The silent threat of neglecting AED maintenance
Having AEDs on site at your workplace isn’t enough — maintenance is critical for life-saving reliability.
Cardiac emergencies can happen anywhere, anytime — even on the job. A report from OSHA shared that 10,000 sudden cardiac arrests happen every year at work in the U.S.
The survival chances for someone experiencing sudden cardiac arrest decrease by 10% for every minute that immediate CPR and use of an AED is delayed, according to the American Red Cross.
AEDs play a vital role in helping people survive sudden cardiac arrest, but they only work if they’re properly maintained. The efficacy and compliance of an AED depend on its upkeep.
The risk of not making AED maintenance a priority
Only a working AED can help save a life.
The American Heart Association (AHA) urges organizations to make maintenance a top priority. Without proper inspection and maintenance, unused AEDs can develop severe problems that could impact their effectiveness.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, unused, unmaintained AEDs can experience:
- Outdated software causing error messages or malfunctions
- Electrode pads drying out and becoming expired
- Issues with battery management, recharging or accidental discharge
- Faulty circuit boards
- Incompatible or damaged cables and connectors
The AHA recommends regular visual inspections and testing to ensure AEDs are well-maintained and their software is up to date.
Make maintenance easier with an AED service program
Take the extra work and hassle out of testing and maintaining your AEDs by partnering with a service provider like Cintas.
Our service program not only installs your AEDs on site, but our dedicated representatives perform monthly service visits to visually inspect every unit and perform functional tests. Your electrode pads and batteries are also checked and replaced promptly as needed, and all software is updated to prevent compatibility issues and to help ensure readiness.
A neglected AED can fail when it matters most. Proper maintenance makes sure your units are ready™ to deliver life-saving shocks in the event of an emergency.
Learn how we can help keep your workplace rescue ready with a Cintas AED service program.
Disclaimer:
Customer is solely responsible for conducting its own risk or hazard analysis, for obtaining regulatory guidance, and for choosing the type and number of AEDs needed and the placement of those AEDs at Customer’s facilities. Any services provided by Cintas are limited to those explicitly contracted for by Customer. If Customer has entered into a service or maintenance agreement with Cintas, Customer is responsible for notifying Cintas of any faults, alarms, or indications that the AED is not functioning properly between Cintas’s periodic service or maintenance visits. Customer is responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and, if necessary, must obtain a prescription for the AEDs, ensure the AEDs are subject to medical oversight, and take all other necessary steps to comply with applicable law. Cintas is not a health-care provider and does not issue prescriptions, provide medical oversight, or provide other related healthcare or medical services. Rather, if explicitly contracted for by Customer, Customer receives access to a third-party who can provide a prescription for the AEDs, provide medical oversight, register the AEDs with local EMS, and provide Customer access to the third-party’s online software portal.