Emergency First Aid at Work and First Aid at Work are the two familiar workplace first-aid qualifications — but choosing between EFAW or FAW should begin with what your workplace actually needs.
Quick answer
Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) equips a first aider to provide emergency first aid when someone is injured or becomes ill at work.
First Aid at Work (FAW) includes EFAW-level emergency first aid and extends to a broader range of specific workplace injuries and illnesses.1
Which course you need should be determined by your first-aid needs assessment, rather than workplace size or industry label alone.2
What is Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)?
Emergency First Aid at Work is one of the standard levels of workplace first-aid training recognised within HSE’s optional framework.
HSE describes an EFAW-trained first aider as qualified to give emergency first aid to somebody who is injured or becomes ill while at work.1
The standard EFAW course is commonly delivered over one day.
EFAW may be appropriate where the employer’s first-aid needs assessment concludes that emergency first-aid competence provides adequate and appropriate cover for the circumstances.
What is First Aid at Work (FAW)?
First Aid at Work provides a broader level of workplace first-aid training.
HSE states that FAW includes the EFAW syllabus and also equips the first aider to apply first aid to a range of specific injuries and illnesses.3
The standard FAW course is generally delivered over a minimum of three days.
FAW is likely to become more relevant where the needs assessment identifies greater workplace hazards, a wider range of foreseeable injuries or illnesses, or circumstances in which broader first-aid competence is appropriate.
EFAW or FAW: what is the difference?
Emergency First Aid at Work
EFAW
Provides the competence to respond to workplace first-aid emergencies within the scope of the EFAW syllabus.
- Emergency first-aid focus
- Typically one day
- Suitable where the needs assessment identifies this level as adequate
- Does not automatically correspond to a particular workplace size or industry
First Aid at Work
FAW
Includes EFAW-level emergency first aid and develops competence across a broader range of specific injuries and illnesses.
- Broader workplace first-aid scope
- Typically three days
- Often relevant where more significant or varied first-aid needs are identified
- May still need additional training for particular hazards
| Comparison | EFAW | FAW |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Emergency workplace first aid | Broader workplace first-aid response |
| Typical duration | Usually one day | Usually three days |
| Training scope | Emergency first-aid response | Includes EFAW-level emergency response plus a wider range of specific injuries and illnesses |
| When might it be appropriate? | Where the first-aid needs assessment identifies EFAW-level competence as sufficient | Where the assessment identifies a need for broader first-aid competence |
| Does workplace size alone decide? | No | No |
| Does industry alone decide? | No | No |
Does a lower-hazard workplace only need EFAW?
Not necessarily.
Many lower-hazard workplaces may conclude that EFAW provides an appropriate level of trained first-aid provision. However, the employer still needs to consider the wider circumstances.
The needs assessment may need to take account of issues such as:
- the number of people at work;
- different floors, buildings or locations;
- shift patterns and opening hours;
- planned and unplanned absence;
- lone or remote working;
- previous accidents and incidents;
- distance or access to emergency services;
- employees with particular needs; and
- non-employees who may be affected.
HSE requires employers to consider the circumstances of their particular workplace when deciding what first-aid provision is adequate and appropriate.2
Does a higher-hazard workplace automatically need FAW?
Again, the answer should come from the needs assessment rather than from a label alone.
Where work presents more significant hazards, the employer is more likely to identify a need for broader first-aid competence, additional personnel, equipment or facilities.
That may point towards FAW, particularly where a wider range of injuries could reasonably be anticipated.
However, employers should look at the actual hazards and foreseeable consequences.
Think about the injury, not only the industry
Two businesses may both describe themselves as “manufacturing”, but their operations, machinery, substances, workforce and emergency response needs may be completely different.
The more useful question is: what might realistically happen here, and what competence would we need immediately if it did?
HSE’s own construction guidance illustrates this approach. For sites with 5–50 employees, it points towards at least one first aider trained in EFAW or FAW depending on the type of injuries that may occur.4
Does every first aider in the organisation need the same qualification?
Not necessarily.
The employer’s responsibility is to establish adequate and appropriate first-aid arrangements across the organisation.
Depending on the findings of the assessment, some organisations may reasonably use a combination of different levels of first-aid competence.
For example, an organisation might identify a need for FAW-trained first aiders in an operational area while using additional EFAW-trained personnel elsewhere to strengthen overall coverage.
Could your workplace need training beyond FAW?
Yes.
HSE describes an optional four-layer framework for workplace first-aid provision:
- appointed person;
- Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW);
- First Aid at Work (FAW); and
- additional training.
HSE also makes clear that employers do not have to use this framework and may instead use another level of training or qualification that is appropriate to their circumstances.3
Additional training may therefore be appropriate where the needs assessment identifies particular hazards, casualty types or foreseeable injuries that are not adequately addressed by the standard syllabus.
What about an appointed person?
An appointed person is different from a trained first aider.
Where the employer’s needs assessment concludes that a trained first aider is unnecessary, the minimum personnel requirement is an appointed person to take charge of the first-aid arrangements.5
An appointed person does not need formal first-aid training merely to perform that role.
However, if an appointed person successfully completes EFAW, HSE confirms that they become a first aider for regulatory purposes.5
The Hive view
Even where the needs assessment concludes that an untrained appointed person satisfies the minimum requirement, we would normally encourage employers to consider basic emergency skills such as CPR and AED training.
This is a professional good-practice recommendation, not a legal requirement for the appointed-person role.
Can EFAW or FAW be completed entirely online?
Employers should be careful with this question because learning about first aid is not the same as demonstrating practical first-aid competence.
Workplace first-aid training includes practical skills that need to be appropriately taught and assessed.
An online awareness course may provide useful knowledge, but employers should not assume that a course is equivalent to an EFAW or FAW qualification simply because it covers similar subject matter.
Is blended first-aid training acceptable?
Yes, blended learning can form part of workplace first-aid training.
HSE’s current L74 guidance specifically addresses blended learning and was updated to clarify its use within workplace first-aid training.6
A blended programme may combine remote theory learning with appropriate face-to-face practical teaching and assessment.
The important question is not simply whether part of the course takes place online. It is whether the overall programme develops and assesses the competence required for the qualification and workplace.
Do EFAW and FAW courses need to be HSE approved?
No.
Since 1 October 2013, HSE has no longer approved workplace first-aid training providers or qualifications. The employer is responsible for selecting a competent training provider.7
Employers should therefore be cautious about claims that a workplace first-aid course is “HSE approved”.
What about regulated first-aid qualifications?
Regulated qualifications can provide a recognised external quality-assurance framework, but that is different from HSE approval.
HSE’s current guidance places responsibility on employers to ensure that the provider they select is competent to deliver the training required by their first-aid needs assessment.7
HSE updated its guidance for employers on selecting a first-aid training provider in February 2024.8
How should an employer decide between EFAW and FAW?
Start with the needs assessment, not the course catalogue.
Before deciding what training to buy, consider:
- what hazards exist;
- what injuries or illnesses could reasonably arise;
- how serious those consequences could be;
- how many competent people need to be available;
- where and when they need to be available;
- how absence will be covered;
- whether emergency services can reach the workplace easily; and
- whether any additional or specialist competence is necessary.
Once those questions have been considered, the appropriate level of training usually becomes much clearer.
Instead of asking…
“Are we an EFAW workplace or an FAW workplace?”
Ask:
“What could reasonably happen here, and what first-aid competence would we need immediately if it did?”
EFAW or FAW: a practical summary
For many organisations, EFAW will provide an appropriate level of training where the needs assessment identifies relatively straightforward emergency first-aid requirements.
Where the assessment identifies a broader range of foreseeable injuries and illnesses, more significant hazards or a greater need for first-aid competence, FAW may be more appropriate.
Some organisations may use both levels in different parts of the business. Others may identify the need for additional training beyond the standard FAW syllabus.
What matters is that the decision is reasoned rather than assumed.
Related first aid guidance
First Aid Training with The Hive Collaborative
The Hive Collaborative provides workplace first-aid training for employers, organisations and individuals across North Wales, Cheshire and surrounding areas.
If your first-aid needs assessment identifies that EFAW or FAW is appropriate, you can view the relevant course options below.
References and authorities
- Health and Safety Executive,
First aiders and training
. - Health and Safety Executive,
First aid legislation and assessment of first-aid needs
. - Health and Safety Executive,
Are you a first-aider?
. - Health and Safety Executive,
First aid in construction
. - Health and Safety Executive,
Frequently asked questions on first aid
. - Health and Safety Executive,
L74: First aid at work – Guidance on Regulations
. - Health and Safety Executive,
Employer responsibilities and competent training providers
. - Health and Safety Executive,
Selecting a first-aid training provider: A guide for employers
.
About this guidance
Author: The Hive Collaborative
Published: August 2026
Last evidence review: August 2026
Next scheduled review: August 2027, or earlier following a material change in legislation, HSE guidance or recognised professional practice.
This guide distinguishes between legal requirements, HSE guidance and The Hive Collaborative’s professional good-practice recommendations.
This article provides general workplace first-aid guidance and is not a substitute for legal, medical or workplace-specific competent advice. Employers remain responsible for assessing their own circumstances and determining adequate and appropriate first-aid provision.