Written by Laura Frost

Most workplaces have a first aid kit.

But what happens if an employee, customer, or visitor suddenly collapses from cardiac arrest?

Bandages and antiseptic aren’t going to help restart a heart. That’s where an Automated External Defibrillator, or AED, becomes critically important.

The American Heart Association reports that approximately 10,000 cardiac arrests occur in the workplace each year. Immediate CPR and use of an AED can double or even triple a person’s chance of survival.

That makes an AED much more than another piece of safety equipment.

It can be the equipment that saves a life.

What Happens During Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood effectively.

The person typically:

• Suddenly collapses
• Becomes unresponsive
• Is not breathing normally or is only gasping

Cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked. A person experiencing a heart attack may still be awake and breathing.

During cardiac arrest, the heart is no longer pumping effectively, and the person needs immediate help.

Every Minute Matters

When someone suffers cardiac arrest, waiting for emergency responders without beginning care wastes valuable time.

The American Heart Association’s Chain of Survival emphasizes:

1. Recognizing cardiac arrest and activating the emergency response system
2. Starting high-quality CPR
3. Providing rapid defibrillation
4. Continuing advanced resuscitation and post-cardiac-arrest care

An AED allows people who are already at the workplace to provide potentially lifesaving defibrillation while emergency medical services are on the way.

What Does an AED Do?

An AED is a computerized medical device designed to analyze the heart rhythm of a person experiencing cardiac arrest.

If the AED detects a rhythm that can be treated with defibrillation, it can deliver an electrical shock intended to help restore an effective heart rhythm.

Modern AEDs provide step-by-step voice or visual instructions.

The rescuer doesn’t have to diagnose the heart rhythm or decide whether the person needs a shock.

The AED analyzes the rhythm and tells you what to do.

Why AEDs Belong in the Workplace

Cardiac arrest can happen almost anywhere:

• Offices
• Warehouses
• Manufacturing facilities
• Schools
• Churches
• Hotels
• Restaurants
• Retail businesses
• Construction sites
• Fitness facilities

Having an AED readily available can shorten the time between collapse and defibrillation.

OSHA encourages workplace AED programs and notes that public-access defibrillation programs can reduce the time required to provide defibrillation by approximately three to five minutes.

Those minutes can matter enormously during cardiac arrest.

An AED Is Only Part of the Plan

Simply hanging an AED cabinet on the wall isn’t enough.

A strong workplace emergency response program should include:

• An accessible AED
• Employees trained in CPR and AED use
• A clearly identified AED location
• Regular checks of AED batteries and electrode pads
• An emergency response plan
• Employees who know how to activate 911 quickly

OSHA recommends that workplaces providing AEDs designate employees to use them and provide training so workers know how to respond correctly.

AEDs are designed to be straightforward to operate, but training helps people respond with greater confidence when an actual emergency occurs.

What Should You Do If Someone Collapses at Work?

If an adult suddenly collapses and is unresponsive and not breathing normally:

1. Call 911.

Have someone call 911 and send another person to retrieve the AED.

2. Begin CPR.

Push hard and fast in the center of the chest.

3. Use the AED as soon as it arrives.

Turn it on and follow its instructions.

4. Continue CPR.

Resume CPR when instructed and continue following the AED prompts until EMS personnel take over or the person begins showing signs of life.

The AED will determine whether a shock is appropriate.

Do Workplaces Have to Have an AED?

There is not a general OSHA standard requiring every workplace in the United States to have an AED.

OSHA does, however, encourage AED availability in workplaces and provides guidance for establishing workplace AED programs.

Requirements can also vary depending on the type of facility and state or local laws.

Regardless of whether an AED is legally required, employers should consider an important question:

If someone suffered cardiac arrest in our workplace today, how quickly could we begin CPR and get an AED to them?

If the answer isn’t clear, it’s worth reviewing your emergency plan.

CPR and AED Training Can Prepare Your Workplace

Buying an AED is an excellent first step.

Training employees to recognize cardiac arrest, perform CPR, and confidently use that AED completes the picture.

In-Pulse CPR provides American Heart Association CPR and AED training for individuals, employees, and businesses.

We also provide private onsite CPR training for organizations that want to prepare multiple employees at the same time.

Learn More About Onsite CPR and AED Training

A cardiac arrest emergency gives very little warning.

Having trained employees and an accessible AED means your workplace doesn’t have to start from zero when every minute counts.

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Updated 2026: This article was originally written by Laura Frost and has been reviewed and updated in 2026 to reflect current American Heart Association CPR/AED guidance and current workplace AED information.