Quick answer: A Kenya-compliant first aid kit must contain a minimum of 15 categories of items under the Occupational Safety and Health (First Aid in the Workplace) Regulations, 2024 (L.N. 79/2024). The exact contents vary depending on your kit type — car, home, office, or industrial workplace. Use the interactive checklist below to verify your kit or print it before a DOSHS inspection.
Most Kenyan employers know they need a first aid kit. Very few know exactly what it must contain — and even fewer keep theirs stocked to the legal standard. This gap is what DOSHS inspectors find most often during workplace audits, and it results in improvement notices, fines, and in serious cases, workplace closure.
This guide gives you the complete, verified contents list for every type of first aid kit used in Kenya — from a basic car kit to a DOSHS-compliant industrial cabinet — plus a free printable checklist you can use to audit your kit today.
The Legal Basis: What the 2024 DOSHS Regulations Say
Kenya’s first aid kit contents requirements are set out in the Second Schedule of the Occupational Safety and Health (First Aid in the Workplace) Regulations, 2024 — published in Kenya Gazette Vol. CXXVI No. 81 on 7 June 2024 (Legal Notice 79 of 2024). These regulations replaced the earlier L.N. 53 of 2024 and are now the definitive authority on what a Kenyan workplace first aid kit must contain.
The regulations define first aid as treatment for the purpose of preserving life and minimising the consequences of injury until assistance from a medical practitioner is obtained, and treatment of minor injuries that would otherwise receive no treatment.
First Aid Kit Contents by Kit Type — Full Comparison
Not all kits are equal. Here is a quick comparison of what each Safety Hub kit includes:
| Item | Car Kit KSh 1,500 | General Purpose KSh 1,800 | Universal Box KSh 3,500 | Occupational KSh 7,500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adhesive bandages | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sterile gauze dressings | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Triangular bandages | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Crepe bandages | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Disposable gloves | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Antiseptic wipes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Eyewash solution | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instant cold compress | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Emergency space blanket | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| CPR / face shield | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Burn dressings | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| First aid incident logbook | — | — | — | ✓ |
| Lockable metal cabinet | — | — | — | ✓ |
| DOSHS / OSHA 2007 compliant | Road use | Low-risk | General | ✓ Full compliance |
What Items Are NOT Allowed in a Kenya Workplace First Aid Kit?
DOSHS guidance is clear that a first aid kit is not a medicine cabinet. The following must never be kept in a workplace first aid kit:
- Prescription medicines — including painkillers, antibiotics, or any medication requiring a prescription. These must only be administered by a qualified medical professional.
- Over-the-counter oral medicines (paracetamol, ibuprofen, antihistamines) — should not be in the kit unless your workplace has a specific medical protocol and trained personnel. If you include them, they must be clearly labelled with a separate medication log.
- Herbal or traditional remedies — not recognised under the DOSHS framework.
- Expired items — any item past its expiry date must be removed and replaced immediately. Keeping expired supplies in a kit is a compliance violation.
How Often Should You Restock Your First Aid Kit in Kenya?
Under the 2024 DOSHS Regulations, the kit must be adequately stocked at all times. Best practice:
- After every incident — restock immediately after any supplies are used
- Every 3 months — check all items for expiry and condition
- Annually — replace all contents at your annual first aid audit, even if unused
Safety Hub Enterprises offers a first aid kit restocking service across Kenya. We supply replacement items or restock your existing kit to keep it DOSHS-compliant — without the cost of replacing the whole cabinet. Call +254 111 056 220 or WhatsApp +254 727 855 896.
Need a Ready-Stocked, DOSHS-Compliant First Aid Kit?
Skip the shopping — Safety Hub Enterprises supplies fully stocked first aid kits delivered across Kenya.
🛒 Browse all first aid kits — prices from KSh 1,500 →
📞 +254 111 056 220 | 💬 WhatsApp +254 727 855 896
📍 Junction Trade Center, Accra Road, Nairobi — 7th Floor, Room 704
🚚 Same-day Nairobi delivery | 24–48hr nationwide delivery to all counties
