Equipment inspections

Workplace first aid kits — regulations, DIN 13157 and DIN 13169 contents, medicines, placement and inspections

A workplace first aid kit is a set of dressings and equipment used by designated first aiders. In Poland the duty follows from art. 209¹ of the Labour Code and § 44 of the general OSH regulation. The law sets no contents list — it is agreed with the occupational physician, and German standards DIN 13157 and DIN 13169 are used as the practical benchmark.

This guide answers what safety officers and managers search for most: what must be in a workplace first aid kit, how many kits are needed, DIN 13157 vs DIN 13169, whether medicines are allowed, who is responsible and how often to check kits. Legal references are Polish; we separate law from standards and good practice.

First aid kit
Workplace first aid
DIN 13157
DIN 13169
Equipment inspections

Published: 2026-11-12 · Updated: 2026-11-12 · 9 min read · Varilo deployment team

Worker in a helmet and vest checking the seal of a wall-mounted first aid cabinet with a QR code next to a list of designated first aiders — VIMS EHS illustration

1. Which regulations govern workplace first aid kits?

Short answer: art. 209¹ of the Polish Labour Code requires the employer to provide first aid means, designate first aiders and ensure contact with emergency services, taking into account hazards, headcount and type of activity.

§ 44 of the general OSH regulation requires first aid points in high-risk departments and first aid kits; their number, placement and contents are agreed with the occupational physician. Trained staff look after them, and first aid instructions and a list of trained persons are posted by the kit.

So there is no single official contents list. Start from the risk assessment and section 4 of safety data sheets, and check § 44 in the consolidated text after the 2026 amendment.

2. What must a workplace first aid kit contain? DIN 13157 vs DIN 13169

Short answer: what you agree with the occupational physician. In practice DIN 13157 (small industrial kit) and DIN 13169 (large kit, roughly double contents) are used as a benchmark, not as Polish law.

Typical contents: individual dressings, sterile compresses, bandages, plasters, triangular bandages, rescue blanket, disposable gloves, blunt-tip scissors, skin wipes and face masks.

German DGUV guidance commonly suggests one small kit for up to about 50 office staff, 20 production staff or 10 construction workers; above that a large kit or more kits. In Poland the physician and risk assessment decide. Eyewash bottles, hydrogel burn dressings or emergency showers may supplement them.

Comparison of a small DIN 13157 and a large DIN 13169 industrial first aid kit with office, factory and construction icons — VIMS EHS illustration — Illustrative image: DIN 13157 and DIN 13169 as a practical benchmark; thresholds are agreed with the occupational physician.

3. Can a workplace first aid kit contain medicines?

Short answer: they should not be kept there. OSH rules do not include medicines; first aid means rescue actions, not treatment. A first aider cannot diagnose or choose medication, and even a common painkiller can cause an allergic reaction or mask symptoms.

Use medical devices instead: sterile compresses, hydrogel dressings and 0.9% saline for rinsing eyes and wounds. Medication prescribed to an individual worker (such as an adrenaline auto-injector) is carried by that worker.

Crossed-out medicines next to permitted first aid supplies: compresses, saline, hydrogel dressing, triangular bandage, scissors and gloves — VIMS EHS illustration — Illustrative image: medical devices for first aid instead of medicines.

4. First aid point vs first aid kit

Short answer: a first aid point is a dedicated area with wider equipment (stretcher, blankets, washbasin) required in high-risk departments; a kit is required in every workplace. Mark points with ISO 7010 sign E003 and stretchers with E013.

5. Where to place first aid kits and how to mark them

Short answer: easily accessible from every workstation, visible, marked with E003 and never locked. Good practice is reaching a kit within one to two minutes and one kit per floor or separate hall. Post first aid instructions and the list of trained persons for each shift. Vehicles carry a car kit (DIN 13164 in practice).

6. Who is responsible and how often to inspect?

Short answer: the employer, with designated trained staff on every shift. The law sets no frequency; good practice is a monthly check and restocking after every use.

Check completeness, intact sterile packaging, expiry dates set by the manufacturer under the EU Medical Device Regulation 2017/745, legible instructions and an up-to-date list of first aiders across shifts and holidays.

7. How VIMS supports first aid kit inspections

Short answer: each kit becomes an item in equipment registers and inspections with its location and inspection schedule. A QR code opens a short phone checklist.

Missing items become hazard reports with a due date, expiry dates trigger reminders and kits can be shown on the site map. Try VIMS through our contact page.

First aid kit supervision process: site map pin, QR scan with a phone, checklist with a missing item and expiry reminder — VIMS EHS illustration — Illustrative image: a kit inspection confirmed after scanning a QR code. Not an app screenshot.

Legal requirements vs standards and good practice

Polish legal duties separated from practice; details are agreed with the occupational physician.

Topic	Regulation (art. 209¹ Labour Code, § 44)	Standard or good practice
Contents	Agreed with the occupational physician	DIN 13157 or DIN 13169 refill
Medicines	Not provided for	None; saline and hydrogel dressings
Staffing	Designated, trained workers	Cover on every shift
Information	Instructions and list of first aiders	ISO 7010 sign E003
Inspections	No frequency set	Monthly and after every use
Expiry	Set by the manufacturer (MDR)	Tracked in the register

Workplace first aid kit checklist

Number, placement and contents agreed with the occupational physician.
Kits are accessible, marked E003 and not locked.
Instructions and the list of first aiders are posted.
Contents are complete and sterile packs intact.
Nothing is expired and no medicines are stored.
Every shift has a trained first aider.
Inspections and restocking are recorded.

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Frequently asked questions about workplace first aid kits

What must a workplace first aid kit contain?

Polish law sets no list; contents are agreed with the occupational physician, with DIN 13157 or DIN 13169 as a common benchmark.

What is the difference between DIN 13157 and DIN 13169?

DIN 13157 is a small industrial kit; DIN 13169 is a large kit with roughly double contents.

Can painkillers be kept in a workplace first aid kit?

They should not. Rules and standards do not include medicines, and first aiders may not choose or give them.

How often should a first aid kit be checked?

The law sets no frequency; good practice is monthly and after each use, including expiry dates.

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