First Aid Requirements for Restaurants, Cafés and Pubs in the UK

Restaurants, cafés and pubs are busy environments where both staff and customers can be affected by accidents and medical emergencies. From burns and cuts in the kitchen to a guest choking on food or having a severe allergic reaction, your team needs to be ready to act quickly.

Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, every UK restaurant, café and pub has a legal duty to provide adequate first aid for its staff (Legislation.gov.uk, 1981). The HSE also recommends including customers and visitors in your first aid needs assessment (HSE).
 

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Safe Haven Training delivers first aid courses for kitchen staff, front of house teams, baristas, bartenders, pub landlords and venue managers across the UK. Our courses are FAIB certified as standard, with Ofqual regulated qualifications available on request.

 

Why First Aid Training Is Important in Restaurants, Cafés and Pubs

These venues bring together hot equipment, sharp tools, alcohol, food allergens and a steady flow of customers.

The risk of an incident, big or small, is part of the daily picture.

Common incidents that affect staff:

• Burns and scalds from ovens, fryers, hot drinks and steam
• Cuts from knives, broken glass and crockery 
• Slips and trips on wet or greasy floors
• Manual handling injuries from lifting stock, kegs or deliveries
• Falls from step ladders or in cold rooms

Common incidents that affect customers:

• Choking on food
• Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) 
• Falls, especially in pubs during busy or late hours
• Sudden medical events such as cardiac arrest, stroke or a diabetic emergency
• Injuries from broken glass

In customer facing venues, the people on shift are often the first to respond when a guest is in distress. A trained first aider can act calmly while emergency services are on their way.
 

What the Law Says

The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 apply to every UK workplace, including restaurants, cafés and pubs (HSE).

The HSE explains that there are no fixed rules on how many trained first aiders you need. It depends on the nature of your work and the location (HSE).

Each employer must:

• Carry out a first aid needs assessment
• Decide whether trained first aiders are needed
• Decide how many people to train, and to what level
• Keep training up to date with regular refresher courses (HSE)

Although the law focuses on employees, the HSE strongly recommends including customers and visitors in your needs assessment (HSE).

For a venue serving food and drink to the public, that recommendation is very hard to overlook.
 

Allergen Awareness and Anaphylaxis

UK food businesses must provide allergen information for the food they serve.

A severe allergic reaction can develop within minutes, and being able to recognise the signs and respond quickly can save a life.

Common signs of a severe allergic reaction include swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, difficulty breathing, hives or a rash, and dizziness.

First aid training helps your team know what to do, including how to support someone using their own adrenaline auto injector if they have one.

Recommended First Aid Courses for Hospitality Staff

For most restaurants, cafés and pubs, the Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course is a strong starting point. It covers the core skills needed to respond to most incidents on shift.
 

Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)

This 1 day course teaches hospitality staff how to:

• Assess emergency situations safely Perform CPR and use an AED (defibrillator)
• Help someone who is choking
• Place a casualty in the recovery position
• Control bleeding and treat burns
• Recognise signs of shock and respond to seizures

The certificate is valid for three years.

For larger or higher risk venues such as busy kitchens, multi floor restaurants, or pubs hosting events, the First Aid at Work (FAW) 3 day course gives a wider range of skills.

This includes head and spinal injuries, fractures, and a broader range of medical conditions.

 

Who Should Take First Aid Training in a Restaurant, Cafe or Pub?

First aid training is relevant to anyone working in a food and drink venue, including:

• Chefs and kitchen staff
• Bartenders and baristas
• Waiting and front of house teams 
• Pub landlords and licensees
• Café and restaurant managers
• Duty managers
• Owners of independent venues

In smaller venues, the owner manager is often the named first aider for the workplace.

Having more than one trained person on shift helps cover holidays, sickness and busy hours.

 

Flexible Training Options for Hospitality Venues

Safe Haven Training delivers first aid courses across the UK in a way that fits your venue.

• Open Courses
  Individual staff members can attend a scheduled course at one of our 80+ venues nationwide.
   
• Onsite Training
  We deliver first aid training directly at your restaurant, café or pub. Whole teams can train together during quieter hours.

 

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How Often Should First Aid Training Be Renewed?
 

• First aid certificates are valid for three years from the date of issue
• The HSE recommends keeping training up to date with regular refresher courses (HSE)
• Records should be kept alongside other staff training documents

 

References
 

1. Health and Safety Executive: First aid in work - First aiders and training.

2. Health and Safety Executive Legislation: First Aid at Work.

3. Legislation.gov.uk (1981) The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, Regulation 3: Duty of employer to make provision for first aid.

 

First Aid Courses for Restaurants, Cafés and Pubs

Depending on your venue and the activities you offer, you may also need extra training based on your workplace risk assessment and insurance provider requirements.