Every UK employer must meet first aid obligations under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 — but EFAW and FAW are not interchangeable. Choosing the wrong one leaves you non-compliant. Here is exactly how to decide.
Published 9 May 2026 • 6 min read
The EFAW is a one-day (6-hour) qualification that gives delegates the skills to manage emergency situations until professional help arrives. It is an Ofqual Level 2 Award, and all UK training organisations approved by the HSE deliver it to the same syllabus.
The EFAW syllabus covers:
The EFAW certificate is valid for three years. With Skills 42U, it costs £495 per group of up to 12 delegates — under £42 per person when a full group attends.
The FAW is a three-day (18-hour) Level 3 qualification. It covers the full EFAW syllabus and extends it substantially to equip first aiders for a wider range of incidents — including the more serious injuries that occur in higher-hazard workplaces.
Additional topics covered by FAW (beyond EFAW):
The FAW certificate is also valid for three years and costs £1,300 per group of up to 12 delegates — under £109 per person when a full group attends. All courses are delivered at your premises with equipment included. For more on our full course options and pricing, see the homepage.
The HSE does not prescribe a fixed rule for EFAW vs FAW. Instead, you must carry out a first aid needs assessment — a documented review of your workplace that considers four key factors:
1. The nature of your work and its hazards
This is the most important factor. If your workplace involves machinery, power tools, working at height, chemicals, or significant manual handling, FAW is expected. If your team works in an office, retail unit, or other low-hazard environment, EFAW is typically sufficient. The HSE's first aid guidance lists the industries where FAW is the appropriate baseline.
2. The size of your workforce
For low-hazard workplaces, one EFAW-qualified first aider is typically adequate for up to 25 employees. For 25–50 employees in a low-hazard setting, at least one first aider is expected. For 50+ employees in a low-hazard setting, FAW becomes the standard recommendation. These are guidelines, not fixed legal thresholds — your needs assessment may result in a different conclusion.
3. Shift patterns and lone workers
If you operate across multiple shifts, you need qualified first aiders present at all times — not just during core hours. Lone workers present a separate obligation: if a lone worker is injured and cannot summon help quickly, the HSE expects you to have mitigating measures in place.
4. Proximity to emergency services
Businesses in rural Kent — on farms, at remote construction sites, or in locations where ambulance response times exceed 10 minutes — should lean towards FAW-qualified first aiders even if their hazard level would otherwise suggest EFAW.
| EFAW | First Aid at Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 1 day (6 hours) | 3 days (18 hours) |
| Qualification level | Ofqual Level 2 | Ofqual Level 3 |
| Certificate validity | 3 years | 3 years |
| Typical workplace | Office, retail, school | Construction, warehouse, manufacturing |
| Price (Skills 42U) | £495 per group | £1,300 per group |
Office and professional services: EFAW. The hazard profile is low; one EFAW-qualified first aider per floor or per 25 staff is the standard approach.
Retail and hospitality: EFAW for most settings. Larger venues with kitchens, loading bays, or significant public footfall may warrant a full first aider.
Construction: FAW. The HSE's construction-specific guidance states that all construction sites above a minimal size require a qualified First Aid at Work first aider. See the HSE construction first aid FAQ for the full breakdown by site size.
Warehousing and logistics: FAW. Forklift operations, racking, heavy goods, and shift working all elevate the hazard profile above EFAW's scope.
Education and childcare: EFAW for most staff; Paediatric First Aid for those working directly with children under 5. EFAW and Paediatric First Aid are separate qualifications — holding one does not substitute for the other.
Healthcare: Depends on role. Clinical staff are trained separately; the HSE expects non-clinical healthcare employees (admin, facilities, portering) to have appropriate workplace first aid cover in addition to clinical provision.
Answer these questions to reach a provisional decision:
We deliver both courses on-site across Kent and the South East — including first aid training in Medway, Maidstone, Dartford, Sevenoaks, Sittingbourne, Canterbury, and Tunbridge Wells.
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