The model WHS laws are made up of the Model WHS Act, Model WHS Regulations and the Model Codes of Practice.

Safe Work Australia leads the development of national policy to improve work health and safety (WHS) and workers’ compensation arrangements in Australia, including by developing the model WHS laws for implementation by the jurisdictions (that is, the Commonwealth, states and territories).

Safe Work Australia is not a regulator and does not implement or enforce WHS laws.The Commonwealth, states and territories are responsible for implementing, regulating and enforcing WHS laws in their jurisdictions.

The first aid kit should provide basic equipment for administering first aid for injuries 

including: 

• cuts, scratches, punctures, grazes and splinters 
• muscular sprains and strains 
• minor burns 
• amputations and/or major bleeding wounds 
• broken bones 
• eye injuries, and 
• shock. 

The contents of first aid kits should be based on a risk assessment. 

Extra equipment may be needed in remote workplaces 

First aid kits can be any size, shape or type to suit your workplace, but each kit should: 

• be large enough to contain the necessary items 

• be immediately identifiable with a white cross on green background prominently

• displayed on the outside 

• contain a list of the contents for that kit, and be made of material that will protect the contents from dust, moisture and contamination. 

Certain work environments have greater risks of injury and illness due to the nature of work being carried out and the nature of the hazards at the workplace. For example, factories, motor vehicle workshops and forestry operations have a greater risk of injury that would require immediate medical treatment than offices or libraries. 

As the contents of the first aid kits should differ depending on the nature of the workplace, we would expect lower risk areas such as offices and libraries to have the kit contents relating to best practice while high risk areas having additional or better practice components. 

Referring to the table extracted from the WorkSafe Code of Practice, we can assess the environments where injuries linked to typical workplace hazards requiring first aid are probable. 

Certain products manufactured by Reliance Medical allow for best practice. One of the major differences in the contents of the kits would be the absence of non-adherent and conforming bandages. This is due to Reliance medical creating a better solution for our kits in the way of dressings. We have combined the non-adherent pad and the conforming bandage into one singular solution labelled depending on the situation (e.g. Eye dressing, finger dressing, medium and large).

Reliance medical first aid kits are designed around use in the workplace with common injuries in mind.  

• Safety Pins: Safety pins have been removed from first aid kits as they do not serve a clinical purpose in the provision of first aid. 
• Notebook and Pen: These items have been removed as the widespread availability of mobile phones, which can be used to record notes, makes them unnecessary. 
• Alcohol Wipes: Alcohol wipes have been removed because they are intended for preparing the skin prior to injections, a procedure not undertaken in standard first aid practice. 
• Antiseptic Spray: Antiseptic sprays have been removed in accordance with ANZCOR (Australian and New Zealand Committee on Resuscitation) Guidelines, which does not state a use in first aid. Instead they indicate, wounds should be cleaned with clean water or saline. 

WorkSafe provides recommendations for workplace first aid provisions, while ANSCOR relies on current scientific data to define optimal first aid practices. This collaboration helps individuals conduct thorough workplace assessments, ensuring they implement the highest standard of first aid protocols tailored to their specific environments. 

Risk assessments, in conjunction with ANSCOR Guidelines, will offer direction regarding the essential components that should be included in your first aid kit.