October or ‘Shocktober’ brings on a friendly reminder to check your defibrillator within your workplace.
‘Did you know that only 1 in 10 Australians survive a cardiac arrest? Together we can improve cardiac arrest survival rates by knowing how to perform CPR and use an AED (defibrillator).’ – Ambulance Victoria (2020).
According to St John Ambulance (2020), AEDs automatically self-check themselves and will let you know if there is something wrong either through an indicator and/or a series of audible chirps. Here are some quick tips on checking your workplace defibrillator to ensure its overall readiness:
- Monthly inspections of defibrillators are recommended.
- Check for any obvious exterior damage to the device.
- Simply keep a log indicating that the AED is operational, the batteries are still working and all components of your kit are present and in working order (ie. pads, razer, etc).
- On average, batteries should ne replaced every four years and pads every 2 years. However, be sure to check your manual as battery replacement may vary by model – always follow the manufacturer’s replacement guidelines.
According to St John Ambulance (2020), in the event you have to use your AED, follow this checklist before putting it back in service:
- Check the status indicator to ensure the AED is ready for use.
- Check the machine over to ensure there is no damage or missing parts.
- Double check your fast response kit and replenish any supplies, including pads. Note that pads are for single use only.
- If necessary, download the data from internal memory to a computer or memory storage unit.
- Check the battery and replace it if needed.