First Aid Fails: 5 Mistakes Your Business Must Avoid

Posted on 3/24/2026, 12:13:23 PM

If you have a large team or if customers enter your work premises, you need to be prepared for the high possibility of medical emergencies. This is particularly the case with workplaces that are full of dangers like machinery or high platforms. However, even in your average office, accidents and health emergencies can still happen. In these instances, you need to make sure that you’re not making any of these classic mistakes...

#1) Having no trained employee on shift

All workplaces should ideally have a trained first aider on shift who can respond in the event of an emergency. Some companies make the mistake of only training up one person - if this individual is absent, it means that there is no one on shift who knows what to do. By training up multiple employees, you increase the chance of someone being available at work who is first aid trained. 

#2) Skipping refresher training

Don’t settle for the one-and-done training approach. After a few years, people’s memory can become hazy, plus there may be changes in recommended protocols. Refresher courses help trained employees to retain information and to keep up-to-date with new medical guidelines or technologies. Schedule these every couple years (you could have a first aid trainer visit your workplace on a set day each year). 

#3) Storing first aid supplies in an inaccessible place

Think carefully about where you locate your first aid kit. Putting it in a cupboard and storing equipment in front of it could make it hard to get to in a hurry. Similarly, don’t put it on a high shelf that only your tallest employees can reach. Instead, place it somewhere open where it's clearly visible and easy to get to. Make sure that all new recruits know exactly where to find the first aid kit just in case an incident occurs. 

#4) Letting first aid equipment expire

Not all first aid equipment lasts forever. First aid items like alcohol wipes, burn ointment and first aid cream often only lasts two or three years. It could therefore be vital to regularly restock your first aid kit. Meanwhile, a number one reason why AEDs fail is due to expired batteries. AED replacement services are worth looking into every 8 to 10 years to ensure that your defibrillator doesn’t fail when you need it. On top of making sure first aid equipment hasn’t expired, make sure that you also haven’t run out of supplies. 

#5) Failing to record incidents

A very common mistake is not reporting injuries and accidents when they occur. Serious injuries, accidents or death need to be reported to OSHA by law within 8 hours. Minor injuries don’t need to be reported, but should still be noted in a logbook. It’s vital that you don’t delay calling emergency medical services if you think they’re needed - this is particularly important if someone collapses, falls, gets trapped or experiences heavy bleeding. All employers must also report serious work-caused injuries to their insurer so that a worker’s compensation claim can be made.