Blog · Cardiac emergencies · OSHA guidance
Set Up a Workplace AED Program That Reaches a Victim in Minutes
OSHA standards do not specifically address automated external defibrillators, according to OSHA’s AED page. OSHA Publication 3185, Saving Sudden Cardiac Arrest Victims in the Workplace, encourages employers to install them. A workplace AED program decides where the devices go, who uses them, and who keeps them ready. Choose the device after the plan, using the workplace AED comparison.
Act on the time it takes to reach the victim
OSHA states that the chance of surviving sudden cardiac death falls 7 to 10 percent for each minute without immediate CPR or defibrillation, and that resuscitation rarely succeeds after 10 minutes. OSHA also states that public access defibrillation programs that place AEDs where cardiac arrests may occur can reduce response time by up to three to five minutes.
Know what OSHA does require
29 CFR 1910.151(b) requires that, in the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in proximity to the workplace, a person or persons be adequately trained to render first aid, and that adequate first aid supplies be readily available. It does not name an AED. Many states set their own rules for AED owners, such as training, maintenance, medical oversight, and notice to emergency services. Check your state’s statute before you buy.
Place each AED where a rescuer can return fast
- Map the walking time from each work area to the device and back.
- Mount the AED in a marked, unlocked location along a normal route, not in a locked office.
- Add units for separate buildings, upper floors, and remote work areas.
- Post signs that point to the device.
An AED package with a wall mount and sign covers the first location in one order.
Train the people most likely to be first on scene.
AEDs give voice prompts that guide an untrained rescuer. Training in CPR and AED use from a recognized provider, such as the American Red Cross (which OSHA lists as a resource), reduces hesitation. Train people on each shift and in each area, and refresh the training on the provider’s schedule.
Name an owner for the program.
Assign one person to own the AED program. That person keeps a list of every unit and its location, the pad and battery expiration dates, the training roster by shift, and the record of each use. Review the list when you add a building, change shifts, or move a work area, because each change can lengthen the walk to the nearest device. Where a state statute requires medical direction or registration with emergency services, the program owner tracks those as well.
Keep every unit ready.
| Item | Check |
|---|---|
| Status indicator | On a set schedule, by a named person |
| Pads | Sealed, in date, and the right type for the people present |
| Battery | In date, with a spare where the case allows one |
| After use | Replace pads, check the battery, and follow the manufacturer’s post-use steps |
The Philips HeartStart OnSite listings in the AED guide state daily, weekly, and monthly self-tests. A self-test does not replace a person checking the indicator and the expiration dates.
Connect the AED to the emergency plan
- Name who calls 911 and who retrieves the AED.
- Tell rescuers where to meet the ambulance and how to direct it inside.
- Record each use and restock the unit before it goes back on the wall.
Sources
- OSHA, Automated External Defibrillators and AED Programs.
- OSHA Publication 3185, Saving Sudden Cardiac Arrest Victims in the Workplace (2003).
- 29 CFR 1910.151, Medical services and first aid, on eCFR.