The latest IOSH Connect refers to the results of a survey and highlights the fact that over half of UK businesses do not have an on-site defibrillator. The article recommends that businesses consider the requirement for a defibrillator based on the number of employees they have, their demographics and the sector they work in. Unfortunately it doesn't provide any idea of where to acquire advice in order to assess the requirement. The following link to an article by Corrine Lamb in HSW may help: http://www.healthandsafe...rt/use-of-defibrillators

We've had the defib debate any number of times on the forum. The 'usual' rules of assessment apply. In our office of 300 there hasn't been a single occasion in the last 20 years where a defib has or would have been needed. On the other hand it might come in handy tomorrow! We have them in each of our leisure centres where we assess the risk of SCA as being higher. But again to put that into perspective, we have had 4 instances of SCA across 3 centres over the 20 years, all of which resulted in a fatality. I certainly wouldn't pin hope on a 5 minute response time. The last but one case had a response time of considerably longer than this and the response time debate continues to make front page news of the local paper in Norfolk!

Firstly I am in favour of Defibs in the workplace and run Community Heartstart scheme on behalf of BHF. I have however recently carried out 2 risk assessments to justify or not defibs. I used the following criteria: 1. Population risk (age/male/female) 2. History of at work incidents 3. Ambulance response times One site was in an area where the reposnse times averaged greater than 97%...the other more rural...so less than 58%. (And yes I have also waited a long time for an ambulance with a PT.....) One does and one doesn't justify it the other does, but you could spin it either way. Just have to start somewhere...

Phil (He02) – You’re absolutely right about ambulance response times. There’s an Ambulance Trust view on this explained in my article in this month’s SHP journal – see panel 3 : “Emergency Responder’s view” http://www.shponline.co....are-arrested-development The other point I’d make is to endorse Steve’s post (SteveDM) about the risk assessment needed to determine whether or not a defib should be installed at any given premises. The approach described is straightforward, pragmatic and good common sense. I’d just add one additional item, again based on the SHP article. Take a look at panel 2 “The Medical Expert’s view”. Dr Colquhoun (Resus Council UK) lists a number of work factors known to increase cardiovascular risk, such as “extreme heat or cold, shift work, stress and substances such as carbon monoxide, carbon disulphide and halogenated hydrocarbons. Electric shock can also cause cardiac arrest.” As he goes on to say, “Any assessment of first-aid needs that failed to consider these risk factors would be wholly inadequate”. I would take from this that, where these factors do apply, the employer could (in the light of this expert medical opinion) be criticised if an employee exposed to these hazards were to suffer from a cardiac incident and the risk assessment did not identify the potential benefit of providing an AED under these circumstances. See also, the section “Statutory Law” where there is a discussion about the implications of “Reasonable Practicability” in relation to AEDs. Finally, if anyone reading this is thinking of going out and buying an AED, just be aware that you could save a packet of money by participating in a collaborative purchase scheme I’m setting up. By lots of people getting together to apply “collective purchasing power” the scheme aims to achieve major discounts compared with someone just buying one or two on their own. At time of posting this message I have already received “expressions of interest” for 50 AEDs (and that’s just within the first week since the scheme launched!!). This is certainly focusing the attention of AED suppliers! For details of the scheme go to the following link: http://www.sohsa.co.uk/a...files/defibrillators.pdf Please circulate details of the scheme to anyone you know who you think might benefit. David Osborn