First aid kit checklist for trade vans (2026)

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Most trade first aid kits are a joke. I've seen hundreds — in vans, on scaffolds, in unit workshops — and about nine out of ten fail the same way. Expired contents. Missing dressings. No tourniquet. A single, laughably small pack of paracetamol that was already opened.

Here's what actually needs to go in a trade van first aid kit in 2026. Based on the current BS 8599-1:2019 standard, plus the extras that most working tradespeople end up wishing they had the day something goes wrong. We're not paramedics — always call 999 for anything serious — but a properly stocked van kit gets you through the mid-range injuries where waiting for an ambulance costs you a shift.

Which size kit do I actually need?

The current British Standard for workplace first aid kits is BS 8599-1:2019. It updated the older 2014 version and it's what HSE expects to see on inspection.

Sizes map to workplace size and risk level:

• Small kit: Low risk, up to 25 people. Low risk = office work, light assembly. For a trade van, this is too light — you're not low risk.
• Medium kit: Low risk up to 100 people, or high risk 5-25 people. For most solo trade vans or a two-person team, this is the right size.
• Large kit: High risk 25-100 people. If you run a small building firm with a team van, this is what you want.

All trades are classified as high-risk under the standard. Construction, electrical, plumbing, landscaping — none of them are desk jobs. Don't be tempted by the small kit because it's cheaper. A medium BS 8599-1:2019 compliant kit is the sensible minimum.

What's actually in a BS 8599-1:2019 medium kit

Proper kits will include the following as standard:

• 1 × general first aid guidance card
• 60 × assorted sterile waterproof plasters
• 4 × medium sterile dressings (12cm × 12cm)
• 3 × large sterile dressings (18cm × 18cm)
• 3 × triangular bandages
• 3 × sterile eye pad dressings
• 30 × saline alcohol-free cleansing wipes
• 2 × microporous tapes (2.5cm × 5m)
• 9 × nitrile examination gloves (large)
• 3 × finger dressings
• 1 × resuscitation face shield
• 2 × foil emergency blankets
• 2 × hydrogel burn dressings (10cm × 10cm)
• 1 × pair heavy-duty shears
• 2 × conforming bandages (7.5cm × 4m)

If you open a kit advertised as BS 8599-1:2019 and it's missing any of the above, send it back. There's a lot of stuff on Amazon labelled "British Standard" that doesn't meet the spec. Look for kits from known workplace first aid brands.

Our picks for a trade van

Reliance Medical BS 8599-1:2019 Medium Kit

Reliance Medical are the brand NHS ambulances buy bandages from. Their BS 8599-1 Medium is genuinely compliant — I've opened a few and the contents match the schedule. The tin is a sensible size for a van bulkhead, and the contents are dated properly so you know what to replace.

Check current price on Amazon

Astroplast Mezzo First Aid Kit 20 Person

Astroplast is the other serious workplace brand in the UK. The Mezzo 20-person kit is the one a lot of fleet operators specify for their van fleets. Fractionally more contents than a standard medium — extra dressings, extra plasters — which is handy if you're sharing a van with an apprentice.

Check current price on Amazon

EVAQ8 First Response Kit in Red Rucksack

Different format — a proper rucksack rather than a wall-mounted tin. Makes sense for groundworkers and landscapers where you're working 50m from the van. Contents are BS 8599-1:2019 compliant on the medium version, and the bag has external pouches for extra kit like tourniquets.

Check current price on Amazon

What BS 8599-1 doesn't include — but you probably want

The standard is designed for typical workplace injuries. Trades have a few risks that aren't typical. These are the extras worth chucking in the kit yourself.

A decent tourniquet. Not for cuts. For catastrophic bleeding from a circular saw injury or a breaker kickback. A CAT gen 7 tourniquet costs about £25 on Amazon, fits in any kit, and will buy you time until paramedics arrive. If you work with rotating blades, grinders, or heavy plant, it's not overkill.

Israeli trauma bandage. Pressure dressing for a serious wound. Also called an "Emergency Bandage." Roughly £8 each. Fills a gap in BS 8599-1 between standard dressings and what you'd need for a proper arterial bleed.

A pack of Steri-Strips. For cuts that aren't quite A&E level but are definitely more than a plaster. Saves a four-hour wait at minor injuries for a glued finger.

Eyewash pods. BS 8599-1 includes eye pad dressings but not proper eyewash. A couple of 20ml saline pods costs £5 and will save you an hour of rubbing at a piece of grit in your eye.

Paracetamol and ibuprofen. Not strictly workplace kit — HSE will tell you not to issue medicines to staff. Fine. For your own van, a blister pack of each isn't controversial. Just don't hand them out to apprentices.

Insect sting and bite wipes. If you're a roofer, landscaper, or anyone opening up old loft spaces, wasps become a seasonal hazard. An antihistamine cream plus wipes is a useful add.

A proper waterproof plaster roll. The plasters in BS 8599-1 kits are individually packed pre-cut. For plumbers and sparks who need to seal a cut hand and get on with it, a roll of waterproof tape lets you make custom-sized dressings.

Where to mount it

Cab, not the back. Bulkhead, not under a seat. Accessible without needing to climb over tools to reach it. I've seen vans where the kit was under 60kg of toolbags in the rear — useless.

Dedicated mounting brackets for Reliance and Astroplast kits cost about £15. Worth fitting properly — loose kits in vans get damaged by vibration, the tin pops open, sterile packaging gets compromised, and six months later you've got a kit full of dust-contaminated dressings.

Check it every MOT

Simple rule: whenever the van goes in for its MOT, open the kit. Check every sterile item for date, replace anything past its expiry, replenish anything you've used. Chuck the used ice pack. It's a 10-minute job and it means you never find out the hard way that your kit's gone off.

HSE inspections on larger sites will include checking kits are current and compliant. For a solo sparky in a van, no one's going to inspect you — but that's exactly why it's worth doing yourself.

FAQ

Is a first aid kit legally required in a UK trade van?

If you employ anyone, the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require you to provide adequate first aid equipment. HSE guidance specifically covers vehicles used for work. For self-employed sole traders working alone, it's not strictly mandatory — but you'd be mad not to carry one.

What's the difference between BS 8599-1 and the old HSE kit?

The HSE "standard" kit was replaced as the benchmark by BS 8599-1 in 2011 and updated in 2019. BS 8599-1 includes more modern items — nitrile gloves, resuscitation face shield, foil blankets — that the old HSE kit didn't. If your kit still has the green HSE sticker, it's old.

Can I use my van kit for personal injuries at weekends?

Of course. It's yours. Just replenish anything you use before Monday morning.

Do I need different kits for different trades?

The core BS 8599-1 medium kit suits pretty much every trade. Specific additions make sense for specific risks — tourniquets for power tool users, eyewash for welders and grinders, antihistamine for outdoor trades. Build the core kit then add to it.

Related guides

• First aid kits for van drivers
• First aid kits for HGV drivers
• Fire extinguishers for vans

Final word

Get a proper BS 8599-1:2019 medium kit from a known brand. Add a tourniquet, an Israeli bandage, a couple of eyewash pods, and a few extras that fit your trade. Mount it on the bulkhead. Check it every MOT.

That's the whole job. Cost you about £50 all-in and it'll sit there unused for years — until the one day it really matters.