Do I Need an AED?

Alongside CPR, defibrillators are part of the definitive treatment for a casualty who has fallen victim to sudden cardiac arrest. These devices deliver a high energy shock to the casualty’s heart in the effort to restart it, allowing it to enter back into a regular rhythm.

The quicker the patient receives treatment, the higher their chance of survival. A successful revival requires both CPR and defibrillation to give a victim the best possible chance of recovery.

Many people shy away from the topic of defibrillators, simply because they don’t understand the devices or believe they will never need one. Cardiac arrest affects 12 people under the age of 35 every week in the UK alone, furthermore, approximately 30,000 out of hospital cardiac arrests occur every year in the UK, which is why we prompt business owners with the question: “Do you need a defibrillator?”

Frankly, there’s only one answer to that question – and that’s a yes. In line with the Resus Council’s Guide to Defibrillators, we provide an insight as to why you should invest in a life-saving device.

Why do I need a Defibrillator?

‘Why do I need a defibrillator?’ Is one of the main questions we hear most when educating businesses on life-saving AED. The route of this question or similar is often due to one of the following triggers:

Other companies in the same field have invested in life-saving defibrillators A sudden cardiac arrest has already occurred on-site and the rescue was unsuccessful Duty of care placed on the company Duty of employers regarding the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and other legislation

According to the Resus Council UK, there is no agreed criteria which can help base definitive advice on whether to provide a defibrillator in a specific place and because of this and there being no legal requirement to provide a defibrillator in the workplace, these devices become easily overlooked.

Legal Requirement or Not?

As previously stated, there is no legal requirement or obligation for businesses in the UK to provide a life-saving defibrillator on the work premises unlike fire extinguishers and first aid kits.

Approximately there are 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK, every year and in 2013 the emergency services attempted to resuscitate 28,000 people. Of this 28,000, only 8.6% survived the event and were discharged from hospital.

Sadly, no one – including children – is immune to sudden cardiac arrest meaning everyone is vulnerable to falling victim. 270 children die in the UK every year whilst at school due to cardiac arrest, a number which could be improved drastically with the inclusion of AEDs in all schools across the country.

You don’t have to be trained to use a defibrillator, thanks to technological advancements, including verbal and visual prompts on most devices; anyone can use the device to follow the steps and help save a life.

If treatment is delivered within 3-5 minutes of the patient collapsing, chances of survival increases from 6% - 74%, however if treatment is delayed, for every minute the casualty is without treatment, their chances of survival decrease by 10% every minute. These statistics alone display why it’s important to have access to this vital treatment as soon as possible.

Careful Consideration

Despite the statistics, as stated before there is no set or agreed criteria on which to base definitive advice on whether to provide an AED in any area, workplaces included. However, the Resus Council states that consideration of the following points may help you come to a final decision:

Demographics of the workforce - Sudden cardiac arrest predominantly occurs in the middle aged / older people and occurs in more men than women. If these factor to your workforce, investing could help you save a life. Conditions of the heart - If a staff member has a known or underlying heart condition (mainly ischaemic heart disease as the arteries are narrowed, making them particularly vulnerable). The footfall of the area - Footfall of the workplace, is it a busy or quiet area for both the workforce and public? Exertion - Is the job physically exerting? More exertion puts you at more risk of suffering a cardiac arrest. AED location - Where the defibrillator is going to be stored – remember, cabinets with codes and other means of access can delay the AED being delivered to the scene of the event, delaying the rescue and resulting in an unsuccessful rescue. Training - Whether AED and CPR training is going to be provided for the employees after purchasing the device. Almost anyone can use an AED, but training will boost confidence in real life emergencies.

Alongside these points, it’s important to remember that there is no guarantee for an immediate response from the EMS to the 999 call which requested their assistance for the victim of cardiac arrest, even though it could be fatal if they don’t arrive swiftly and deliver defibrillation.

A defibrillator in this situation would allow you to start the life-saving treatment that would be continued by the EMS, after their arrival.

We advise considering your workplace location when deciding whether an AED will be beneficial to your workplace. Varying factors can often hinder the Emergency Service’s ability to gain access as quickly as possible in the event of an emergency. Some offices have access codes, construction sites are surrounded by fences, some sports centres have various gymnasiums; these elements can make it difficult for the EMS to find exactly where you are, which can have fatal results for a victim of cardiac arrest.

By having on-site access to a defibrillator, you will be able to provide treatment quickly to the patient before trained medics arrived, helping to increase their chances of survival.

Heartsafe or Not?

Taking all these factors into account will help you and your colleagues to make an informed decision about whether you should install a defibrillator or not to your workplace.

If you have a question we haven’t answered, or would like to enquire further about the AED needs of your workplace, we invite you to contact the defibshop team, who will be able to advise you further.

As a completely independent supplier of AEDs, you can have confidence in our AED Product Specialists that the knowledge they provide is completely impartial and tailored to assisting you in making a final decision. To get in contact with one of our advisors, simply call 0161 776 7422.

defibshop are committed to equipping everyone with the skills and knowledge to save a life. Speak to one of our Product Specialists on 0161 776 7422 or fill out our Contact Form.Learn more about defibrillators