How Many Defibrillators Do I Need in the Workplace?
You know defibrillators save lives—that’s not up for debate. If sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) strikes, an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) could be the only thing standing between life and death. But if you’re responsible for workplace safety, the big question isn’t should you have an AED—it’s how many do you need?
The Magic Number: How Fast Can You Get to It?
Here’s the deal: the best chance of survival comes when an AED is used within 3 minutes. In fact, as we covered in our article “AEDs: Your Best Bet for Survival”, security officers using AEDs within that golden 3-minute window saw an incredible 74% survival rate. Wait 5 minutes, and the odds drop to 49%. That’s still high, but you can see why every second counts.
Big Workplaces? Time is Your Enemy
If you work in a large factory, warehouse, or sprawling corporate campus, think about this: by the time someone collapses, you realize what’s happening, send someone to grab the AED, and get back, could that 3-minute window have passed? If so, you probably need multiple AEDs.
Same goes for multiple buildings or floors—if an AED is on the ground level and the emergency is on the third floor, will you get there in time? If not, add more.
Where to Put Your AEDs
Location matters. You don’t just want AEDs—you want strategically placed AEDs. Think about:
- High-risk areas – Places where people are exerting themselves (factories, gyms) or have existing health risks (senior offices, medical rooms).
- High-traffic areas – Break rooms, lobbies, main hallways. The more accessible, the better.
- Remote work zones – If an employee has to run across a giant warehouse to grab an AED, that’s a problem.
Final Thought: Make Every Second Count
There’s no magic number of AEDs that works for every workplace—it all comes down to speed. If you can’t confidently get an AED to someone in 3 minutes or less, you need more. Take a walk around your workplace, time yourself, and be honest. If the answer isn’t a clear yes, it’s time to rethink your AED setup.
Need to find great value AEDs? We’ve got you covered.
Best selling products
Heartsine 500p Defibrillator Bundle
$2,025.00 – $2,362.00
Heartsine Samaritan PAD 360P Automatic AED
$1,489.00Heartsine PAD360P Automatic AED Mega Bundle
$1,565.00 – $1,965.00
Lifepak CR2 Essential Automatic AED Mega Bundle
$2,295.00 – $2,645.00
