A defibrillator is a life-saving piece of medical equipment that may be called upon at a moment’s notice. With this in mind, keeping your device in working condition through regular defibrillator maintenance should be a top priority for anyone responsible for workplace safety.
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are designed to be as straightforward as possible to use and maintain, and will usually alert you to an issue, but your device may require some checks and maintenance to keep them working as they should.
Status indicators
All AEDs perform self tests on themselves on a daily or weekly basis, and if an issue is found, the defibrillator will alert you in two ways:
- Visual indicator – Most AEDs feature some sort of visual indicator to alert the user to the status of the defibrillator. This is typically a green light of some kind on the front of the device which may flash or also incorporate a tick. If an issue is found, this will turn red or feature a cross
- Audio indicator – As well as the visual indicator, many defibrillators will also have an audio status indicator, this is normally a ‘beeping’ sound. This beep will typically only sound if the defibrillator finds something wrong.
One of the most common reasons for a defibrillator showing an error on the status indicators is consumables (pads and batteries) being out of date.
Checking electrode pads and batteries
Electrode pads and batteries typically have a lifespan between 2 to 5 years. The expiry dates on your pads and batteries will be marked clearly, usually beside an egg timer symbol.
Keeping track of these expiry dates could become challenging, if you have several defibrillators across different locations for example. That is why Defib Warehouse will contact any of our customers with upcoming expiries via email.
This email will contain details of the consumables coming up to expiry as well as a link to purchase new pads or batteries from our website.
Some defibrillators such as the HeartSine models and the LIFEPAK CR Plus offer their pads and batteries combined in a charge pack – removing the need to replace both.
AED Servicing / Health Checks
The most effective way to ensure that your device is in full working order is to book an AED Health Check with Defib Warehouse for just £175 +VAT. One of our qualified defibrillator maintenance engineers will come out to your device and perform the following checks:
- A visual check to ensure that the unit has full functionality and there is no damage to the case, screen, buttons and connections.
- Battery and pad check for installation date and when replacements are due
- A check of the pad terminal to make sure it is functioning and clear of debris
- Confirmation that the pads attached are suitable to the model and in good condition
- A check to see if the defibrillator will administer a shock correctly
You will receive a certificate stating that your device passed the health check following this.
Maintenance Contract
You can give yourself peace of mind for the next 3 or 5 years by signing up for one of Defib Warehouse’s Defibrillator maintenance contracts.
Each maintenance contract comes with the following across your choice or 3 or 5 years for just £200+VAT per year:
- Registration in our maintenance system, allowing us to notify you of any product recalls or updates through the duration of the contract
- Annual servicing of your defibrillator, completed on-site by one of our certified engineers
- Discount on any consumables (pads and batteries) through the maintenance period
- Email notifications when your consumables are due to expire
- 10 e-learning licenses annually on our bespoke platform
- A loan defibrillator in case of malfunction or repairs to your device
View our defibrillator maintenance contract page here.
