WCFAT Guide · WHS Compliance WA
The law doesn't give you an exact number — it gives you a framework. Here's how to use it correctly.
This is one of the most common questions WA employers ask — and one of the most commonly misunderstood. Many businesses assume having one person with a first aid certificate is enough. It isn't always, and the penalties for inadequate first aid coverage can be significant.
Here's the straightforward answer: WA law does not prescribe an exact number. Instead, the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA) requires you to conduct a risk assessment and provide first aid resources "adequate" to your workplace. WorkSafe WA's First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice then provides recommended ratios to guide that assessment.
Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 (WA) and the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022, every person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must:
The First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice (WorkSafe WA) is admissible in court proceedings. If an incident occurs and your first aid coverage is inadequate, not following the Code of Practice can be used as evidence against you. This makes the Code's recommended ratios effectively the standard you'll be held to.
Your first aid coverage must be adequate at all times when workers are present — not just during business hours. If your designated first aider is on leave, you need another trained person available. This catches many small businesses out.
WorkSafe WA recommends the following ratios as a starting point for your risk assessment:
These are starting points, not absolute rules. Your actual requirement may be higher depending on the factors below.
Offices, retail, schools, libraries, and other workplaces where the main hazards are slips, trips, and falls. Workers are generally sedentary and emergency services can typically arrive within 10–15 minutes.
Any workplace where workers are exposed to hazardous materials, machinery, heights, electricity, extreme temperatures, or physical labour. This includes:
Any high-risk workplace where emergency services take more than 15–20 minutes to arrive. In WA, this includes most Pilbara and Kimberley operations, offshore platforms, remote pastoral stations, and many construction sites outside metropolitan Perth.
| Workplace | Risk Level | 20 workers | 50 workers | 100 workers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perth CBD office | Low | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Perth retail store | Low | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Construction site (Perth metro) | High | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Manufacturing facility | High | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Broome remote mine site | Remote high | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| Childcare centre (15 staff) | Low–Medium | At least 1 with HLTAID012 on premises at all times | ||
A workplace with 50 employees technically satisfies guidance with one trained first aider. But if that person is on leave, at lunch, or off-site — your coverage disappears. Most workplace safety consultants recommend training at least 2–3 times the minimum to ensure continuous coverage across all shifts and absences. This is where group training with WCFAT makes excellent financial sense — we come to you, you train the whole team in one day.
The course required depends on your workplace risk level and location:
All WCFAT courses are delivered on-site at your workplace across Perth and Broome. With a minimum of 10 participants, we bring everything to you — no travel, no disruption to operations.
WCFAT delivers group first aid training at your workplace — Perth, Broome, and regional WA. We handle compliance so you don't have to.
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