First Aid at Work: The Qualification You Need Before Any SIA Licence or Site Job
If you want to start work in security, construction, hospitality or another practical sector, first aid training should be part of your plan from the beginning.
For many security learners, an approved first aid qualification is required before starting SIA licence-linked training.
For construction employers, the correct level of first aid cover supports safe working arrangements on site.
The key choice is usually between:
- Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) : normally a 1-day course
- First Aid at Work (FAW) : normally a 3-day course
This guide explains which course you may need, how the SIA first aid requirement works, how first aid applies to construction roles and how to book with Zems Academy.
Important: First aid requirements can depend on the role, workplace risks and current regulator guidance. Always check the latest SIA and HSE requirements before booking.
WHY FIRST AID TRAINING MATTERS
First aid training gives you the practical skills to respond when someone is injured or becomes ill at work.
You may need to:
- Check whether a situation is safe
- Contact the emergency services
- Perform CPR
- Use an automated external defibrillator (AED)
- Help someone who is choking
- Control severe bleeding
- Respond to shock, seizures or sudden illness
- Place a casualty in the recovery position
These skills matter in workplaces where incidents can happen quickly.
A trained person can provide immediate support while waiting for professional medical help.
Under the Health and Safety Executive’s workplace first aid guidance, employers must decide what first aid provision is adequate and appropriate for their workplace.
There is no single rule stating that every employee must hold a first aid certificate.
The correct level depends on factors such as:
- The type of work
- Workplace hazards
- The number of workers
- The location of the workplace
- Shift patterns
- The distance from emergency medical services
- The types of injuries that could occur
EMERGENCY FIRST AID AT WORK: THE 1-DAY OPTION
Emergency First Aid at Work, often shortened to EFAW, is the standard 1-day emergency first aid course.
It is designed for people who need to provide immediate first aid in the workplace.
Typical content includes:
- CPR
- AED use
- Choking
- Severe bleeding
- Shock
- Seizures
- Unconscious casualties
- Recovery position
- Basic emergency response
Zems Academy’s Level 3 Emergency First Aid course is advertised as 1-day training, with training from 08:30 to 15:30.
The course page also lists:
- Fully regulated training
- Results within 5 working days
- Free Wi-Fi
- Free parking
- Free first resit
- On-site breakroom
WHO MAY NEED EFAW?
EFAW may be suitable for:
- People working in lower-risk workplaces
- Smaller workplaces
- Security learners who need first aid before SIA training
- Door supervisors preparing for refresher training
- Security guards preparing for refresher training
- Workers who need basic emergency first aid skills
- Employers who identify EFAW as suitable through a first aid needs assessment
EFAW is also commonly used on construction sites where the risk assessment confirms that emergency first aid is sufficient for the number of workers and likely injuries.
However, construction work can involve higher risks.
Do not choose EFAW automatically.
Check the site’s needs assessment first.
FIRST AID AT WORK: THE 3-DAY OPTION
First Aid at Work, or FAW, is the more comprehensive 3-day qualification.
It covers emergency first aid skills and a wider range of workplace injuries and illnesses.
FAW is usually considered for higher-risk environments, including:
- Construction sites
- Manufacturing workplaces
- Engineering environments
- Warehouses
- Workshops
- Industrial sites
- Workplaces using machinery or vehicles
- Sites with more complex hazards
Zems Academy’s Level 3 First Aid at Work course is advertised as 3 days of training, with sessions from 08:30 to 17:30.
The course page lists content including:
- Heart attack
- Head and spinal injuries
- Asthma
- Anaphylaxis and acute allergic reactions
- The full HSE syllabus
- Practical workplace first aid skills
The course is listed at £220 on the Zems Academy website at the time of writing. Check the course page for current prices, dates and booking conditions.
WHO MAY NEED FAW?
FAW may be the better choice if you:
- Work on a higher-risk construction site
- Work around machinery, plant or vehicles
- Work at height or near excavation areas
- Have responsibility for workplace first aid cover
- Work in a large or complex workplace
- Need to respond to a wider range of injuries
- Are selected by an employer as the main workplace first aider
The HSE construction first aid guidance states that sites with more than 50 workers should have at least one FAW-trained first aider for every 50 workers, or part of 50.
For sites with 5 to 50 workers, the guidance refers to at least one first aider trained in EFAW or FAW, depending on the injuries that may occur.
This means the correct answer depends on the work being carried out.
QUICK-CHECK GRID: WHICH COURSE DO YOU NEED?
Use this grid as a starting point.
| Your situation | Likely course | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You need first aid before starting SIA door supervisor training | EFAW or accepted equivalent | The qualification must meet current SIA requirements |
| You are taking SIA door supervisor refresher training | EFAW or accepted equivalent | Your certificate must normally have at least 12 months’ validity remaining when training starts |
| You are taking SIA security guard refresher training | EFAW or accepted equivalent | The first aid qualification is a prerequisite for licence-linked refresher training |
| You work in a low-risk office or retail setting | EFAW may be suitable | Basic emergency response may meet the workplace needs assessment |
| You work on a small construction site | EFAW or FAW | The choice depends on likely injuries and site hazards |
| You work on a higher-risk construction site | FAW is often more appropriate | FAW covers a wider range of injuries and illnesses |
| You are the main first aider on a larger site | FAW | Larger and higher-risk sites usually need broader first aid coverage |
| You want a wider workplace qualification | FAW | It includes EFAW skills plus additional treatment knowledge |
This grid is not a replacement for an employer’s first aid needs assessment.
Ask your employer or training provider if you are unsure.
THE SIA FIRST AID REQUIREMENT
The SIA first aid requirement is especially important for people applying for or renewing security licences.
According to GOV.UK guidance for door supervisors and security guards, learners must hold an Emergency First Aid at Work qualification or an accepted equivalent before taking relevant SIA licence-linked training.
This includes training linked to:
- Door supervisor licences
- Security guarding licences
- Refresher or top-up training
For SIA refresher training, the certificate must normally:
- Be valid at the start of the course
- Meet the required EFAW content or equivalent standard
- Have at least 12 months’ validity remaining when the refresher course begins
- Be shown to the training provider
Zems Academy’s Level 2 Door Supervisor Refresher course lists Emergency First Aid at Work as an entry requirement.
The course page also states that learners must provide a valid EFAW qualification or equivalent and that the certificate must be valid for at least 12 months from the course start date.
Do not leave first aid until the last minute.
An expired certificate can delay your refresher training and licence renewal.
FIRST AID FOR CONSTRUCTION AND SITE JOBS
Construction sites must have suitable first aid arrangements.
The HSE states that construction sites should have:
- A suitably stocked first aid box
- An appointed person to manage first aid arrangements
- Information telling workers who the appointed person or first aider is and where to find them
An appointed person manages arrangements but does not necessarily need a first aid qualification.
A first aider holds a valid EFAW or FAW certificate.
First aid training is only one part of becoming site-ready.
You may also need:
- Health and safety training
- A CSCS-related qualification or card
- Manual handling training
- Traffic marshal or banksman training
- Risk assessment knowledge
- Personal protective equipment awareness
Zems Academy’s Level 1 Health and Safety in Construction CSCS Card Package includes classroom training, a CSCS test and preparation covering risk assessment, manual handling, working at height, health risks and plant and equipment safety.
Choose the right combination of qualifications for the job you want.
FIRST AID IS NOT FOOD SAFETY TRAINING
If you are applying for hospitality work, remember that food safety training and first aid training are separate qualifications.
Food safety training focuses on:
- Safe food handling
- Personal hygiene
- Cross-contamination
- Food storage
- Allergens
- Cleaning procedures
- Food labelling
First aid training focuses on responding to injury or illness.
You may need both qualifications for hospitality roles.
Explore the Level 1 Food Hygiene and Safety course if you are preparing for work in catering, kitchens, cleaning or hospitality support.
HOW TO BOOK FIRST AID TRAINING WITH ZEMS ACADEMY
Booking is straightforward.
For Emergency First Aid at Work
- Visit the Level 3 Emergency First Aid course page.
- Check the current dates, price and course details.
- Book online or contact the Academy.
- Prepare valid photo identification.
- Attend the full training day.
- Complete the required assessment.
For First Aid at Work
- Visit the Level 3 First Aid at Work course page.
- Check the current 3-day schedule.
- Confirm the course meets your employer’s needs.
- Book your place.
- Bring photo ID.
- Attend all training days and complete the assessments.
Zems Academy delivers training at:
Invicta House
Warwick Road
Birmingham
B11 2JR
For questions about course suitability, dates or entry requirements, contact the Academy through the Zems Academy contact page.
You can also call 0121 271 0420 or email info@zems.org.uk.
BOOK YOUR COURSE BEFORE YOUR NEXT STEP
Choose Emergency First Aid at Work when you need a 1-day emergency qualification, including for many SIA training routes.
Choose First Aid at Work when your workplace has higher risks or you need broader first aid skills, especially in construction and industrial environments.
Check the current requirements.
Check your certificate validity.
Book your first aid training now and move forward with your SIA, construction or workplace plans.