Do I Need an AED?

Alongside Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), defibrillators are part of the definitive treatment for a casualty in Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). These devices deliver a high-energy shock to the casualty’s heart in an effort to restart it, and restore a regular working rhythm.

The quicker the casualty receives treatment, the higher their chances of survival. A successful revival requires both CPR and defibrillation to give them 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. But the numbers speak for themselves. 

Approximately 200 people suffer a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) every day in the UK, equating to over 1,400 people every week. According to Resuscitation Council UK, there are approximately 115,000 Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests (OHCAs) reported to the ambulance services each year. 

Frankly, there’s only one answer to the question ‘Do you need a defibrillator?’ – and that’s a yes. In line with the Resuscitation 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?’ is one of the questions we hear most often when educating businesses on life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). 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 

• An SCA 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 Resuscitation Council UK, there is no agreed criteria which can help base definitive advice on whether to provide a defibrillator in a specific place. Combined with there being no legal requirement to provide a defibrillator in the workplace, these devices become easily overlooked.

As previously stated in our blog comparing AED legislation, 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 115,000 OHCAs in the UK every year. In 2025, the emergency services attempted to resuscitate 35,000 people following an OHCA. Of this, only a quarter of casualties had their hearts restarted by the time they reached hospital.

Sadly, no one – including children – is immune to SCA, meaning everyone is vulnerable. Up to 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 defibrillators in schools across the country.

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

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

At defibshop, we are committed to not only ensuring widespread defibrillator access, but also that anyone is prepared to use one in an emergency. Working with our accredited partner, Imperative Training, we offer a variety of training courses covering first aid, defibrillation, and other Basic Life Support Skills (BLS).

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, Resuscitation Council UK advises considering the following points to help you decide:

• Demographics of the workforce - Sudden Cardiac Arrest predominantly occurs in middle-aged and older people, and it occurs in more men than women. If these factors apply 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, defibrillator cabinets with codes and other means of access can delay the AED being delivered to the scene of the event, which can slow the delivery of treatment and reduce the chances of survival. 

• 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 casualty in 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 upon 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 casualty before trained medics arrive, helping to increase their chances of survival. Installing defibrillator signage can also help ensure your defibrillator is visible and accessible to anyone in an emergency.

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 get in touch with our team, who will be able to advise you further.

defibshop is committed to equipping everyone with the skills and knowledge to save a life. 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. 

Speak to one of our Product Specialists on 0161 776 7422 or fill out our Contact Form.

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