Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) Course

The Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course is a one-day classroom course that trains you to act as an emergency first aider in your workplace. It teaches you how to stay calm, assess an incident and give the first aid that keeps a casualty safe until the emergency services arrive. The course follows the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 and the HSE guidance on first aid at work.

The course covers the role and responsibilities of an emergency first aider, how to assess an incident, and how to help a casualty who is unresponsive, including the recovery position and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It also covers choking, wounds and bleeding, shock, and minor injuries such as small cuts, grazes, bruises, minor burns and scalds and small splinters.

You are assessed in class by your instructor throughout the day, through practical demonstrations and questions on what you have learned. Because the practical skills have to be shown in person, the course is taught in class only.

Emergency First Aid at Work is a one-day course for lower-risk workplaces and smaller teams. The First Aid at Work course is longer and covers a wider range of injuries and illnesses, for workplaces with higher risks or more people. Your employer's first aid needs assessment decides which course your first aiders need.

An Emergency First Aid at Work certificate is valid for three years. To stay qualified, you take the course again before your certificate expires. The HSE also recommends a short refresher every year to keep your skills up to date.