According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the only definitive treatment for sudden cardiac arrest is a defibrillation, an electrical pulse that restores normal heart rhythm. To be effective, however, the treatment must be administered within the first few minutes of cardiac arrest, often well before emergency medical services can respond. The AHA estimates that widespread deployment of AEDs in offices and factories could save 100,000 lives annually in the U.S. alone.

OSHA agrees. AEDs are easy to use and can make the critical difference in reviving individuals who suffer a cardiac crisis," said former OSHA Administrator John L. Henshaw. "Administered within three minutes, the electric shock (defibrillation) restores the normal rhythm to the victim's heart and can increase survival rates from less than 5 percent to nearly 75 percent. Immediate defibrillation can revive more than 90 percent of victims."

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