How Long Do Defibrillators Last?

Adding an AED to Your Business Emergency Response Plan

Business owners have a responsibility to their customers, but they also have a responsibility to their employees. If this was not the case, the laws and regulations on workers’ compensation or disability assistance would be much different. 

Employees are the greatest asset to a company, and while a business may carry liability insurance for property, inventory, company vehicles, and contract terms, no plan will fully address the safety needs of employees from a physical standpoint.

A company needs to provide a safe, healthy working environment for employees, and one way to do this is through investing in a defibrillator. Read to learn the potential risks for employees, discover how long defibrillators last, and identify what kind of training is needed.

Why Do You Need an Emergency Plan for All Situations?

No doubt your company has set an emergency response for serious events like a fire or chemical spill. Building codes and inspection paperwork generally require fire alarms, smoke detectors, first aid kits, fire extinguishers, and emergency notices or signage. Many companies run fire drills or have safety training when procedures need to change, or a new threat has been identified.

All these situations have well-thought-out emergency responses, but one of the biggest risks to employee health is rarely given much attention. 

Heart disease is the third leading cause of death in the United States today. It is an epidemic. 

Troubles with the heart can lead to heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). According to the American Heart Association, there are over 350,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest incidents every year in the United States.

What Are Emergencies with the Heart?

Including an AED in your emergency response plan is crucial to providing the most comprehensive preparedness against employee injury or death. Deadly abnormalities in the rhythmic beat of your heart can cause sudden cardiac arrest, but this emergency can be remedied by portable AEDs. Data shows that employees are more likely to die from cardiac arrest while at work than a fire that breaks out in the workplace. Investing in a defibrillator is a lifesaving opportunity for your employees.

Without medical attention within minutes, the person experiencing SCA may die. In these situations, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is often administered. For an individual to recover from SCA, there is a chain of survival presented by the American Heart Association. The process includes the following activities but is done in a timely manner.

• Prompt 911 call and initiating activation of the emergency medical system
• Early CPR where rescue breathing, `and chest compressions are performed
• Early defibrillation support by using an AED
• The timely arrival of emergency medical services and advanced medical care

What Are Devices for Medical Intervention?

In the event of an employee experiencing SCA, access to medical interventions can be lifesaving. An automatic external defibrillator is a device that analyzes the heart rate of the victim and calculates what shock, if any, is needed to establish a consistent working rhythm.

These devices are safe and easy to operate, but most importantly, they are accurate. The advanced technology used to power the AEDs on the market also keeps you from worrying about how long defibrillators last. The systems may use visual or audible prompts to guide the user on when to apply the shock, but the new models rely on highly sensitive software to analyze when a shock is medically needed, with many models delivering the shock automatically.

In the past, AED equipment was expensive and cumbersome, often only found on emergency rescue vehicles or in hospitals. Advancements in technology have made defibrillation more accessible to the public through smaller, portable, and user-friendly models. Now, AEDs may be found in airports, schools, malls, hotels, sporting venues, and health clubs.

How Long Do Defibrillators Last?

When you include heart conditions in your emergency response strategy, it is important that you have full confidence in the machines you plan to use to save a life. The AEDs marketed by AED USA run off of batteries and have varying expiration dates, according to the manufacturer.

A Cardiac Science Rescue unit supplies the owner with one of the longest warranties in the industry, with a seven-year shelf life for the unit and a full battery operational replacement guarantee that lasts for four years. With a Defibtech Lifeline AED, there are two battery options available. There is a five-year battery that can deliver 125 shocks or continuous operation for eight hours, or there is a seven-year battery that extends the continuous operation up to 16 hours or it will deliver 300 shocks.

The electrode pads used to deliver the current in the Defibtech model last for two years, though the pads in a Zoll AED Plus last for five years. A Phillips HeartStart has electrode pads that last for two years, while a HeartSine Samaritan has pads that last for four years. These are industry-leading timeframes for lifesaving technology, and it reaffirms why an AED is a necessary, attainable addition to your emergency plan or employee wellness strategy.

The longevity of both the battery and pads is important for determining several things. First, it improves emergency readiness. Frantic employees or responders are not fumbling to find an outlet or replace dead batteries. They are confident that the unit will power on and provide a strong current to the victim. 

Employees are not wasting precious seconds applying pads only to find out they are expired and need to be removed. Tragic consequences could be the result if the pads were out of date and there were no replacements on hand.

Secondly, it brings more value to your AED investment. You are not having to spend money each year to exchange or replace dead batteries or purchase new electrode pads. As a busy manager or owner, it can be easy to allow details like battery replacement to slip your mind.

The extended life of these products is quite forgiving of the busy work schedule, providing accurate and consistent delivery of lifesaving medical services whenever an SCA occurs.

How Can You Use Technology to Improve Safety?

A person has just minutes before irreparable brain damage or death could occur when SCA occurs. Having an AED on the spot of the incident within three to five minutes could be the decision between life and death for one of your employees. 

Many people have no prior notice or symptoms that indicate SCA is going to occur, and those without a history of heart disease could be susceptible. Recognizing the signs and knowing to grab the AED increases survival rates by 60% for those who suffer from SCA at work. Train every employee on where the AED is located, as well as when and how to use the device.

What Kind of Programs Will Promote Heart Health?

Your company has a vested interest in the health of its employees. Keeping an AED on-site and knowing how long AED accessories last keeps you constantly prepared to address an employee suffering from an SCA. 

Through seminars, employee health plans, and wellness incentives, you can do a lot of good when you equip your employees with knowledge pertaining to their own good health. The following are actions that you can achieve to help your heart be healthy and strong. By following your lead, you may find your employees will adjust their lifestyles too.

• Stop Smoking: Many people struggle to quit smoking, but as tough as it is, you need to know that it could save your life. Smoking significantly increases your risk of developing heart disease, as well as lung disease.
• Get Moving: Your heart is the most important muscle in your body, and it needs exercise like every other muscle. Aerobics is a great way to target the strength of your heart.
• Lose Weight: Being overweight or obese are two conditions directly linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Though this can lead to a heart attack, cardiac arrest is more likely to happen after a heart attack.
• Do not Overeat: Heart attacks are more likely to occur when your body has been overloaded with food and drink, particularly alcoholic drinks. The occasional holiday indulgence may be okay, but consistently overeating leads to rapid weight gain and a weak heart.
• Eat Healthy Foods: Rather than clogging your systems with fats and cholesterol-laden products, change your diet. Choose healthy fats to build better brain and heart health. Whole grains, lean meats, fruits, and vegetables should make up the bulk of your intake. Dietary changes will also lower the risk of developing diabetes.
• Lower Your Stress: Your body has over 1,400 biochemical reactions to stress, two of which are elevated blood pressure and a more rapid heart rate. Failing to address stress can lead to a chronic condition that causes more than just gray hair. Digestive and cardiovascular troubles can ruin your quality of life. 

How Can You Prepare for the Future?

The data is clear. You significantly improve the safety of your employees from death and brain damage when you have an AED on site. The costs are minimal when evaluated against the life that you may be saving. Thanks to technology and the portable devices found at AEDUSA.com, those in danger of losing their lives to SCA just might have a chance.