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EMERGENCY FIRST AID · 1 DAY
Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) Course
A one-day practical course in CPR, defibrillator use, choking and serious bleeding. It suits workplace first aiders and learners who need first aid before SIA training.
Duration
1 Day
Price
From: £79.99
Deposit
Pay: £19.99
Booking SIA training next? Your certificate needs 12 months’ validity from the start date.
Who Takes Emergency First Aid at Work?
EFAW is for anyone who may need to give immediate first aid after an accident, injury or sudden illness at work, including:
- Employees appointed as workplace first aiders
- Managers and supervisors responsible for workplace safety
- Security guards and door supervisors
- Event staff, stewards and front-of-house teams
- Retail, hospitality, customer service and office staff
- Warehouse, logistics and other operational staff, where EFAW suits the workplace risks
- Anyone wanting emergency skills for work or personal use
How Employers Choose the Right Level
Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, employers must provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and people, so staff get immediate help if hurt or taken ill at work. A first-aid needs assessment decides what this means.
It looks at the nature of the work, its hazards, the size of the workforce and work patterns. EFAW often suits lower-hazard workplaces.
Higher risks, larger teams, remote sites or more complex needs may call for First Aid at Work or specialist training, so EFAW is not right for every workplace.
HSE explains the process in its guidance for employers.
EFAW for SIA Door Supervisor and Security Guard Training
You need an Emergency First Aid at Work qualification, or an equivalent such as First Aid at Work, First Person on Scene or First Response Emergency Care, before door supervisor or security guard training, including the refresher courses. GOV.UK sets out the first aid rules.
The SIA’s first aid training requirement says your certificate must:
- Meet the HSE EFAW content or be an accepted equivalent
- Be valid for at least 12 months from the day your security training starts
- Come from training where practical skills were taught and assessed face-to-face
- Cover life-threatening bleeding and opening and maintaining airways, in addition to the standard EFAW content
Your security course provider must see it before training begins. When booking EFAW for this purpose, choose the SIA-compliant version of the course.
| Licence | First aid needed |
|---|---|
| Door supervisor or security guard | EFAW or an equivalent |
| Close protection | Level 3 or above, such as First Aid at Work, First Person on Scene or First Response Emergency Care |
| CCTV operator | Not an SIA requirement for CCTV licensing |
Training Locations
Choose your city and book online
First Aid Training
What the EFAW Course Covers
You learn to keep yourself safe, assess a casualty, give first aid within the limits of your training and get medical help when needed.
The core content follows the HSE syllabus. CPR techniques reflect current accepted first aid practice.
- The first aider’s role. Responsibilities and limits, preventing cross-infection, consent and dignity, using equipment and recording incidents
- Assessing an emergency. Scene safety, a structured primary survey, checking breathing, calling 999 or 112 with clear information and monitoring the casualty
- Unresponsive casualties. Opening and maintaining the airway, checking breathing, using the recovery position and spotting deteriorating breathing
- CPR. Adult chest compressions at 100 to 120 a minute and 5 to 6 cm deep, practised on a manikin, with 30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths where trained, and when continuous compressions may be used
- Defibrillators. Following the prompts of an AED trainer, placing pads and keeping CPR interruptions short
- Choking. Telling mild from severe obstruction, encouraging coughing, back blows and abdominal thrusts
- Seizures. Protecting the casualty from injury without restricting movement, aftercare and when to call for help
- Wounds and bleeding. Direct pressure, dressings and spotting bleeding that could be life-threatening
- Shock. Recognising the signs after injury or blood loss, positioning, reassurance, warmth and calling for help
- Minor injuries. Small cuts, grazes, bruises, minor burns, scalds and splinters
Extra Topics on Our Course
We also cover these topics, relevant to security, event and public-facing work:
- Life-threatening bleeding. Practising with training tourniquets and haemostatic dressings, which help blood clot faster, and using them only as trained
- Workplace hazards. Avoiding becoming a second casualty, controlling hazards first and reporting safety concerns
- First aid kits. Contents should reflect the needs assessment, and supplies should be accessible and in date.
- Diabetic emergencies (awareness). Signs of low and high blood glucose, the response for a conscious casualty and when nothing should be given by mouth
- Sprains and strains (awareness). The difference between them, their signs and what to do straight away
- Incident recording. Date, time, location, casualty condition, care given, emergency calls and tourniquet time, with workplace rules on confidentiality and storage
What You Will Be Able to Do
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
- Explain a first aider’s role and act safely and promptly
- Manage an unresponsive casualty, perform adult CPR and use an AED trainer
- Respond to choking, seizures, bleeding, shock and minor injuries
- Use first aid equipment safely and record key information
How the Course Is Delivered and Assessed
The course is classroom-based and instructor-led, with at least 6 hours of training and assessment, not counting breaks. Your trainer uses demonstrations, scenarios and supervised practice.
If any theory is delivered through blended learning, the practical training and assessment still take place face-to-face.
Practical assessment normally includes your trainer observing skills such as:
- A primary survey and casualty assessment
- Care of an unresponsive casualty, including the recovery position
- Adult CPR on a training manikin
- Safe use of an AED trainer
- Choking management
- Bleeding control and the management of shock
- Other practical skills in the course specification
Your trainer also asks questions to check your knowledge. A certificate is only issued once you show satisfactory skills and understanding.
No previous qualification is normally needed, but you should be able to follow the course and join in practical activities. If you need reasonable adjustments, contact our team before booking.
Your Certificate and When to Requalify
Once you meet every assessment requirement, you receive an EFAW certificate, normally valid for 3 years. The certificate title and awarding organisation depend on the version of the course you book. Employers should arrange retraining before a first aider’s certificate expires.
Annual refresher training is not compulsory, but HSE strongly recommends it to keep first aiders’ basic skills up to date. For SIA training, your certificate must still be valid for at least 12 months on the day the course starts.
EFAW or First Aid at Work: Which Do You Need?
| Emergency First Aid at Work | First Aid at Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum training | 6 hours over 1 day | 18 hours over 3 days |
| What it covers | CPR, choking, bleeding and shock | EFAW content plus more injuries and illnesses |
| Requalifying | Another 6-hour course | 12 hours over 2 days |
| Our price | £79.99 | £179.99 |
These minimums come from HSE’s guide to selecting a first-aid training provider.
EFAW Course Price
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Emergency First Aid at Work (1 day) | From £79.99 |
| First Aid at Work (3 days) | £179.99 |
| Security guard course with first aid | £249.99 |
| Door supervisor course with first aid | £279.99 |
The door supervisor course and security guard course can include first aid, completed before the security training starts.
First Aid Training at GRUPO
HSE syllabus plus extra topics
Combine with your SIA course
Hands-on, instructor-led course
Training centres in four cities
Where EFAW Courses Run
EFAW runs at our training centres in London, Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. London sessions are held on Romford Road in Forest Gate, E7.
London
EFAW Course
1 Day
From: £79.99
Glasgow
EFAW Course
1 Day
From: £79.99
Birmingham
EFAW Course
1 Day
From: £79.99
Manchester
EFAW Course
1 Day
From: £79.99
Liverpool
EFAW Course
1 Day
From: £79.99
EFAW Course Questions
Do I need previous first aid experience?
You can book with no first aid background. Your trainer demonstrates each skill before you practise it.
What should I wear?
Wear comfortable clothes, as some assessments involve kneeling on the floor for CPR and casualty positioning.
Can EFAW be completed fully online?
Some theory may be covered through blended learning, but practical skills such as CPR must be taught and assessed in person. For SIA training, face-to-face practical assessment is a requirement.
Is the course HSE approved?
HSE no longer approves first aid training providers or qualifications, as a 2013 legal change removed the requirement. Employers choose a competent provider, and our content follows HSE’s current EFAW syllabus.
Can I use EFAW for close protection training?
Close protection needs a first aid qualification at Level 3 or above, such as First Aid at Work. The SIA’s licensing guidance states that a one-day emergency first aid qualification is not accepted.
Will an EFAW certificate from another provider count for SIA training?
It can, provided it is valid for at least 12 months from your course start date, its practical skills were assessed face-to-face, and it covered life-threatening bleeding and airways.
What Our Students Say
Real reviews from students who trained with GRUPO Training.
Book Your Emergency First Aid at Work Course
Select your nearest centre to see the next EFAW dates.
