Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) — Face-to-Face
The qualification most businesses need, delivered the way it should be.
Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, every employer must ensure adequate first aid provision is in place for their employees. For most low-hazard workplaces, such as offices, shops, libraries and studios, the Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) qualification meets that requirement.
EFAW is a one-day, mostly practical course. By the end of it, delegates should leave not just certificated, but genuinely confident that they can act effectively in the first minutes of a real emergency, before the ambulance arrives, when the outcome is most likely to change.
That last point is what many courses miss. A tick-box approach to first aid training produces delegates who pass an exam and forget the skills within weeks. Our approach uses small groups, real-world instructor experience and applied scenario learning. It is designed to produce first aiders who actually act.
Certificate choice: this course can be certified by Chris Garland Training or by a QNUK Ofqual-regulated Awarding Organisation (an additional fee of £12.50). Both are fully valid for employer compliance purposes. Some organisations and national governing bodies specify Ofqual certification in their requirements, so check before you book if you are unsure.
This course is also available as a blended learning course, combining 2 hours of online pre-learning with a classroom assessment day.
What You Will Learn
This course is built on the HSE’s EFAW syllabus (Document L74), updated in line with UK Resuscitation Council guidelines and guidance from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh:
- Health and safety legislation relating to first aid, covering employer and first aider duties
- The role and responsibilities of a workplace first aider
- Managing an incident, including scene safety, assessment and prioritisation
- Preventing cross-infection during first aid
- Recording incidents and first aid actions
- First aid kit contents and how to use them
- How to assess an emergency situation, so that you act safely, promptly and effectively
- The recovery position for an unresponsive casualty who is breathing
- CPR and AED use for an unresponsive casualty who is not breathing
- The difference between a heart attack and a cardiac arrest
- Choking in adults
- Wounds and bleeding, including catastrophic haemorrhage control and tourniquet application
- Minor injuries, including cuts, grazes, bruises, splinters and minor burns
- Seizures
- Medical shock
A note on tourniquets: we teach tourniquet application as part of this course. It is included in the HSE’s recommended first aid syllabus (L74), and it is a critical skill for managing catastrophic haemorrhage. Not all providers include it. We do, because the guidance says we should.
Course Details
| Duration | 1 day. Arrive 8.45am, start 9am, finish 5pm (approximately 7 guided learning hours plus 1 hour of breaks) |
| Format | Fully classroom-based, with practical assessments throughout |
| Group size | Minimum 6, maximum 12 per instructor (an HSE requirement) |
| Certificate | Valid for 3 years from the date of issue. Choose CGT certification (included) or QNUK Ofqual-regulated (an extra £12.50) |
| Assessment | Multiple-choice paper (70% pass mark) plus full practical observation, including floor-level CPR (100% pass required) |
| Language | All training and assessment is in English. Reasonable adjustments are available; please contact us before booking |
| Venue | Knutsford training centre, or at your premises nationwide |
| Age and prerequisites | Primarily for those 16+. Delegates must be physically able to perform CPR on the floor. GCSE Level 1 literacy is recommended |
Upcoming Scheduled Dates
[DATES]: use the booking selector above to view availability, pricing and start times.
For teams of 4 or more, private on-site delivery is available nationwide. Request a quote.
What Delegates Say
“An informative and useful tool, not just a tick box.”
“I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fun and informative.”
“Not intimidating. Teaching delivered brilliantly.”
“I really enjoyed the course. I feel I have knowledge now and will be able to help someone if needed. Impressed by the extensive knowledge Chris has.”
“So much better than Red Cross training!”
Supporting Wider Causes
See our Social Value Scorecard.
Book a scheduled place | Request a private quote | Call us: 01565 746555
Course Times and Duration:
- The HSE state that for the EFAW course to be valid, your course must be a minimum of 6 hours in duration. This includes the time allowed for the assessments and exam, but does not include for any coffee breaks.
- Please note that if you arrive more than 15 minutes late for any day of the course, you will be turned away and will forfeit your place on the course and any monies paid.
| Day 1 | |
| Arrive: | • 8.45am |
| Start: | • 9am |
| End: | • 5pm |
| Breaks: | • Approx 1 hour through the day |
| Learning hours: | • 7 hours Approx. |
| Notes: | • The arrival time allows time to get seated and fill in the course paperwork, etc. • If you are running late, please call us to let us know (01565 746555). • If you arrive more than 15 minutes after the start time, you will be turned away and will forfeit your place on the course and any monies paid. |
Language
- All training and assessment is undertaken in English.
- If you require any reasonable adjustments to enable you to undertake this course, please discuss these with us before making your booking.
Test:
- Your practical assessment is where you demonstrate giving first aid as you would in an emergency situation. This will include providing CPR to a training manikin on the floor.
- You will also undertake a multiple-choice question paper.
- If you require any reasonable adjustments to enable you to undertake your assessments, please discuss these with us before making your booking.
| Certificate issued by: | Practical assessment: | Multiple-Choice Question paper: |
| Chris Garland Training | To pass: 100% correct | To pass: 70% correct |
| Ofqual regulated Awarding Organisation | To pass: 100% correct | To pass: 70% correct |
Emergency first aid at work Certificate:
- There are two options available for the First aid at work +F course, with one costing slightly more than the other. Ultimately there is no difference in the validity of either, but some people prefer to choose one over the other. You will see the same presentation, be assessed on the same practical skills & to the same degree.
Emergency first aid at work Pre-requisites:
- You must be physically able to demonstrate first aid procedures as they would in a real activity environment. This includes providing CPR to a casualty who is on the floor.
- We recommend that you have a minimum of GCSE grade D/Level 1 literacy and numeracy (or equivalent) before undertaking this course. This is not mandatory – please contact us to discuss any reasonable adjustments to accommodate your needs (e.g Dyslexia).
- The course is aimed at those over 16 who are looking to undertake the responsibilities associated with being a nominated first aider. The course can also be undertaken by candidates between 14 & 16 years old, but they shouldn’t be relied upon by employers to be a sole, nominated first aider.
Candidates:
- All classroom courses have a minimum and maximum number of candidates that we can take on a course.
- Minimum: We need a minimum of 6 candidates on an open/scheduled course for the course to run. Click here for more details.
- Maximum: We are limited by the Health & Safety Executive, and (where applicable) by the Awarding Organisation, to a maximum of 12 candidates per instructor.
- Should you have more than 12 candidates to be trained, please contact us to discuss your training needs.
Geographical coverage:
- While we can deliver this course in other countries, the protocols that we teach meet the current UK practice, protocols & guidance.
Venue:
- Scheduled courses run at our training centre in Knutsford, Cheshire. Visit our Joining Instructions page to read about what you will need to bring/wear, etc.
- Why not arrange to have a private face to face course run at your workplace? Simply fill in our quote request form to request a quotation.
Joining instructions:
Emergency first aid at work Private courses:
- To arrange a private EFAW course for yourself or your colleagues, please fill in our quote request form.
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Informative, well paced & enjoyable day.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “My biggest take-away was learning about choking and CPR.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Excellent. Thank you! My biggest take-away was that I now feel able to help in emergency situations. ”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great course. Great trainer. My biggest take-away was updating my knowledge.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Not intimidating teaching delivered brilliantly.”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Excellent delivery”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Course was great again and I hope that my third time won’t be so far apart”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “A very knowledgable instructor with all questions answered. Excellent, enjoyable and well paced.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very good course. Very informative”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great knowledge and examples. Clear and easy to follow.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Course is the right pace and the right content.”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very engaging course that allowed me to feel confident in my approach to first aid.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Good knowledge, interactive, very good overall”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[no comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Really enjoy training, all the simple way, easy to understand & remember”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Delivery and personality of trainer FANTASTIC! I enjoyed a lot 🙂 🙂 🙂 ”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “I really enjoyed the course. I feel I have a knowledge now and will be able to help someone if needed. Impressed by the excessive knowledge Chris has.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very engaging and informative course. Chris is a great tutor.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very nice trainer with a lot of knowledge.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[no comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[no comments left]”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “[no comments left]”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “An informative and useful tool, not just a tick box”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Would recommend. Interactive, fun but learnt a lot.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative, which has given me the confidence to perform first aid on a casualty”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Informative & interesting”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Easy flowing day & informative”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “A very knowledgable instructor providing high quality information, delivered at a comfortable pace.”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative with a good mix of practical and verbal learning.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Good”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very good mix of slide info and hands on.”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “A very good course. Very detailed. Thank you!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Amazing! Really valuable knowledge and I feel confident in first aid. I thoroughly enjoyed it!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Not sure you could improve this course for a 1 day training. It’s packed in, but very well presented. Hugely valuable, informative, life-saving, interesting. I’ve honestly learnt so much today! Thank you Chris. Fantastic!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “It’s a friendly course, ran by an extremely helpful and knowledgable teacher. Awesome.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative. Would recommend.”
Carol C. –
Ciara found it a great course made very interesting. Many thanks for going the extra mile so Ciara could do her Ofqual exam. Much appreciated.
ChrisGarland –
Hi.
Thanks you for your lovely review. I’m glad that Ciara enjoyed the course. She’ll make a great first aider.
Best regards
Chris
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great course & very effective. Would make me confident to administer first aid and CPR.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “These are super important skills to learn.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great course.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Considering it’s covid, I’m not sure you coudl do anything to improve the delivery of the course. Lovely instructor [Jayne], adaptive to the group dynamics and was flexible with breaks.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Good”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – [no comments left]
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – [no comments left]
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – [no comments left]
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Chris was a nice, friendly instructor who peppered the training with anecdotes to keep it interesting. I think the balance of lecture style learning, practice & practical assessment was really good.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Well delivered & worth doing”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Informative & engaging”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative course. Lots of useful information. I learnt new things on this course.”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course :
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Well delivered, informative & keeps your interest while being easy to understand. Chris is an excellent teacher who is extremely knowledgeable & interacts well with participants.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Good in-depth practical and theory. I really enjoyed it.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Interesting and beneficial. I learnt so much in such a short time. Thank you! Although lots of info, all delivered well, with breaks when needed & kept me engaged throughout.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “The course was really relevant & useful & delivery was clear with lots of examples of first aid situations. Well organised and delivered and good course materials.”
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “I’d encourage everyone to attend this course!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great delivery, pace, etc. I really enjoyed the course, but I feel that it’s probably a bit more in-depth than we need for 2 hours per week of netball.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “A very informative course.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “So much better than Red Cross training!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “A great refresher. Very helpful and reassuring.”
Ian Frost –
Excellent course for 12 budding first aiders. Very well delivered and was both enjoyable and informative. Perfect for our business requirements, thank you.
ChrisGarland –
Hi Ian,
Thanks for your kind review. Having reviews like this really does make the difference. Thank you. I look forward to working with you all again in the near future.
Best regards
Chris
ChrisGarland –
Recent reviews collected directly after the course:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative. Great training, thank you”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Good course to take to have first aid knowledge”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “A must do course that everyone should do”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Excellent. A knowledgeable and friendly trainer, making the course easy to understand”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Great”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very informative & used language that was easy to understand”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No additional comment left)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Good!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Excellent course that we we’re very happy with”
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (No additional comment left)
Claire B. –
Enjoyable course with a knowledgeable and engaging tutor. Would recommend highly and we shall certainly be returning for our refresher courses.
ChrisGarland –
Thank you Claire. I look forward to seeing you all on your next courses.
Best regards
Chris
Julie Fernihough –
Students commented on how thorough the course was whilst still being interesting and enjoyable
ChrisGarland –
Thank you for the lovely review Julie.
Chris
Zoe Tomlinson –
We have some really experienced people already, but they learnt lots of new things with Chris.
ChrisGarland –
Just goes to show that you can never know everything and that’s why I do so much CPD – to be able to give my clients the very best courses available. 🙂
I look forward to working with you again soon.
ChrisGarland –
Recent comments:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “A very well delivered course that was very informative and necessary.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Really enjoyed the course. Learnt a lot more than on my previous course run by the FA. Definitely worth attending.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Enough space for all the practical elements with many topic covered in depth. The pace of training was steady with plenty of time spent on all areas of the course. The real life examples really assisted. The course is ideal for first timers in small work environments.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Very helpful indeed!.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “The course was very informative being practical & easy to follow and understand. The instructor was very easy going & knowledgable.”
ChrisGarland –
Recent comments:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Good fun & interactive meaning that it was easy to learn & remember.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Informative & important.”
ChrisGarland –
Recent comments:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Brilliant! Excellent instructor & very knowledgeable.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “What a great course!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “Chris was great a getting relevant information across & kept it fun and interesting. I found the course really interesting, learning new things that I hadn’t learnt on previous courses.”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – “I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was fun an informative.”
Michele J. –
Fantastic training day, just what we needed, carried out in a professional way.
Sally B. –
Kept my interest and attention, explained aspects clearly and concisely. Made the learning enjoyable too. Thank you.