Qualsafe’s Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work (FAW) course gives you the knowledge and practical competencies needed to deal with a range of first aid situations.
If you deal with first aid at work as a workplace first aider under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, this is the course for you.
The course runs as blended learning over three days in total. One day is completed online, and the other two are spent with an instructor. Distance learning must be completed before the face-to-face classroom session.
This qualification and learning outcomes are based on the guidance of:
This course is also based on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) training standard for delivery of First Aid at Work (FAW) courses for the purposes of The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.
Our Level 3 FAW course is recognised as a first aid qualification by the Security Industry Authority (SIA).
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to demonstrate the practical administration of safe, prompt, effective first aid in
emergency situations with an understanding of the role of first aider.
Upcoming Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work courses
| Dates | Location | Cost | Booking link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15-16 November 2026 | Manchester | £195.00 + VAT | Book Now |
| 13-14 December 2026 | Manchester | £195.00 + VAT | Book Now |
These courses are provided by our training partners, PLAB Guide Ltd (a Qualsafe Awards Registered Centre No. 0908553) or TrueMedic Ltd (A Qualsafe Awards Registed Centre).
We can also provide our courses for groups of 6-12 people at your own premises. If you have 6-12 staff members interested in this qualification, please email training@promed999.co.uk or call 03333 445442 to discuss.
Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work qualfication details
This qualification contains 2 mandatory units with a Total Qualification Time (TQT) of 22 hours. This is made up of 18 Guided Learning Hours (GLH); the time your are being taught and assessed under the immediate guidance of a trainer/assessor. The additional 4 hours are what you will reasonably spend preparing & studying and towards assessment, directed (but not supervised) by a trainer/assessor, and in applying your practice.
The credit value for this qualification is 2 credits at level 3.
Topics covered
On the Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work course, you’ll first learn the role and responsibilities of a first aider.
You’ll be able to assess an emergency situation safely, conduct a secondary survey, provide first aid to an unresponsive casualty, a casualty who is choking, a casualty with external bleeding, a casualty with suspected injuries to bones, muscles and joints, a casualty with suspected head and spinal injuries, and a casualty with anaphylaxis. You’ll know how to provide first aid to a casualty who is suffering from shock, to a casualty with minor injuries, a casualty with suspected chest injuries, a casualty with burns and scalds, a casualty with an eye injury, and a casuality with suspected poisoning.
Assessment
You must complete all assessments & skills tests in the unit successfully within the registration period to achieve the qualification. The minimum time to complete this qualification is 3 days and the maximum is 10 weeks.
Assessment of performance is carried out on a 1:1 basis.
7 x mandatory practical assessments:
- CPR and safe use of an AED
- Choking casualty
- Management of anaphylaxis
- Management of fractures
- Secondary survey
- Unconscious casualty
- Wounds, bleeding and shock
1 x optional practical assessment:
- Catastrophic bleeding
2 x theory assessments:
- Multiple-choice question (MCQ) paper 1 – 25 minutes – pass mark 11/15
- Multiple-choice question (MCQ) paper 2 – 40 minutes – pass mark 18/25
Pre-requisites
- Level 1 in literacy (ie GCSE English grades 4-9 or equivalent)
- Level 1 in numeracy (ie GCSE Mathematics grades 4-9 or equivalent)
- Be at least 14 years old on the first day of the training
You won’t need any prior first aid nor medical/healthcare knowledge to access the course content.
QA Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work (RQF) certificate
You’ll receive your Qualsafe Awards Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work (RQF) e-certificate soon after your results have been submitted.
We’ll issue you with an interim ecertificate confirming what you have been assessed on to cover the time from our Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) confirming your have met the requirement for the award until your certificate is issued. You can show this to employers pending the certificate from the awarding body.
Recommended reading
The universally recognised First Aid Manual 11th Edition: Written and Authorised by the UK’s Leading First Aid Providers (ISBN 9780241446300) covers all aspects of first aid, including first aid for babies and children. Find out how to treat over 100 different conditions from splinters and sprained ankles to unresponsive casualties, and how to use essential equipment. Learn how to manage a situation safely and how to assess a sick or injured person effectively.
First Aid Made Easy: A Comprehensive First Aid Manual and Reference Guide (ISBN 9780955229404) is a comprehensive first aid manual designed to support longer first aid courses. It covers all required learning outcomes while also addressing additional high-risk and critical emergency scenarios. The book is structured to support in-depth learning and to act as a reliable reference during and after training.
Concise First Aid Made Easy Book: An easy to understand first aid guide (ISBN 9780955229480) is a clear and practical first aid guide. It is suitable for learners, trainers, and training providers, as well as for organisations looking for a compact, easy-to-navigate first aid manual for workplace use.
Requalification
Your QA Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work (RQF) certificate is valid for 3 years. This is dated when you achieve the final unit.
You need to retake the qualification before the certificate expiry date to remain qualified. A shorter (2-day) requalification course is available.
FAW requalification courses are only 12 hours in duration, compared to 18 hours for the initial course. This means that the syllabus is covered at a significantly faster pace in the understanding that learners are familiar with the topics.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance is clear that if an employee’s FAW certificate expires, they are “no longer considered competent to act as a first-aider in the workplace”. For this reason, you should make every effort to requalify a first aider before the certificate expires.
Employers and Learners should be aware that there is an increased risk of failing to achieve the required standard if previous certification has expired by a considerable period (HSE defines this as in excess of 1 month). If this is the case, HSE recommends “it may be prudent to complete a 3-day course”.
We recommend that you complete annual basic life support (BLS) training to maintain your basic skills and keep up-to-date with any changes to prehospital care practice.
Progression
The Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work (RQF) may be used towards other qualifications at the same and higher level, plus aid career progression in a relevant profession.