Emergency First Aid at Work vs. First Aid at Work - Course Comparison

Christopher Cook
Jan 31
5 min read

Updated: Feb 6

Understanding the difference for employers in Milton Keynes and the surrounding counties

If you are arranging workplace first aid training, one of the first questions you will face is whether Emergency First Aid at Work or First Aid at Work is the right option for your organisation.

On the surface, the difference can look like little more than one day versus three days. In reality, the two qualifications serve very different purposes and are designed for very different workplace risk profiles.

This course comparison is written for employers in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Oxfordshire. It explains the difference clearly, helps you think through a first aid needs assessment, and sets out what each course actually prepares a first aider to deal with.

At DTMK Training Services, we deliver both qualifications from our Bletchley training centre and through in company first aid training across all of the surrounding counties.

What Emergency First Aid at Work is designed to do

Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) is a one day qualification designed for very low risk workplaces.

Its purpose is straightforward. It equips a small number of people with the skills to respond to immediate, life threatening emergencies and to look after a casualty until emergency services arrive.

This course is typically appropriate where:

Workplace hazards are minimal
Staff numbers are low
Serious injuries are unlikely
Access to emergency services is straightforward

Examples often include small offices, low risk retail environments, and administrative settings.

Emergency First Aid at Work provides essential life saving skills. It is intentionally limited in scope, because it is designed for environments where the likelihood of complex injuries or medical emergencies is low.

The qualification is regulated and awarded by Qualsafe Awards and is valid for three years.

Group first aid training session with adults practising the use of tourniquets and bandages on each other, guided by an instructor, with gloves, dressings, and a CPR manikin laid out on the floor in a classroom setting.

What First Aid at Work is designed to do

First Aid at Work (FAW) is a three day qualification intended for workplaces with greater complexity, higher risk, or larger numbers of staff.

In addition to immediate life saving actions, this course prepares first aiders to:

Assess a wide range of injuries and medical conditions
Provide appropriate first aid care
Monitor casualties over time
Manage situations where help may not be immediately available

This qualification is commonly required in:

Construction, manufacturing, and engineering
Warehousing and logistics
Schools, nurseries, and care environments
Larger organisations with varied activities
Workplaces further from emergency medical support

The additional time allows learners to build depth of understanding, practical confidence, and decision making skills that go well beyond the basics.

Like Emergency First Aid at Work, this qualification is regulated by Qualsafe Awards and is valid for three years, but the scope of training is significantly broader.

Side by side course comparison of course coverage

The clearest way to understand the difference between the two qualifications is to look at what they cover.

Emergency First Aid at Work focuses on immediate emergencies only. First Aid at Work prepares first aiders for a much wider range of realistic workplace scenarios.

Emergency First Aid at Work vs First Aid at Work

Topic area	Emergency First Aid at Work	First Aid at Work
Role of the first aider	✔	✔
Incident and casualty assessment	✔	✔
Unresponsive casualty	✔	✔
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation	✔	✔
Automated external defibrillator use	✔	✔
Choking	✔	✔
Severe bleeding	✔	✔
Shock	✔	✔
Minor injuries	✔	✔
Head, neck, and spinal injuries	✘	✔
Chest injuries	✘	✔
Fractures and soft tissue injuries	✘	✔
Burns, scalds, and eye injuries	✘	✔
Poisoning	✘	✔
Major medical conditions (including asthma, stroke, heart attack, epilepsy, diabetes)	✘	✔
Ongoing casualty monitoring and handover	✘	✔
Managing incidents involving more than one casualty	✘	✔

Course content is delivered in line with Qualsafe Awards learning outcomes and assessment criteria. Topics may be taught within wider casualty management rather than as standalone modules.

For many employers, this comparison alone highlights why a longer, more in depth qualification can feel like a more proportionate response to everyday workplace risk.

Why course choice should be based on a first aid needs assessment

Choosing between a one day and three day course should never be guesswork.

A first aid needs assessment helps you consider:

The nature of the work being carried out
Workplace hazards and equipment
The number of employees and visitors
Shift patterns, lone working, or remote work
Distance from emergency services
Previous incidents or near misses

Very low risk environments may find that Emergency First Aid at Work meets their needs. Many other workplaces find that once these factors are considered properly, a broader skill set is required.

To support employers, Qualsafe Awards provide a free First Aid Needs Assessment Tool, which can be accessed here: https://www.qualsafeawards.org/calculator/6a90a34cd974f7072f3994dd2bbb65d3

At DTMK Training Services, we are also happy to talk through your assessment and help you interpret the outcome in a practical, real world way.

Optional bolt on training to enhance either course

Some workplaces benefit from additional focused training alongside either qualification.

Catastrophic bleeding bolt on

This one hour session focuses on:

Recognition of catastrophic bleeding
Use of tourniquets and haemostatic dressings
Rapid bleeding control techniques for workplace and public settings

Injured man lying on a road with visible bleeding from his arm while another person wearing gloves provides first aid, applying pressure to control the bleeding following an accident.

Forestry First Aid bolt on

This two hour session is designed for forestry and landscaping workers and covers:

Severe bleeding in remote locations
Crush injuries
Chainsaw related trauma
Prolonged casualty care while awaiting emergency services

This bolt on meets Forestry Commission First Aid Policy requirements and can be added to either course depending on your risk assessment.

Forestry worker wearing protective clothing and helmet using a chainsaw to cut a large tree trunk outdoors, with logs and woodland vegetation visible around the work area.

Realistic and inclusive first aid training

Effective training should reflect real life.

That is why we use a range of manikins representing different body shapes and sizes, helping learners build confidence in realistic scenarios. All training is delivered by experienced healthcare professionals and qualified teachers, ensuring accuracy, support, and professionalism throughout.

Training delivered locally, across multiple counties

Training centre based in Bletchley, Milton Keynes
In company first aid training across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Oxfordshire
Flexible delivery at your workplace or a venue we arrange