01 / WORKPLACE FIRST AID
Malaysia · DOSH guidance · Kit contents & procurement
Quick answer: plan accessible first aid supplies, trained people available during work, and facilities matched to your workforce and hazards. Use DOSH’s Guidelines on First-Aid in the Workplace (2nd Edition, 2004) as the practical reference alongside current Malaysian law. Buying a box labelled “DOSH” does not, by itself, establish workplace compliance.
This guide helps HSE teams, employers and procurement buyers turn first aid kit requirements into an itemised specification. It covers the legal context, first-aider ratios, box contents, room threshold and replenishment decisions before you request prices.
Confirm headcount, risk level and cover for each shift before choosing a kit.
Compare the actual contents and quantities, not only the box size or marketing label.
Check where an incident could happen and how help and supplies will reach it.
Send your approved checklist, quantities and delivery date for a useful quotation.
02 / WORKPLACE FIRST AID
The current starting point is the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514), as amended. Section 15 sets the employer’s general duty to ensure employees’ safety, health and welfare so far as practicable. Section 18B requires employers, self-employed persons and principals to assess risks and implement necessary controls. First aid planning should sit within that wider safety system.
| Reference | How to use it |
|---|---|
| OSHA 1994, current reprint | Use the current duties and applicable subsidiary legislation when reviewing the legal position of your workplace. |
| DOSH first-aid guideline, 2nd edition, 2004 | Use its staffing guide, contents list and facility recommendations as a practical planning reference. It is a guideline, not an “Occupational Safety and Health (First Aid) Regulations 2004”. |
| Older factory-law references | The 2004 guide refers to the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 and Regulation 38 of the 1970 Safety, Health and Welfare Regulations. Those references need to be read in their historical context. |
| Project and site requirements | Record any additional client specification, risk-assessment finding or site-specific direction and check it with the responsible safety team. |
2024 legal change: the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 was repealed with effect from 1 June 2024. Act 835 contains transitional provisions for specified existing matters. Do not present the repealed Act as an unchanged current legal basis, or treat every figure in the 2004 guide as a standalone statutory offence.
Primary sources: Act 514, sections 15 and 18B; Act 835; commencement notice P.U. (B) 127/2024; DOSH first-aid guideline.
For an audit or tender: document the reference used, the assessed hazards and the reason for your selected provision. Refer uncertain legal applicability to DOSH or a qualified Malaysian OSH/legal adviser.
03 / WORKPLACE FIRST AID
Start with the DOSH planning figures below. Count people who can actually respond on each shift, then allow for leave, training, breaks and absence. A certificate register alone does not demonstrate coverage.
| Workplace / workforce | DOSH guideline figure |
|---|---|
| Low risk: fewer than 20 workers | 1 first aider |
| Low risk: 21–150 workers | 2 first aiders |
| Low risk: over 150 workers | 2 for each 150 workers or part thereof |
| High risk: fewer than 20 workers | 1 per shift |
| High risk: 20 or more workers | 1 for each 20 workers or part thereof |
| More than 400 workers | 2 per 150 workers or part thereof, plus an on-site registered nurse or medical assistant |
| Logging | 1 per tree-felling gang |
Two details worth checking: the original low-risk table leaves exactly 20 workers unstated. A cautious planning choice is two first aiders while confirming the arrangement with your safety adviser or DOSH. For high-risk sites above 400 workers, do not use the large-workforce row to reduce the high-risk ratio; confirm staffing and clinical support together.
Worked example: a high-risk shift of 45 workers gives three first aiders when the one-per-20 figure is rounded up. Plan additional trained cover so three remain available when someone is absent. Apply the assessment to every operating shift.
Confirm current course recognition with the training provider. The guideline’s refresher interval is three years. Keep training dates and a live shift roster. On shared sites, record who provides each part of the first aid arrangement and make the contact route clear to every contractor.
Source: Sections 4.1–4.4.
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Use Appendix 4 of the DOSH guideline as the comparison point for a supplier’s contents schedule. The compact checklist below groups its listed items; it does not create a new kit certification or a universal pack size.
| Contents group | Items to check against the supplier’s offer |
|---|---|
| Bandages | 5 triangular bandages, 130 × 90 × 90 cm; elastic bandage; 4 roller bandages in each listed width: 7.5 cm, 3 cm and 2.5 cm. |
| Pads & dressings | Sterile eye pads; non-sterile and sterile 4 × 4-inch gauze; sterile 10 × 10-inch gauze; sterile multi-trauma dressing/gauze; sterile adhesive dressings. |
| Cold & burn items | Cold-pack compress gel; burn sheet/dressing. |
| Protection & tools | Disposable non-sterile gloves; bandage scissors; adhesive tape; safety pins; CPR barrier device; thermometer. |
| Other listed supplies | Alcohol prep pads; Cetavlon (as named in the 2004 document); cotton buds; first aid manual; waterproof waste bag; inventory checklist. |
Specify quantities explicitly. Where the appendix does not state a quantity, agree the amount through the workplace assessment and expected replenishment needs. Keep a line-by-line contents schedule with the purchase order; a total “piece count” is difficult to compare.
Ask the responsible first aid adviser to confirm appropriate current products, particularly antiseptics, against training and manufacturer instructions. Do not turn the workplace box into an informal medicine cupboard. The presence of an item in a kit is not an instruction to use it for every injury.
Box A, B or C? These labels appear in supplier ranges, but do not assume they prove the right provision for your site. Compare the item schedule, intended workforce, hazard coverage, access and refill availability. Ask what “DOSH kit” means in that particular quotation.
Separate stock quantity from physical distribution. Map buildings, floors, remote work areas and shift access. A single large box at reception may leave distant teams poorly served. Choose sturdy, clearly marked portable boxes and keep access arrangements workable whenever the site operates.
Source: Sections 5.1–5.3 and Appendix 4.
05 / WORKPLACE FIRST AID
DOSH’s guideline threshold is more than 150 employees. Section 6.1 recommends a first aid room above this number. Keep that recommendation distinct from claims that every workplace faces an identical standalone statutory room rule.
A lower headcount does not remove the need to assess facilities. Severe hazards, an isolated location or difficult ambulance access may justify additional provision. Record the decision with the site’s safety lead.
Check treatment space, privacy, lighting and surfaces that can be cleaned.
Check the route from work areas and the ability to transfer a casualty to an ambulance.
Agree the room equipment and responsible personnel through the first aid assessment.
This article sets out the requirements and purchasing decisions. For practical room layout, box placement and day-to-day operation, see Workplace First Aid Room and First Aid Box. Use the official references on this page for staffing and threshold decisions.
Source: Section 6 and Appendix 8.
06 / WORKPLACE FIRST AID
Agree additions with the people responsible for risk assessment and emergency response. The following are procurement prompts, not blanket requirements or treatment instructions.
| Workplace | Discuss before ordering |
|---|---|
| Office, retail & administration | Kit access across floors, visitor areas and late-working teams; clear emergency contacts and trained cover. |
| Factory, workshop & warehouse | Likely cuts, burns and crush injuries; extra stock where usage is high; casualty access around machinery and racking. |
| Construction & mobile teams | Changing work fronts, portable supplies, contractor coverage and coordinated rescue arrangements. |
| Chemical handling & laboratories | SDS first-aid information, chemical risk assessment, suitable emergency washing and responder protection. Confirm equipment performance and manufacturer instructions. |
| Kitchens & hot work | Appropriate burn-care supplies, training and a replenishment plan shaped by the assessed exposure. |
| Remote or large sites | Emergency communication, ambulance response, casualty transfer and any clinically advised equipment. Assess AED provision with training and ongoing maintenance. |
First aid boxes, refill supplies and cabinets: Haisar’s workplace first-aid page describes sourcing support for these categories. Send your approved contents list and quantities for an itemised offer. Confirm the exact kit, casing, expiry dates, replacement items and availability; no particular kit model or certification is implied here.
These are supplementary equipment examples from Haisar’s product listings. They do not replace the base first aid kit or establish that a particular eyewash arrangement meets your site’s requirements.
Haisar-listed equipment
Haisar lists this model as a 30-litre / 8-gallon portable emergency eyewash station. Ask for the current datasheet and confirm usable capacity, flushing performance, placement and servicing before selection.
Haisar-listed equipment
The listing describes a 500 ml eyewash bottle and a 200 ml pH Neutral bottle. Confirm suitability for the actual substance, replacement bottles, shelf life and instructions. Do not assume small bottles replace required emergency washing facilities.
Product descriptions checked against Haisar’s published listings on 25 September 2026. Product photos are illustrative catalogue images; confirm current supplied configuration and expiry dates in the quotation.
07 / WORKPLACE FIRST AID
Give each kit a named owner, a deputy and a simple record. Build checks around actual use and the site’s risk; avoid assuming that an annual purchase keeps every item ready until the next order.
| Trigger | Recommended site action | Record to keep |
|---|---|---|
| After use | Replace consumed items promptly and remove compromised supplies. | Items used, replacement quantity and completion date. |
| Scheduled inspection | Check stock, packaging, expiry dates, cleanliness, access and contact details. Set a frequency proportionate to risk and usage; monthly is a practical starting schedule, not a universal legal interval. | Kit ID, location, checker, shortages and action owner. |
| Shift / personnel change | Check responder availability and update displayed contacts. | Current roster and deputy arrangements. |
| Annual review or significant change | Reassess provision when headcount, hazards, layout or operating hours change. | Updated assessment, equipment list and training plan. |
The guideline calls for frequent stock checks, prompt replacement, an annual review of provision and five-year retention of casualty/treatment records. Keep incident details securely with access appropriate to their sensitivity. First aid records do not replace separate reporting duties for notifiable incidents.
Eyewash care: follow the exact manufacturer’s instructions. Do not open or “flush” sealed disposable eyewash bottles as a routine weekly task. Plumbed units, refillable tanks and sealed bottles have different maintenance procedures. Plum’s 500 ml eyewash product information identifies the product as single-use.
Request the actual contents schedule instead of accepting “DOSH approved” as sufficient evidence.
A trained employee on another shift cannot provide immediate on-site coverage.
Plan access from each work area, including remote and changing work fronts.
Record shortages and close the action; an inspection tick alone does not replace stock.
Confirm training, maintenance and who may use it before adding it to the order.
Check that security arrangements, keys and responsible people do not prevent timely access.
Source: Sections 4.5 and 5.3; Appendix 6.
08 / WORKPLACE FIRST AID
A useful quotation starts with the workplace requirement. You can send Haisar an existing checklist, stocktake or spreadsheet; identify anything that still needs your safety team’s approval.
People present per shift, contractors, visitors where relevant, operating hours and trained cover.
Industry, main exposures, buildings/floors, remote areas and emergency access constraints.
Itemised kit contents, quantities per kit, number of kits, refill needs and any approved additions.
Casing preference, portability, mounting, storage conditions and minimum remaining shelf life on delivery.
Datasheets, labels, instructions and any required regulatory/product documentation; require approval before substitution.
Delivery location, needed date, staged delivery and your preferred replenishment ordering arrangement.
Ask each supplier to separate the casing, consumables, supplementary equipment and refill items. Check pack units: one pack of dressings is not necessarily one dressing. Record stock availability and lead time in the final offer rather than assuming website photography means immediate availability.
Send the approved requirement for a Haisar quotation. Include photographs of existing labels if you need matching refill items.
09 / WORKPLACE FIRST AID
No. The 2004 second edition is guidance. Read its recommendations alongside current Malaysian legal duties and site-specific requirements; do not rename it “First Aid Regulations 2004”.
No. Review the contents, distribution, trained responders, facilities, maintenance and records together. Ask the supplier which document and contents list its label refers to.
Yes. A low headcount does not remove the need to assess first aid arrangements. Use the staffing table and consider when the office is occupied, including lone or late working.
Do not use that as a universal box ratio. Assess practical access and sufficient supplies across the actual work areas. Workforce size alone does not describe the layout or risk.
DOSH section 6.1 uses more than 150 employees as its guideline threshold. Hazards and access to medical help can justify additional facilities below that figure.
Check after use and on a documented schedule suited to risk and consumption. A monthly stocktake can be a useful site procedure, with more frequent checks where needed; it is not presented here as a universal statutory interval.
Often the procurement need is a refill, provided the casing remains suitable and serviceable. Send the missing-item list, quantities and existing kit details, then confirm compatibility and shelf life.
Send a combined RFQ identifying the approved kit contents and separate hazard-specific equipment. Haisar can review the sourcing requirement and confirm models, documentation, availability and lead times in its offer.
10 / WORKPLACE FIRST AID
This is a workplace planning and procurement guide, not medical treatment instruction or confirmation of compliance for an individual site. Apply current official requirements, your risk assessment, recognised training and equipment instructions. References reviewed on 25 September 2026; no later edition of the DOSH workplace first-aid guideline was identified in this review.
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