AED's in the workplace

Each year, approximately 1 million Americans die of cardiovascular disease. Of these, between 300,000 to 400,000 die due to cardiac arrest, a sudden and unexpected loss of heart function. When cardiac arrest occurs outside of a hospital, survival rates are extremely low, in a range of 1 to 5 percent ^1.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that 15 percent of workplace fatalities—more than 400 per year—are caused by sudden cardiac arrest. Of these victims, it is estimated that 160—40 percent—could have been saved by defibrillation within 5 minutes¹. Therefore, the development of training and use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) is a reasonable and appropriate way to manage this important cause of workplace morbidity and mortality among working age adults. The benefits, including lives saved and costs reduced, can be applied to a diverse range of workplaces.

¹ Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Cardiac arrest and automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Technical Information Bulletin. TIB 01-12-17.