Why restaurants need different first aid training
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require every workplace, including restaurants, cafes and takeaways, to have adequate first aid provision. What's "adequate" depends on a risk assessment, and a kitchen's risks look nothing like an office's. Burns from fryers and hot surfaces, cuts from knives and glassware, choking, and allergic reactions from food allergens are the incidents restaurant teams actually deal with, not paper cuts and slips on a dry office floor.
EFAW or FAW: which one does a restaurant need?
Most independent restaurants, cafes and takeaways are fine with Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW), a one-day course that meets the HSE requirement for at least one trained first aider in a lower-risk setting. Busier kitchens, larger sites, or venues with 50 or more staff often need the fuller First Aid at Work (FAW) qualification instead.
| Course | Best for | Format |
|---|---|---|
| EFAW | Independent restaurants, cafes, smaller kitchens | 1 day, classroom-based |
| FAW | Busier kitchens, larger sites, 50+ staff | 1 day online + 2 days in person |
Read more on the difference in our EFAW vs FAW guide, or check our full course comparison if you're still not sure.
What kitchen-relevant first aid training actually covers
Scenarios weighted for restaurant and kitchen teams
- Burns and scalds from fryers, hot pans, ovens and steam
- Cuts and severe bleeding from knives, mandolines and broken glassware
- Choking, relevant to both kitchen staff and customers
- Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis awareness for food-facing teams
- Slips, trips and falls on wet or busy service floors
If food allergens are a particular concern, our dedicated Anaphylaxis & Auto-injector training goes deeper on recognising and responding to severe allergic reactions, and works well as a bolt-on alongside EFAW or FAW.
Delivered around service, not instead of it
We run restaurant training onsite, before or after service, or on a closed day, so you're not paying to send staff off-site or losing a full day of trade. Groups stay capped at 8 as standard, so there's time to cover the scenarios your kitchen actually faces rather than a generic checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Do restaurants legally need first aid training?
Yes. The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require every workplace, including restaurants, to have adequate first aid provision. What counts as adequate depends on your risk assessment, headcount and shift patterns.
Is EFAW enough for a restaurant?
For most independent restaurants and cafes, EFAW meets the requirement for at least one trained first aider. Busier kitchens, larger sites, or those with 50 or more staff often move up to FAW instead.
Does the training cover kitchen-specific injuries?
Our EFAW and FAW courses for hospitality clients weight practical time toward burns, cuts, choking and allergic reactions, the incidents restaurant kitchens and front of house teams actually see, rather than a generic office-focused risk profile.