First Aid Kit in a Nail Salon: What It Must Contain (Health and Safety Requirements 2026)

A health and safety inspection asks about your first aid kit. The labour inspector asks about your first aid kit. The sanitary authority asks about your first aid kit. And you are standing there unsure what it should actually contain, because nobody ever told you clearly. This article fixes that in a few minutes.

You will get a concrete list, the legal basis, and guidance on what to keep additionally in a beauty salon, because a standard office first aid kit is not enough when you work with chemical products and adhesives.

The Legal Requirement: Where the Obligation Comes From

In Poland, the Labour Code (Article 209, Section 1) places an obligation on every employer to provide the means necessary for first aid in emergencies. Detailed requirements are set out in the Regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy on General Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (Journal of Laws 2003, No. 169, item 1650, as amended).

For a nail, brow, or lash salon the rule is: one first aid kit per workstation (or per workroom if stations share one space), accessible to everyone working in the salon. The kit must be visible, labelled, and accessible without a key.

Sole traders without employees: first aid provisions apply in the scope of protecting your own health and that of your clients. The National Labour Inspectorate has no authority to inspect sole traders without employees in this area, but the State Sanitary Inspectorate does.

What the First Aid Kit Must Contain: The Minimum List

The following list is the minimum required under health and safety regulations for a workstation with a risk of mechanical injuries and contact with chemical substances:

• First aid instruction leaflet: current, legible, attached inside the kit or next to it. You can print one from the Polish Red Cross or Chief Sanitary Inspectorate website.
• Disposable nitrile gloves: minimum 2 pairs. Put them on before contact with wounds or bodily fluids of the injured person.
• Sterile gauze dressings: at least 4 sizes (e.g. 5x5 cm, 7x7 cm, 9x9 cm, 9x20 cm).
• Elastic bandages: minimum 2 pieces in different widths (e.g. 5 cm and 10 cm).
• Adhesive plasters with dressing: a set in various sizes, minimum 10 pieces.
• Triangular bandage: for immobilising limbs and dressing wounds.
• Dressing scissors: with rounded tips, for cutting dressings and clothing.
• Isothermal foil (emergency blanket): gold and silver, to protect against heat loss.
• CPR face shield: single-use, with a one-way valve.
• Eye wash solution: 0.9% NaCl (saline) in a single-use container or a 250-500 ml bottle. Essential when working with cyanoacrylate adhesive and brow products.
• Gel compress (cold and hot): for cooling injuries and burns.

What to Keep Additionally in a Beauty Salon

A standard office first aid kit does not account for the specific nature of working in a nail and brow salon. Add the following:

• Soothing cream or panthenol spray: for skin irritation caused by chemical products (lamination, henna, acrylic). Not a medication, but it relieves discomfort and reduces the risk of worsening the irritation.
• Acetone or nail cleanser: for safely removing cyanoacrylate adhesive from skin. When adhesive bonds fingers together or contacts the client's skin, acetone removes it without the mechanical skin damage caused by trying to pull it off.
• Large water containers or additional saline sachets: when working with lash adhesive, an allergic reaction can affect the eyes. Large amounts of fluid for rinsing are essential before medical help arrives.
• Rescue blanket or additional isothermal foil: for fainting episodes (especially common in clients in the first trimester of pregnancy or clients with known allergies).

Where to Keep the First Aid Kit: Placement Rules

• In a visible, easily accessible location: ideally mounted on the wall near workstations, not in a deep cupboard.
• Labelled with a green cross symbol or the text "FIRST AID KIT": in line with workplace safety signage requirements.
• Not in a locked cabinet: in an emergency every staff member must have immediate access.
• Storage temperature: indoors, away from moisture and direct sunlight. Not in a bathroom and not near an entrance exposed to frost.

First Aid Kit Inspection Log: What It Is and Why You Must Keep One

Health and safety regulations require the first aid kit to be regularly inspected and restocked. In practice this means keeping a simple log on paper or in a file. The log contains:

• Date of inspection (minimum once a year, recommended every six months)
• What was checked (list of kit contents)
• What was restocked or replaced (due to expiry date or use)
• Signature of the person carrying out the inspection

Restock the kit after every use: if you used a dressing during a client appointment, restock the next day and record it in the log. This is not bureaucracy for its own sake: an inspector during a check will ask for the log and verify that the kit is fully stocked.

FAQ

Can I keep medication (such as antihistamines) in the first aid kit?

No. A first aid kit must not contain medication. Medication may only be administered by an authorised person (a doctor or paramedic) or by the patient themselves. If a client asks whether you have an antihistamine tablet: you cannot give it to her. You can suggest calling emergency services (112 in Poland) or going to a pharmacy. If you keep any personal medication on site, store it separately and clearly separated from the first aid kit.

What should I do if a client faints?

Place her in the recovery position (on her side), check that she is breathing, and call for help (112). Do not give her anything to eat or drink. Use the isothermal foil if the room is cold. Do not move her head if you suspect an injury. When the client regains consciousness, do not let her stand up immediately. Record the incident and circumstances in the client record.

Is one first aid kit enough for the whole salon?

If all workstations are in one room or in adjoining rooms with easy access: one kit may be sufficient. If the salon has several separate treatment rooms on different floors or in distant parts of the building: each workplace should have its own kit or at least a basic set. When in doubt: ask a health and safety inspector at your first inspection.

What if a client claims she is allergic and has a reaction during the treatment?

Stop the treatment immediately. Gently remove the product from the skin with water or saline solution. Apply a cold compress to the irritated area. If the reaction is severe (facial swelling, difficulty breathing, widespread redness): call 112. Record in your documentation the description of the reaction, the product used, and the steps you took. Do not administer antihistamine medication.