First-aider calculator for businesses
What matters is the number of employees present at the same time. Enter the total headcount and the percentage typically working from home or on the road, and the calculator works out how many are present and how many first aiders you need.
Rule under DGUV Regulation 1 (section 26): with 2 to 20 insured persons present, 1 first aider; with more than 20, at least 5% in administrative/commercial businesses, otherwise 10% of those present (rounded up). Since not everyone is on site at once, we calculate with those present. First aiders refresh their training every two years. Guidance, not legal advice.
How the calculation works
The legal basis is Section 26 of DGUV Regulation 1. What counts is the insured persons present at the same time, not the payroll list. This is where the calculation most often goes wrong in practice.
up to 20 present: 1 first aider
more than 20 present: 5% (administrative and retail businesses)
more than 20 present: 10% (other businesses)
the result is rounded up
Two examples
- Office with 18 employees: even with everyone in, one person is enough. Below the threshold of 20, one first aider suffices.
- Administration with 60 employees, 40 typically present: 5 percent of 40 is 2.0, so two first aiders. If one is on leave and the other works from home, the business has none. A buffer is therefore normal.
What the figure does not cover
- The refresher. First aiders are retrained every two years. If the deadline is substantially exceeded, the full course is required again.
- The distribution. Training all first aiders in one department meets the number but not the purpose. Spread them across floors and areas.
- Supplies and the notice. This includes a reachable first-aid kit and a current first-aid notice.
The full picture is in First aid in the office.
Who makes a suitable first aider
The selection determines whether the calculation holds in daily practice. Three criteria work well:
- Regularly present. Someone mostly in the field or working remotely is rarely available in an emergency.
- Spread across floors and areas. Training all first aiders in one department meets the number but not the purpose: during a team offsite nobody is left in the building.
- Voluntary. The role depends on someone wanting to take it on. Assigning it against someone's will rarely produces first aiders who act.
Frequently asked questions
Why calculate with those present rather than the whole workforce?
Who pays for the training?
How often must the training be refreshed?
Does the 5 percent rule apply to us?
Talk to us.
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