First aid obligations for:

Cafés

Every workplace has a duty to consider first aid arrangements, but the right solution depends on the specific workplace rather than the industry alone. Factors such as workforce size, hazards, public access, remote work and medical conditions all influence what is appropriate.

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Typical hazards

Cafés are busy, hot and fast-moving: burns and scalds from coffee machines, ovens and hot water, cuts from knives and glassware, and slips on wet or greasy floors are the common ones. Small teams mean an injured staff member can leave a shift short-handed.

Trained First Aiders

Because burns and cuts happen in the moment, you want a trained first aider on every shift, right through opening hours. Remember your customers count towards the people you're responsible for.

First aid kits

Your kit should be quick to reach from the bar and kitchen and include good burn treatment — burns are one of the most common café injuries.

AEDs

A cardiac event can affect a staff member or a customer. Busy cafés, especially those some distance from an ambulance, are worth considering an AED for.

See exactly what your workplace needs

The surest way to get this right is a proper assessment of your own site. First Aid Check’s free assessment is built on current NZ first aid regulations, best-practice first-aider ratios and ACC industry risk categories — so your result reflects the rules and your real risk, not a generic rule of thumb. A few minutes gives you a personalised report you can act on.

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