Choosing the right workplace first aid course can sometimes be confusing.
Two of the most common qualifications are Emergency First Aid at Work, often referred to as EFAW, and First Aid at Work, commonly known as FAW.
Both are recognised workplace first aid qualifications, but they are designed for different levels of workplace risk and responsibility.
For employers, the right starting point is not simply choosing the shortest course. The Health and Safety Executive requires employers to assess their first aid needs and provide appropriate equipment, facilities and trained people based on the risks within their workplace. HSE
What is Emergency First Aid at Work?
Emergency First Aid at Work is normally a one-day course designed to give learners the essential skills required to respond to an emergency until further help arrives.
MediPro’s Emergency First Aid at Work course leads to the Qualsafe Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work (RQF) and is delivered over one classroom day at our Stockton-on-Tees training centre. MediPro
The course covers areas including:
- assessing an emergency situation
- CPR and basic life support
- using an automated external defibrillator (AED)
- managing an unconscious casualty
- choking
- external bleeding
- shock
- minor injuries
The qualification is valid for three years. MediPro
EFAW is commonly suitable for lower-risk workplaces such as offices, shops and many customer-facing environments, subject to the employer’s first aid needs assessment.
MediPro’s Emergency First Aid at Work course currently costs £125 per learner and is available through regular scheduled dates in Stockton-on-Tees as well as employer-based delivery. MediPro
What is First Aid at Work?
First Aid at Work is a more comprehensive qualification, normally delivered over three days.
It is designed for workplaces where the first aid needs assessment identifies a requirement for a greater level of first aid provision.
MediPro delivers the Qualsafe Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work (RQF) over three classroom days. The course develops the same essential emergency skills covered within EFAW but goes further into the management of illness, injury and more complex workplace emergencies. MediPro
Our First Aid at Work programme includes practical training in areas such as:
CPR and AED use, casualty assessment, wounds and bleeding, shock, fractures, burns, seizures and scenario-based emergency response. MediPro
The qualification is valid for three years and is often appropriate for workplaces with higher levels of risk, larger workforces or more complex working environments.
The MediPro First Aid at Work course currently costs £220 per learner and is delivered regularly at our Stockton-on-Tees centre, with onsite employer delivery also available. MediPro
What is the difference between EFAW and FAW?
The main difference is the depth and breadth of training.
Emergency First Aid at Work provides the essential skills required to deal with an immediate workplace emergency.
First Aid at Work provides a broader level of training for people expected to take on a more comprehensive first aider role.
An employer should therefore base the decision on its workplace first aid needs assessment rather than choosing a qualification purely on price or course length.
HSE guidance recommends considering issues including workplace hazards, workforce size and distribution, previous accidents, employees working remotely, shift patterns and how quickly emergency services can reach the workplace. HSE
Have workplace first aid requirements changed?
The underlying UK workplace first aid legislation has not fundamentally changed.
However, clinical first aid guidance continues to develop.
The Resuscitation Council UK published its 2025 Resuscitation Guidelines in October 2025, including a dedicated first aid chapter for the first time. Resuscitation Council UK
The guidance places greater emphasis on structured casualty assessment using an ABCDE approach, calling for help early, and ensuring first aiders only use equipment or medicines they have been trained to use. Resuscitation Council UK
It also provides updated guidance across areas including choking, life-threatening bleeding, asthma, anaphylaxis, hypoglycaemia, opioid overdose, stroke and trauma. Resuscitation Council UK
For employers, this reinforces the importance of using current training and reviewing first aid arrangements regularly rather than simply renewing certificates every three years without considering whether workplace risks have changed.
What should employers consider in a first aid needs assessment?
There is no single number of first aiders that applies to every organisation.
An employer should consider:
the type of work being carried out, workplace hazards, number of employees, shift patterns, remote or lone working, previous accidents, travel between sites and the distance from emergency medical help.
Higher-risk environments may also justify additional equipment or specialist first aid training beyond standard EFAW or FAW provision. HSE specifically highlights additional training and equipment where particular workplace hazards are present. HSE
This means a manufacturing business, construction site or remote workplace may require a very different first aid arrangement from a small office.
How often should first aid training be renewed?
Both the Qualsafe Emergency First Aid at Work and First Aid at Work qualifications are valid for three years. MediPro
Employers should not necessarily wait three years before thinking about first aid again.
Regular refresher training can help staff retain confidence and practical skills, particularly CPR and AED use.
First aid provision should also be reviewed whenever circumstances change, for example following a significant workplace incident, a change in staffing levels, new workplace hazards or relocation to a different site.
Where can I complete First Aid at Work training in Stockton-on-Tees?
MediPro delivers regular First Aid at Work and Emergency First Aid at Work courses from our training centre at Faraday House, Sopwith Close, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 3TT.
We also provide onsite first aid training for employers across Teesside and the wider North East.
Our courses are delivered by experienced clinical educators and combine the required theory with practical skills and realistic scenarios.
Employers can book individual staff onto our scheduled programmes or speak to us about dedicated workplace training for larger groups.
Which course should I choose?
For many lower-risk workplaces, Emergency First Aid at Work may provide the appropriate level of training.
For organisations with greater risks or a need for more comprehensive workplace first aid provision, the three-day First Aid at Work qualification may be more appropriate.
The final decision should always come from your first aid needs assessment.
If you are unsure which course is suitable, MediPro can help you understand the difference and identify the training option that best fits your organisation.
You can view our current Emergency First Aid at Work course here:
Emergency First Aid at Work – MediPro
Or view our three-day First Aid at Work course here:
For employer bookings or onsite training, contact MediPro on 01325 609030.