edition added a foil blanket to every kit. ISEA published ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2026 in 2026 and lists updated trauma supplies and tourniquet criteria among its changes.
This checklist prints no quantities on purpose: the minimums sit in a paid standard that has just changed. You copy them from the contents list printed on your own kit, and the checklist does the rest.
Who gives first aid on your site?
The kit needs a person. In general industry, where no infirmary, clinic or hospital is in near proximity, a person or persons are adequately trained to render first aid (29 CFR 1910.151(b)); in construction, a person with a valid first-aid certificate is available at the worksite when no infirmary, clinic, hospital or physician is reasonably accessible (1926.50(c)). The first aid and CPR guide for construction covers response times and certificates, the California first aid rules add the state's own kit and training rules, and the emergency action plan guide shows where the kit and the first aid person belong in the plan. The free emergency action plan builder writes that plan.
What OSHA cited most on first aid in FY2025
| Paragraph | What it covers | FY2025 citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1910.151(c) | Eyewash or drench facilities where corrosive materials can reach the eyes or body | 815 |
| 1910.151(b) | A trained first aid person and adequate supplies readily available | 107 |
| 1910.151(a) | Medical personnel available for advice and consultation | 4 |
| 1926.50(c) | Construction: a person with a valid first-aid certificate at the worksite | 114 |
| 1926.50(g) | Construction: eyewash or drench facilities for corrosive materials | 51 |
| 1926.50(d)(1) | Construction: first aid supplies easily accessible | 22 |
| 1926.50(b) | Construction: prompt medical attention arranged before the project starts | 9 |
| 1926.50(a) | Construction: medical personnel available for advice and consultation | 2 |
| 1926.50(e) | Construction: transport for the injured, or a communication system to get it | 1 |
1910.151: 926 citations in FY2025 at 913 inspections, 46 of them at construction sites (NAICS 23). 1926.50: 200 citations in FY2025 at 190 inspections, 188 of them at construction sites (NAICS 23). Citation items issued Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025, counted by HazComFast on U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data (extracted Oct 13, 2026). Inspected establishments, not the whole industry.
Questions about first aid kits
What does OSHA require in a first aid kit?
OSHA asks for adequate first aid supplies, readily available (29 CFR 1910.151(b)), and in construction easily accessible when required (1926.50(d)(1)). It does not list the contents. Its advisory Appendix A to 1910.151 points to ANSI Z308.1 as an example of the minimal contents of a generic kit, adequate for small worksites, and tells employers to assess their own needs.
How often does OSHA require first aid kits to be checked?
In construction, the employer checks the kit before it is sent out on each job and at least weekly on each job, so that used items are replaced (29 CFR 1926.50(d)(2)). The general industry rule sets no frequency; the publisher of ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 recommends inspecting kits monthly or after each use.
Is an ANSI first aid kit an OSHA rule?
No. The appendices of 1910.151 and 1926.50 that mention ANSI Z308.1 are advisory, and the ANSI/ISEA standard is a consensus standard. Many employers buy ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 kits because the label states the class and the contents, which makes the weekly or monthly count simple.
What is the difference between a Class A and a Class B first aid kit?
Under ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 the class follows the workplace environment and its hazard assessment, not the number of employees. In the 2015 and 2021 editions, Class B kits hold more supplies and add a splint and a tourniquet. The 2021 edition added a foil blanket to every kit, and ISEA published the 2026 edition in 2026: follow the edition printed on your kit.
Do I need someone trained in first aid on site?
In general industry, where no infirmary, clinic or hospital is in near proximity to the workplace, a person or persons are adequately trained to render first aid (29 CFR 1910.151(b)). In construction, where no infirmary, clinic, hospital or physician is reasonably accessible in time and distance, a person with a valid first-aid certificate is available at the worksite (1926.50(c)).
Is an eyewash station part of the first aid kit?
It is a separate duty. Where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing are provided within the work area for immediate emergency use (29 CFR 1910.151(c); 1926.50(g) in construction). It is the most cited first aid paragraph in general industry.
Sources and verification
- 29 CFR 1910.151, Medical services and first aid, and its Appendix A
- 29 CFR 1926.50, Medical services and first aid (construction)
- ISEA news release on the 2021 edition of ANSI/ISEA Z308.1
- ISEA, ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2026 update checklist (PDF)
Verified against the eCFR on Oct 20, 2026 (title 29 current to Oct 16, 2026) and against the two ISEA documents read the same day. State Plan states enforce their own standards, which may go further than the federal ones. Not legal advice.
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