01 / WORKPLACE FIRST AID ROOM & BOX
Quick answer: workplace first aid should be planned as a system of trained people, accessible first-aid boxes, a first-aid room where appropriate, supporting equipment and maintenance records. DOSH's 2004 guideline remains listed on its current occupational-health guidance page. It recommends a first-aid room where there are more than 150 employees, while box location, quantity and contents should reflect the workplace size, layout, shifts and hazards.
This rebuild gives this page a distinct role: first-aid room setup, box placement, room facilities, maintenance and operational readiness. The separate First Aid Kit Requirements article remains the deeper page for kit contents and first-aider ratios.
02 / CURRENT BASIS
The current legal starting point is the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994, including the employer's general duty to safeguard employees' safety, health and welfare so far as practicable. DOSH continues to list Guidelines on First Aid in the Workplace (2nd Edition), 2004 on its current occupational-health guidance page.
Important legal-context correction: the DOSH guideline contains historical references to the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 and its regulations. That Act was repealed effective 1 June 2024. Use those older provisions as context for the guideline—not as if the repealed Act were still today's primary legal basis.
| Source | Use |
|---|---|
| OSHA 1994 | Current general workplace safety / welfare duty and risk-management foundation. |
| DOSH First Aid Guideline 2004 | Practical guidance for first-aiders, first-aid boxes, first-aid rooms, equipment, records and checklists. |
| Workplace risk assessment | Adjust provision for hazards, work shifts, workforce distribution, remoteness and access to medical services. |
| Site / client requirements | Major projects may impose additional first-aid rooms, AEDs, rescue equipment, staffing or documentation requirements. |
03 / FIRST-AID ROOM THRESHOLD
DOSH's guideline says a first-aid room should be provided where there are more than 150 employees in the workplace. The old live article's “500 or more workers” statement is therefore not aligned with this guideline.
The room is not just storage. DOSH describes a functional treatment area large enough for a couch and movement around it, with emergency lighting, easily cleaned surfaces, non-slip flooring, privacy, comfortable temperature / humidity and clear first-aid-room identification.
04 / ROOM FACILITIES
DOSH Appendix 8 provides a recommended facilities list. The table below keeps that list in procurement-friendly form without inventing a new statutory pack.
| Facility / item | Purpose / note |
|---|---|
| First-aid box | Primary stocked first-aid supplies. |
| Sink with tap water | Supports hygiene and room operations. |
| Antiseptic hand-wash soap & paper towels | Hand hygiene for first-aid activities. |
| Examination / treatment couch | DOSH lists couch with pillow and blanket. |
| Portable stretchers | For casualty transfer. |
| Splints | Upper- and lower-limb splints. |
| Disposable plastic apron | Barrier protection. |
| Waste bags / baskets | Separate waterproof disposal for hazardous and non-hazardous materials. |
| Spinal immobilisation equipment | Cervical collar and spinal board. |
| Torch light | Portable emergency illumination. |
| Waiting-room chairs | Seating / waiting provision. |
| Storage cupboard | Top-up first-aid equipment / supplies. |
Do not add items simply because they look “medical”. Equipment such as AEDs, oxygen, trauma kits or specialist chemical-response supplies should follow the site's risk assessment, clinical governance / training and project requirements.
05 / FIRST-AID BOXES
DOSH says first-aid boxes should be sturdy, portable, clearly marked and placed in a clearly identifiable, well-illuminated and accessible location. For large workplaces, an adequate number of boxes should be provided rather than relying on one central box.
For the detailed Appendix 4 contents list and first-aider ratios, use Haisar's First Aid Kit Requirements Malaysia guide. That prevents the two pages from competing for the same search intent.
06 / MAINTENANCE & RECORDS
DOSH says the first aider responsible for a box should check it periodically and ensure contents are replenished, while the employer retains overall responsibility. The guideline also recommends an annual review of the workplace's first-aid requirement.
Check location, access, identification, contents, quantities, expiry dates and storage condition.
Check cleanliness, sink / utilities, couch, stretcher, lighting, waste arrangements and room accessibility.
Confirm trained first aiders remain available across current shifts, leave and contractor arrangements.
Reassess workforce size, hazard profile, room / box locations and medical-response arrangements after organisational change.
Emergency number: current Malaysian emergency services use MERS 999. Remove old 994 references from first-aid-room contact boards and procedures.
07 / HAISAR FIRST-AID EQUIPMENT
Haisar's workplace first-aid content and company supply range cover first-aid boxes / cabinets, replenishment supplies, room equipment and emergency eyewash. Where no stable model-specific product image is available, this page uses built-in illustrative visuals instead of inventing image URLs.
Send the approved contents list rather than buying by box size or a generic “DOSH” label. Haisar can quote boxes, cabinets and replenishment supplies against the site checklist.
Build the BOQ around DOSH Appendix 8: couch, sink / hygiene items, stretchers, splints, waste provision, storage and other required room facilities.
Haisar lists this model as a 30 L / 8-gallon portable eyewash. It is supplementary emergency-response equipment for assessed chemical splash risks and does not replace the base first-aid box.
Related product / range details are covered in Haisar's Emergency Eyewash Station Malaysia guide.
DOSH Appendix 8 recommends portable stretchers and spinal immobilisation equipment in a first-aid room. Confirm the required stretcher / spinal-board specification in the site BOQ.
08 / COMMON MISTAKES
The DOSH guideline says more than 150 employees—not 500.
A single office box may be too far from production, warehouse or remote work areas.
Compare the actual approved contents list, quantity, expiry and site hazard needs.
Replace BOMBA 994 and other outdated boards with current MERS 999 and local emergency contacts.
A cluttered treatment room loses access, cleanliness, privacy and casualty-transfer space.
Assign a responsible person and record inspection / replenishment actions.
09 / RFQ & BOQ
Send the complete first-aid requirement to Haisar for one itemised quotation instead of sourcing the room, boxes and consumables separately.
10 / FAQ, SOURCES & INTERNAL LINKS
DOSH's Guidelines on First Aid in the Workplace (2nd Edition, 2004) recommend a first-aid room where there are more than 150 employees in the workplace.
DOSH says each box should be clearly identifiable, well illuminated and accessible. Large workplaces should provide an adequate number of boxes rather than relying on a single central location.
DOSH Appendix 8 recommends a first-aid box, sink with tap water, hand-wash soap, paper towels, treatment couch, portable stretchers, splints, apron, separate waste arrangements, spinal immobilisation equipment, torch, chairs and storage cupboard.
DOSH says boxes should be checked frequently, used items replaced promptly and the overall workplace first-aid requirement reviewed annually.
No. Compliance depends on the actual workplace arrangement, accessible supplies, trained first aiders, contents, quantities, hazard profile and maintenance—not a marketing label on the box.
Use Malaysia's current MERS 999 emergency line for genuine emergencies, together with relevant site emergency contacts and nearby medical-facility information.
This article is a workplace first-aid planning and procurement guide, not medical-treatment instruction. Apply current law, your workplace risk assessment, recognised first-aid training, DOSH guidance and site / client requirements.
Send your workforce, shift pattern, locations, equipment list and delivery schedule to Haisar.
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