Page 91 - OHS, October 2021

■ Verify battery installation and expiration.
■ Verify the expiration of the AED’s pads and that the pads are connected to the unit and sealed in their package.
■ Check the status and service of the indicator light.
■ Check to make sure all supplies, including razors, towels, barrier devices and scissors are included in the AED.
Ensuring Workers
are Properly Trained
So, now that you understand the importance of an AED and how to create a program that allows for the effective use of the AED, you must turn to those who will be using the device. It is important that those who are on-site learn how to use the AED for the best chances of a victim’s survival. These on-site responders must be familiar with the AED and feel that they can use the device without advance notice following their training.
Due to the size of your facility, it may not be realistic for all employees to be trained to use the AED. It is best to designate employees who operate throughout the day on the premises and already respond to emergencies as part of the job, such as security guards and members of safety response teams.
Training requirements can be determined easily by reviewing the acceptable curricula, training organizations and renewal intervals from your state or local laws. A few examples of what an on-site responder might need to know following his/her training includes:
■ How to recognize the warning signs of cardiac arrest.
■ How to respond to an emergency.
■ Why and how to activate local EMS.
■ How to buy time for the victim by
performing CPR until the AED can be used.
■ How to assess the patient and determine whether an AED should be used.
Upping Your Safety Game
While there is no hard and fast way of knowing if you will have to deal with a sudden cardiac arrest at your facility, there are ways to be prepared if the incident does happen on your watch. By creating and implementing an effective CPR/AED program, your organization have all the
tools they will need to increase the chances of survival should a worker suffer cardiac arrest on the job. If I have learned anything from my time in the safety industry, it is the best way to expect the unexpected is to be overly prepared.
Sydny Shepard is the editor of Occupational Health & Safety magazine. REFERENCES
1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sudden-cardiac-arrest/symptoms-causes/syc- 20350634
2. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000950
3. https://cpr.heart.org/-/media/cpr-files/training-programs/aed-implementation/implementing-an-aed- program-ucm_501520.pdf?la=en
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