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Page last reviewed: 04/23/2007
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Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs)
Approximately 890 deaths from coronary heart disease occur outside of the
hospital or emergency room every day. Most of these deaths are due to the
sudden loss of heart function or sudden cardiac death.1 In 2001 and 2002, there were 6628 workplace fatalities reported to OSHA; 1216
from heart attack, 354 from electric shock, and 267 from asphyxia. A number of
these victims, up to 60 percent, might have been saved if automated external
defibrillators (AEDs) were immediately available. Chances of survival from
sudden cardiac death diminish by 7 – 10 percent for each minute without
immediate CPR or defibrillation. After 10 minutes, resuscitation rarely
succeeds.
An AED is an electronic device designed to deliver an electric shock to a victim of
sudden cardiac arrest. Ventricular fibrillation may be restored to normal rhythm
up to 60 percent of the time if treated promptly with an AED, a procedure called
defibrillation.
This page is a product of the OSHA and the American Heart Association (AHA) and the former
OSHA and American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN) Alliances.
OSHA does not have standards specific to automated external defibrillators (AEDs). However, exposures to first-aid hazards are addressed in specific standards for the general industry.
OSHA Standards
This section highlights standards, Federal Registers (rules, proposed rules, and notices), directives (instructions for compliance officers), and standard interpretations (official letters of interpretation of the standards) related to AEDs.
Note: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.
General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
Federal Registers
- Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution; Electrical Protective Equipment; Proposed Rule. Proposed Rules 70:34821-34980, (2005, June 15). Included as part of the proposed rule, OSHA requests information on costs, safety, and efficacy of and experience with AED devices.
- Survey of Automatic External Defibrillator Use in Occupational Settings; Proposed Information Collection Activity; Request for Comment. Notice 70:23234-23236, (2005, May 4). OSHA plans to supplement a statistical survey with extended case study interviews with selected respondents, as there is limited information about AED use in occupational settings.
- Search all available Federal Registers.
Directives
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Enforcement Procedures for the Occupational Exposure to Bloodborne Pathogens.
CPL 02-02-069 [CPL 2-2.69],
(2001, November 27). Employers will not be
cited if they have not offered the hepatitis B vaccination series to an employee
whose only exposure to blood would be responding to injuries resulting from
workplace incidents as long as this was only a collateral duty of the employee
and certain other requirements have been met. Members of an Automated External
Defibrillator (AED) Team would
also fall under this category if the same conditions exist.
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Search all available directives.
Standard Interpretations
AEDs in the Workplace
Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are an important lifesaving technology
and may have a role to play in treating workplace cardiac arrest. Most sudden
cardiac deaths occur outside of the hospital. It is estimated that 5 percent or
less of victims of sudden cardiac deaths are successfully resuscitated and
discharged alive from the hospital.2
In a study of Public-Access Defibrillation (PAD), communities with volunteers
trained in CPR and the use of AEDs had twice as many victims survive compared to
communities with volunteers trained only in CPR.3 To assist in addressing AED
issues, information is provided below regarding occupational risk factors and
the use of AEDs in the workplace.
- Automated External Defibrillators Can Save Lives During Cardiac Emergencies [1 MB
PDF*, 2 pages]. OSHA Publication 3174, (2001). Stresses the need for AEDs in the workplace to save lives. States that AEDs are effective, easy to use, and relatively inexpensive.
- Saving Sudden Cardiac Arrest Victims in the Workplace: Automated External Defibrillators. OSHA Publication 3185-09N, (2003).
Also available as a 376
KB PDF, 4 pages.
Provides information on the importance of readily-available AEDs, and encourages the installation of the
devices in workplaces. Also includes a list of resources for more detailed
guidance on the use of AEDs as well as how to obtain qualified training.
- Cardiac Arrest and Automated External Defibrillators [18 KB PDF*, 4 pages]. OSHA Technical Information Bulletin (TIB), (2001, December 17).
- Best Practices Guide: Fundamentals of a Workplace First-Aid Program [163 KB PDF*, 28 pages]. OSHA Publication 3317-06N, (2006). Presents a summary of the basic elements for a first-aid program at the workplace and includes information on automated external defibrillators and programs.
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Automated External Defibrillation in the Occupational Setting [107 KB PDF, 7 pages]. American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) Position Statement, J Occup Environ Med. Volume 54, Number 9, (2012, September). Provides position statement of ACOEM written by Larry M. Starr, PhD, and guidance for the use of AEDs in occupational settings.
- Learn About Automated External Defibrillators. American Red Cross. Includes information on AED training programs, and the benefits of having an AED at your facility.
- Occupational Heart Disease. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Workplace Safety and Health Topic. Addresses many of the hazards associated with occupational risks of coronary heart disease.
AED Programs
Public access defibrillation programs that place automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in areas where cardiac arrests may occur can reduce the response time up to three to five minutes. The following references provide information for establishing an effective AED program in the workplace.
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Public Access Defibrillation Guidelines: Guidelines for Public Access Defibrillation Programs in Federal Facilities. Federal Occupational Health (FOH) Notice 66.100, (2001, May
23). Provides a general framework for initiating a design process for public access defibrillation (PAD) programs in federal facilities.
- Automated
External Defibrillator Program. Federal Occupational Health (FOH). Offers a variety of information on how to establish an AED program, existing programs, and answers to frequently asked questions about AEDs.
- Learn About Automated External Defibrillators. American Red Cross. Includes information on AED training programs, and the benefits of having an AED at your facility.
- How to Set Up an AED Program. Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association (SCAA). Provides an
overview of sudden cardiac arrest with links to information on impact of AEDs,
legal considerations, community program components, on-site AED programs, and
examples of successful programs.
- For additional information on safety and health programs, see OSHA's
Injury and Illness Prevention Programs Safety and Health Topics Page.
Additional Information
Related Safety and Health Topics Pages
Training
Emergency medical service teams typically respond to cardiac arrest where early
defibrillation improves survival. In order to respond more rapidly to cardiac arrest,
automated external defibrillators (AEDs) have been developed which may be used by trained people. Training resources
are provided below.
- Quiz - Save a Co-Worker's Life. American Red Cross.
- CPR. American Heart Association (AHA). Provides links to training topics including training courses, international programs, and instructor information.
- First Aid, CPR, and AED. American Red Cross. Offers first aid and CPR course programs for the community, workplace, and professional rescuers.
- First Aid Training Programs. National Safety Council (NSC). Serves as a tool for training employees or the general public on the latest skills, techniques, and expertise in life-saving procedures offering emergency care, standard first aid, CPR, and AED Instructor-led classroom courses.
Safety and Health Success Stories
The following is an account submitted to OSHA, or that
was based on information obtained by OSHA from secondary sources, where the
employer implemented programs or utilized best practices and reported successful
results.
Other Resources
References
1. Sudden Cardiac Death. American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Position.
2. Culley L., et al. "Public Access Defibrillation in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Community-Based Study." Circulation Online (2004, March 15). Also available in Print, Circulation (2004, April): 1859-1863.
3. Hallstrom, A. and J. Ornato. "Public-Access-Defibrillation and Survival after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest." New England Journal of Medicine 351.7(2004, August 12): 637-646.
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