Workplace Defibrillator Placement Guide for UK Employers

When a person collapses in cardiac arrest, the question is not whether your workplace owns a defibrillator. It is whether somebody can find it, bring it to the casualty and use it without delay. This workplace defibrillator placement guide will help you make that decision with your building, people and emergency arrangements in mind.

An automated external defibrillator (AED) is designed to guide rescuers through a life-threatening emergency. It analyses the heart rhythm and, where needed, advises or delivers a shock. But an AED behind a locked door, at the far end of a site or known only to one trained first aider may be out of reach when every second counts.

Workplace defibrillator placement guide: start with response time

There is no single distance or room that suits every organisation. The right location depends on how quickly a member of staff can reach the AED and return to the casualty while another person calls 999 and starts CPR.

As a practical aim, an AED should be available quickly enough to support an early attempt at defibrillation. In a small office, one clearly marked unit in a central shared area may be appropriate. In a school campus, warehouse, care setting, factory or large multi-storey building, one device in reception may not be enough. Consider walking distances, stairs, access-controlled doors, noise levels and the size of the site at its busiest.

Think through a realistic emergency rather than viewing the building on a floor plan. If a colleague collapses in the furthest workshop, playground, loading area or upstairs classroom, who will retrieve the AED? Will they know the route? Can they get through the doors without a key, fob or supervisor? A placement that works at 10am on a weekday may fail during a night shift, school holiday, weekend event or lone-working period.

Meet your legal responsibilities through a first aid needs assessment

Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, employers must provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and personnel. An AED is not automatically required in every UK workplace. However, the decision should be considered as part of a suitable first aid needs assessment, not treated as an optional purchase with no plan behind it.

Your assessment should take account of the number of people on site, the nature of the work, shift patterns, visitors, public access and the time it may take for emergency services to arrive. A defibrillator may be particularly valuable where there are large numbers of people, physically demanding roles, isolated work areas, older service users, sports activity, public-facing premises or a higher likelihood of cardiac risk.

For schools, nurseries and care environments, the assessment should also consider pupils, parents, residents, contractors and visitors. For community venues, consider whether the AED needs to be available outside normal office hours. The answer may affect both its placement and the type of cabinet you choose.

Choose a location people can reach without asking permission

The best location is usually prominent, central and accessible. Reception can work well when it is staffed and open, but it can be a poor choice if the area is locked overnight or a collapse is likely to happen elsewhere on a large site.

Place the AED on a main route that staff and visitors can identify immediately, such as a foyer, corridor junction, staff entrance, dining area or near a central staircase. It should not be hidden in a first aid room, manager’s office, store cupboard or locked medical cabinet. In an emergency, people should not have to remember a name, ring around departments or search for keys.

Avoid placing the device where access may be blocked by deliveries, furniture, queues or machinery. Keep it away from areas with excessive heat, moisture, dust, vibration or direct sunlight unless the AED and cabinet are specifically designed for those conditions. Always follow the manufacturer’s requirements for operating and storage temperatures.

If the building has separate wings, floors or detached units, assess whether a second AED is needed. This is often the right decision for care homes with multiple buildings, industrial sites, schools with distant sports facilities and organisations operating across large premises. The trade-off is the cost of another device and its ongoing checks, but that must be weighed against avoidable delay.

Make the AED visible at the point of need

A wall-mounted cabinet protects the device and gives it a permanent home. The cabinet should be clearly marked with recognised AED signage and positioned where the sign can be seen before somebody reaches the exact location. Directional signs at entrances, stairwells and corridor turns can make a major difference on larger sites.

Do not rely on a tiny label or a message in the staff handbook. In a high-pressure emergency, people need clear visual cues. Include the AED location in induction information, site maps, visitor guidance where appropriate and emergency action plans.

A locked cabinet can deter theft or misuse, but it also creates a risk of delay. If a cabinet is locked, make sure the access code is widely known, easy to obtain during an emergency and included in your emergency procedure. Some cabinets are alarmed rather than locked, alerting staff when opened while allowing immediate access. The right choice depends on your setting, security concerns and opening hours.

For externally available AEDs, use a suitable weather-protected cabinet with the correct power or temperature control where required. Check it routinely. An outdoor location can support the wider community, but it brings additional responsibility for security, accessibility and maintenance.

Plan the response, not just the purchase

An AED is most effective as part of a rehearsed response. Staff should know to check for danger, assess whether the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 999, begin CPR and send someone for the AED. The emergency call handler can provide instructions and may direct the caller to an available defibrillator.

Modern AEDs give clear voice and visual prompts, so people should not hesitate to use one because they have not had specialist training. Even so, practical Basic Life Support and first aid training builds confidence. It helps staff recognise cardiac arrest, deliver effective CPR, attach pads safely and work together when the pressure is high.

Make sure your arrangements cover the people most likely to be present, not only nominated first aiders. A trained first aider may be on lunch, off sick or working in another part of the building. Wider staff awareness means someone can retrieve the AED while others respond to the casualty.

Run a short scenario after installation. Ask a team to respond to a simulated collapse in different parts of the premises. Time how long it takes to call for help, locate the device and return. The exercise often exposes issues that are invisible in a written policy: a blocked corridor, poor signage, a cabinet code nobody recalls or a device placed too far from a high-risk area.

Keep the device ready to use

A defibrillator is not a fit-and-forget item. Nominate a responsible person and a deputy to carry out scheduled checks. They should confirm that the AED status indicator shows it is ready, the cabinet is accessible, pads and batteries remain within their expiry dates, and the equipment is clean and undamaged.

A simple check record helps demonstrate that your emergency equipment is being managed properly. Review the placement whenever the building layout, occupancy, working hours or risk profile changes. Refurbishment, a move to hybrid working or the opening of a new unit can all change the fastest route to an AED.

Consider registering your AED with The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, where appropriate. This can help ambulance services identify nearby devices during a 999 call. Keep the registration details current if the AED moves, is temporarily unavailable or is replaced.

Before approving the final location, test it against five practical questions:

• Can a person reach the AED quickly from the areas where people work, learn, visit or receive care?

• Is it available during every shift and period the premises are open?

• Can somebody identify it immediately without asking a manager or finding a key?

• Is the route clear for a person carrying the device at speed?

• Is there a named process for checks, replacement pads and battery management?

Protecting your people means preparing for the moment no one wants to face. A well-placed AED, clear procedures and confident CPR can give a colleague, visitor, pupil or service user the best possible chance before emergency crews arrive. Training 2 U can support organisations with practical, workplace-based first aid and Basic Life Support training that helps teams act decisively when it matters most.