Emergency First Aid at Work Course (EFAW)
Emergency First Aid at Work training for low-risk workplace environments.
Emergency First Aid at Work Course (EFAW)
Our 1-day Emergency First Aid at Work course is designed to give you the essential skills and confidence to step up in an emergency. Whether you’re working in a low-risk environment like an office, gym, or yoga studio, or you’re in a frontline role such as a door supervisor or SIA licence holder, this course has you covered.
This nationally recognised qualification is the gold standard for workplace first aid in the UK. It’s ideal for anyone looking to become a designated first aider or simply wanting to feel more prepared when it matters most. Learn how to take control in those crucial first moments before professional help arrives.
Emergency First Aid at Work in Devon & Cornwall
Prices from £110 per person
- 1-day Emergency at Work – £110 (no VAT charged)
- If you want to train a group, please request a quote by filling out the contact form below
28th May 2025 – The Courtenay Centre – Newton Abbot, TQ12 2QA
17th Jun 2025 – Princetown Community Centre, PL20 6QE
In-House Training from £621
- For group training, please fill out the contact form below to request a quote.
- Onsite group sessions are always more cost-effective!
Why choose us?
Real-World Experience: Our trainers don’t just teach first aid — they’ve lived it. With backgrounds in emergency response, armed forces, and remote medical care, you’re learning from people who’ve handled the real thing.
Hands-On, No-Fluff Training: We keep it practical, relevant, and engaging. You’ll get stuck into real scenarios, not just sit through PowerPoint slides. Expect sleeves rolled up, CPR dummies out, and confidence built.
Flexible Delivery: Need us to come to you? No problem. We offer on-site training, public courses across the South West, and private group sessions to fit your schedule.
Fully Compliant: All our courses are accredited, up-to-date, and fully aligned with UK workplace health and safety regulations — so you stay covered and compliant.
Trusted by the Best: From small teams to national organisations, hundreds of businesses trust us to deliver reliable, high-quality first aid training. We’ve got the reviews to prove it.
What is the Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course?
The Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course is a 1-day, nationally recognised qualification designed to give you the essential skills to handle first aid emergencies in the workplace. It’s ideal for low-risk environments such as offices, shops, schools, gyms, and customer-facing roles.
The course covers the basics — from performing CPR and using a defibrillator (AED), to dealing with unconscious casualties, choking, bleeding, burns, and shock. It also teaches you how to assess situations quickly and take control until professional medical help arrives.
This qualification meets the requirements of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 and is suitable for designated first aiders in low-risk workplaces.
What This Course Covers
Under current Health & Safety legislation, all employers must ensure a safe working environment for their staff. If your risk assessment highlights the need for trained first aiders, this nationally recognised Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) qualification meets the standards set by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
This comprehensive 1-day course is hands-on, practical, and designed to give you the skills and confidence to respond quickly and effectively to a wide range of workplace emergencies. From minor injuries to life-threatening situations, you’ll learn how to take control and provide immediate care until professional help arrives.
By the end of the day, you’ll walk away with a valid EFAW certificate that exceeds the requirements of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.
Don’t worry – this isn’t a high-pressure, exam-based course. You’ll be assessed through practical activities and real-life scenarios in a relaxed, supportive environment. If there’s something you’re unsure about, we’ll take the time to go over it again until you’re confident. It’s all about making sure you leave with the knowledge and ability to make a real difference.
Course Content Overview
During the day, you’ll cover the following essential topics:
- Understanding the role and responsibilities of a first aider
- Incident assessment and scene safety
- Communicating effectively in an emergency
- Managing an unresponsive casualty (including recovery position)
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
- Safe use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
- Dealing with choking
- External bleeding and wound management
- Burns and scalds
- Shock (including anaphylaxis)
- Minor injuries (cuts, grazes, bruises, splinters)
More about Emergency First Aid at Work training courses
The Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course is a legal requirement for many workplaces in the UK. Whether you’re a business owner, team leader, or self-employed professional, ensuring someone on-site is trained in emergency first aid can make the difference between life and death.
This 1-day course is designed to meet the needs of low-risk work environments, such as:
Offices and corporate settings
Shops and retail units
Gyms, health clubs, and fitness studios
Schools, colleges, and community centres
Security roles (including SIA licence holders and door staff)
Training includes the latest first aid protocols, including CPR, AED (defibrillator) use, and how to treat bleeding, burns, and unconscious casualties. Our experienced instructors deliver practical training that’s both compliant and confidence-building.
All of our Emergency First Aid at Work courses are HSE-compliant, fully regulated, and suitable for meeting your employer’s duty of care under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.
We offer EFAW training across Devon, Cornwall, and the South West, and can provide training on-site at your workplace for added convenience.
Do I need the 1-Day EFAW or the 3-Day FAW course? Here’s how to choose:
The 1-Day Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course is perfect for low-risk environments — think offices, shops, schools, gyms, and light-duty roles. It covers the essential skills you need to respond confidently to the most common workplace emergencies.
On the other hand, the 3-Day First Aid at Work (FAW) course is designed for higher-risk settings like construction sites, manufacturing, warehousing, and environments with more complex hazards. It goes deeper into injury management, medical conditions, and multiple-casualty situations.
Frequently Asked Questions (Emergency First Aid at Work)
If you are unsure about how many first aiders, you need within your workplace more information can be found on the Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 website or by contacting us.
Absolutely. We can come to you and deliver the training on-site anywhere in Devon, Cornwall, or the South West. We can even tailor it to your work environment if needed.
The Emergency First Aid at Work course is a short course that must be attended for the full 6 hours of face-to-face training. We are, however, able to offer the 3-day First Aid at Work in a ‘blended learning’ format by completing 1-day of online e-learning to leave only 2-days’ worth of face-to-face training rather than 3.
Our Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) 1-day courses are regulated practical courses that meet the First Aider requirements of all workplaces with less than 50 employees and satisfies the HSE’s requirements for workplace first aid training in the UK.
Yes. It meets the HSE’s requirements and is awarded through a nationally recognised awarding body. It’s suitable for most industries and workplace environments.
Certain techniques, such as providing CPR, are taught using practical demonstrations in a face-to-face first aid course, so it is best to wear loose fitting clothes, trousers (not skirts or dresses) and flat shoes.
EXCELLENT Based on 226 reviews William Kelley2025-06-06Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Fantastic course. Toby manages to get the knowledge into your head effortlessly and you have a good time learning too. Useful exercises, interesting discussions and excellent content - this was my second course and I’ll be sure to use Optimal next time. Scott Burnett2025-05-28Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This is an excellent outdoor first aid course, which is comprehensive, thorough, and very well delivered and communicated. Toby is a very experienced and friendly trainer, who has many years of working/practical experience in the field - he really knows his stuff! I highly recommend Optimal First Aid and will be renewing my first aid ceritificate with them in the future. Noor Al2025-05-23Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I recently completed the State FREC 3 course with Toby Osborne as the instructor, and it was a fantastic experience. Toby was knowledgeable, engaging, and made complex topics much easier to understand. He created a supportive learning environment and was always willing to answer questions and provide real-world examples. I highly recommend taking this course! Alex Norris2025-05-23Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Toby was fantastic with our FREC3 course, incredible at keeping the team in engaged. You can really tell he knows the content inside and out, able to provide real world scenarios and hands on advice. Would absolutely recommend as a training provider. 1hemulen2025-04-28Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Thanks to Toby for another excellent and enjoyable course. Ideally suited to anybody running outdoor activities Emily Bunce2025-04-28Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I attended a 16h outdoor first aid course led by Toby. I found the sessions to be really helpful, and have picked up some essential learning for both work and personal adventures. I also really appreciated the hands-on approach taken to learning, which made the sessions fun and engaging. Thank you Toby! Chris Acraman2025-04-28Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great day from Toby, teaching me and my team EFAW+F. Second refresher I've organised with Optimal, and will use them again in the future. Martin Stott2025-04-17Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great 1-day emergency first aid for forestry course run by a rock solid and engaging trainer. Charlie D2025-04-12Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Toby delivered the course exceptionally. Having never been on a first aid course before, I had no idea what to expect, but he made the experience fun, informative and relevant. I will 100% be returning in three years time for the renewal! John Minim2025-04-08Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Excellent Outdoor First Aid course provided by Toby. Very hands on and learnt skills never covered in previous courses.
Contact Us
If you have any enquiries, questions, or comments please contact us using the form or alternatively call us using the number below.
Mobile: 07762 082310