A workplace defibrillator is only a lifesaver if it works the moment someone collapses. Workplace defibrillator maintenance is the routine that keeps your AED rescue-ready, yet it is the step most businesses forget once the device is mounted on the wall. Expired pads, flat batteries, blocked cabinets and missing checks are common and entirely preventable problems that can leave a device useless when seconds count.
The stakes are stark. Fewer than 1 in 12 people (7.8%) survive to 30 days after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in England, according to the Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes (OHCAO) Registry, funded by the Resuscitation Council UK and British Heart Foundation and based at the University of Warwick Clinical Trials Unit. The British Heart Foundation states that "every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by up to 10%." A defibrillator that fails its self-test, or sits behind a desk with two-year-old pads, removes the single biggest advantage your premises can offer in those first critical minutes. This guide explains what UK law and guidance expect of you, how to build a simple maintenance routine, and when to replace consumables.
Is workplace defibrillator maintenance a legal requirement?
There is no law forcing most UK workplaces to install an AED, but once you have one, maintaining it becomes a legal duty. The Health and Safety Executive is clear: "Health and safety legislation does not require you to have an automated external defibrillator (AED) in your workplace. Where an employer has identified through their needs assessment that they wish to provide an AED in the workplace, then the Provision and Use of Workplace Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) apply." hse
PUWER means your AED is classed as work equipment that must be kept in efficient working order and good repair. In practice that means documented, regular checks and the timely replacement of consumables. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency treats AEDs as medical devices and advises owners to follow manufacturer instructions for inspection and servicing. The Resuscitation Council UK recommends every device has a designated responsible person who carries out routine inspections and replaces pads and batteries before they expire.
Schools are the one exception to the "no legal requirement" rule. The Department for Education confirmed on 25 July 2023 that, following a £19 million rollout, "over 20,000 defibrillators have successfully been delivered to almost 18,000 schools", meeting its July 2022 commitment to deliver them before the end of the 2022 to 2023 academic year.
The 2026 amendment to the British Standard for workplace first aid, BS 8599-1:2019+A1:2026 (published April 2026), has sharpened expectations further. First-aid suppliers citing the standard report that it recommends an AED should be available in workplaces with five or more people present, including staff, visitors and customers, and that a defibrillator should be accessible within two minutes, allowing one minute to locate the device and one minute to prepare and deliver treatment. Larger sites may need more than one unit to meet that response time. The British Standard is not law, but following it helps demonstrate compliance with your wider duties under health and safety legislation.
How often should you check a workplace defibrillator?
Check the status indicator weekly and carry out a fuller recorded inspection at least monthly. That is the cadence recommended across UK guidance from St John Ambulance, the British Heart Foundation and the Resuscitation Council UK.
Modern AEDs run automatic self-tests daily, weekly or monthly and show a green light or symbol when ready. A red light, a cross, beeping or flashing means the device has failed its self-test and needs immediate attention. The self-test is reassuring but not sufficient: it cannot tell you if the cabinet is blocked, the signage has gone, the pads have expired or the unit has been physically damaged. That is why a human visual check still matters.
A weekly visual check takes only a couple of minutes:
- Confirm the status indicator is green and there are no audible alerts.
- Check the unit and cabinet for damage, cracks or broken seals.
- Confirm the AED is unobstructed, visible and easy to reach.
- Check that signage is clear and legible.
- Confirm pads and battery are within their expiry dates.
A monthly check adds a fuller review: confirm pads are sealed, accessories such as scissors, razor, gloves and face shield are present, and that your maintenance log is up to date. Check the device after any use or any reported fault, and after a deployment take it out of service until it has been re-stocked and re-tested. Outdoor and high-use devices need more frequent attention, and outdoor cabinets should be aired monthly to prevent condensation.
Who is responsible for defibrillator maintenance at work?
Every defibrillator needs a single named responsible person, sometimes called a guardian. The title matters less than the clarity: responsibility might sit with a health and safety officer, facilities manager, office manager or business owner, but it must sit with someone.
Without clear ownership, maintenance is the task that quietly slips. The responsible person ensures the device is checked on schedule, that pads and batteries are reordered before they expire, that checks are logged, and that the device is put back into service correctly after any use. Keeping a written or digital log is your evidence of compliance under PUWER, so record every check, replacement, service and incident.
Replacing defibrillator pads and batteries
Pads and batteries expire and must be replaced even if the AED has never been used. This is the single most common cause of an AED failing in an emergency, and it is completely avoidable.
Shelf lives vary by model: ZOLL AED Plus one-piece CPR-D-padz carry a 5-year shelf life, while Philips HeartStart HS1 adult pads expire after 2 years, and most AED batteries last 2 to 5 years in standby. Some devices, such as the HeartSine Samaritan, combine pads and battery into a single Pad-Pak cartridge (PAD-PAK-01) that is replaced together; HeartSine, a division of Stryker, states it has "a long 4-year shelf life with capacity for up to 60 shocks or 6 hours of continuous monitoring." Always replace pads immediately after any use, regardless of the printed expiry date, because the conductive gel degrades once opened or applied.
If your premises could see a child in cardiac arrest, such as a nursery, leisure site or family-facing business, check that you hold in-date paediatric pads as well as adult pads. Paediatric pads are used rarely and are often the most overlooked item in the cabinet.
A practical tip: record every pad and battery expiry date in a central log and set reminders at least one month ahead of each replacement. Many businesses keep a spare set of pads on site so a device is never out of action while replacements are ordered.
Do you need to register your defibrillator?
Registering your AED is not a legal requirement, but it is one of the most valuable things you can do, and UK national bodies strongly urge it. Register your device free on The Circuit, the national defibrillator network run by the British Heart Foundation in partnership with the Resuscitation Council UK, St John Ambulance and the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives.
The Circuit connects your AED to all UK ambulance services. If someone nearby has a cardiac arrest and calls 999, the call handler can direct a bystander to your device and provide the cabinet access code. An unregistered AED is invisible to the ambulance service, so its life-saving potential is wasted. The Circuit also sends reminders to record your status checks and tells you when your pads are due to expire, which supports your maintenance routine. By mid-June 2025 there were 108,584 AEDs registered on The Circuit, yet the British Heart Foundation estimates that tens of thousands of defibrillators across the UK are still not registered.
Practical takeaways
- Treat your AED as work equipment under PUWER 1998: it must be maintained and the checks documented.
- Appoint a single named responsible person or guardian for each device.
- Carry out a quick visual status check weekly and a fuller recorded inspection monthly.
- Replace pads and batteries before they expire, and replace pads immediately after any use.
- Hold in-date paediatric pads if children may be present on your premises.
- Register the device on The Circuit so ambulance services can direct bystanders to it.
- Keep the AED visible, unobstructed and reachable within two minutes from anywhere on site.
- Keep a written or digital maintenance log as your evidence of compliance.
Keep your workplace rescue-ready
A defibrillator is one of the most powerful pieces of safety equipment your business can own, but only if it is maintained. A few minutes each week, a clear owner and a stock of in-date consumables are all it takes to keep your AED ready for the moment it matters most.
MedWare supplies AEDs, replacement pads and batteries, defibrillator cabinets and maintenance accessories to UK businesses, alongside first aid kits and eyewash stations. If you are reviewing your provision or need to restock consumables across multiple sites, browse our defibrillator range or get in touch via our trade enquiries page at med-ware.co.uk for tailored advice and bulk pricing.