What's in this template?
This free First Aid Policy and Needs Assessment gives Australian healthcare practices the document Regulation 42 of the WHS Regulations assumes exists: a record of what first aid equipment, facilities and trained people the practice provides, and the reasoning behind those numbers. It is built from the Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace.
The template includes:
- The boundary against your Emergency Response Plan, stated as a direct comparison so the two documents are never confused
- A needs assessment table, covering the exact factors Regulation 42(3) requires you to have regard to
- Kit and equipment requirements, including when an AED is warranted and when a dedicated first aid room actually applies (rarely, for a general practice)
- The recommended first aider ratios for low, high and remote-high-risk workplaces
- Appendix A: a first aider register tracking qualifications and expiry
- Appendix B: a kit inspection log
Editable placeholder fields
{{practice_name}},{{abn}},{{practice_address}}{{whs_officer}},{{first_aid_custodian}}{{nature_of_work_hazards}},{{max_workers_onsite}},{{others_present}},{{emergency_services_distance}},{{remote_work_notes}},{{known_conditions_notes}}{{effective_date}},{{next_review_date}}
Two different WHS Regulations, two different documents
This is the question every practice with an Emergency Response Plan asks first: don't we already have this covered? The two documents sit under different WHS Regulations and answer different questions.
| This policy (WHS Regulation 42) | Emergency Response Plan (WHS Regulation 43) | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | The needs assessment behind what first aid equipment and training the practice provides, the kit inventory, and the first aider register | What actually happens during a medical emergency, fire, natural disaster, security threat or other incident |
| Answers | Do we have enough of the right equipment and enough trained people, based on our risk profile? | What do we do right now, and who does what, when something happens? |
The Model Code of Practice explicitly allows first aid procedures to be folded into emergency planning, so the overlap is real and intentional at the operational level: your Emergency Response Plan's medical emergency section references the kit locations and first aiders this policy establishes. But the compliance question, whether your provision is actually adequate for your workplace, is a different exercise to the operational question of what to do when something happens, and Regulation 42 expects you to be able to show your reasoning, not just your response procedure.
What the Code actually requires
Regulation 42 requires a PCBU to provide first aid equipment, ensure every worker can access it, provide access to facilities for administering first aid, and ensure an adequate number of trained first aiders. Regulation 42(3) is specific about what the assessment behind those numbers must consider: the nature of the work, the nature of the hazards, the size and location of the workplace, and the number and composition of workers and others present, including patients and visitors.
The Code's recommended first aider ratios are 1 per 50 workers in a low-risk workplace, 1 per 25 in a high-risk workplace, and 1 per 10 in a remote high-risk workplace. A general practice usually sits at the low-risk end of that scale for its own staff, but the assessment also has to account for patients and visitors on the premises, which most generic first aid templates miss entirely.
A dedicated first aid room is only specifically recommended for larger workplaces, low-risk workplaces with 200 or more workers, or high-risk workplaces with 100 or more, so most general practices need a kit and a private space, not a purpose-built room. Getting this right matters because over-specifying a room your practice does not need, or under-specifying the kit your patient volume actually warrants, both undermine the credibility of the document with an assessor.
How to customise this template
- Download the Word document and replace every
{{placeholder}}with your details. - Complete the needs assessment in Section 4 first. It drives everything after it: kit contents, whether an AED is warranted, and how many first aiders you need.
- Count patients and visitors, not just staff, when working out your ratio. A busy reception and waiting room changes the picture from a small back-office team.
- Populate Appendix A with your actual trained first aiders and their qualification expiry dates. A first aider register with expired qualifications is one of the most common findings in a WHS review.
- Cross-link to your Emergency Response Plan so staff know which document to check for which question.
- Review annually, or sooner after a change in staff numbers, premises, or services offered.
Related templates and tools
- Emergency Response Plan: the Regulation 43 procedure for what happens during a medical emergency, fire or other incident. Its medical emergency section relies on the kit and first aiders this policy establishes.
- Working Alone and Lone Worker Policy: first aid access for staff working off-site, including home visits.
- WHS Incident Report Form: log any first aid given as part of a wider incident.
- WHS Policy: the overarching WHS document this policy sits under.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need both this policy and an Emergency Response Plan?
Yes. This policy is your Regulation 42 compliance record: the needs assessment and reasoning behind your kit and first aider provision. The Emergency Response Plan is your Regulation 43 operational procedure for what to actually do when a medical emergency, fire or other incident occurs. They reference each other rather than duplicate each other.
How many first aiders does a small general practice need?
The Code's recommended ratio for a low-risk workplace is 1 first aider per 50 workers, but you also have to account for patients and visitors present, and for cover during leave. Most small to medium general practices land at 2 to 3 trained first aiders once patient volume and rostering gaps are factored in. Complete Section 4's needs assessment rather than relying on the ratio alone.
Do we need a defibrillator (AED)?
The Code says to consider one where there is a risk of electrocution, where ambulance response would be delayed, or where large numbers of the public are present. A general practice with regular patient throughput and an ambulance response time of more than a few minutes is a strong candidate, even though an AED is not automatically mandatory for every workplace.
Do we need a dedicated first aid room?
Only if your risk assessment supports it, and the Code's own guide numbers, 200 or more workers for a low-risk workplace or 100 or more for a high-risk one, mean almost no general practice needs a purpose-built room. A first aid kit and a clean, private space that can be used if needed is the normal position.
How often does a first aider need to retrain?
CPR skills should be refreshed annually, and the full first aid qualification (typically HLTAID011 Provide First Aid) renewed every 3 years. Appendix A's register is built to make an approaching expiry visible before it lapses.
Does this policy cover staff doing home visits?
It covers the portable kit requirement for vehicles used for home visits, but the wider risk picture for working alone or off-site, communication, check-ins and access to help, is covered by the Working Alone and Lone Worker Policy, which this policy cross-references.
Why is this template free when most WHS templates are paid?
First aid provision is a baseline obligation every workplace has, regardless of size or sector, and it is one of the most commonly requested documents by practices just starting to build out their WHS compliance. It sits alongside the WHS Policy as a top-of-funnel free template for that reason.