Ontario Bill 141 Makes AEDs a Necessity in Public Spaces

Ontario Bill 141 Makes AEDs a Necessity in Public Spaces

Bill 141, the Defibrillator Registration and Public Access Act, 2020, has received Royal assent and passed into law. Bill 141 is important to Ontario as availability of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) is viewed as essential to public health. How will making AEDs accessible in public spaces assist in saving Ontarian lives? It comes down to three key statistics.

1. Approximately 7,000 Ontarians experience a cardiac arrest each year
2. Up to 85% of cardiac arrests occur at home or in public
3. Survival rates increase to more than 50% when defibrillation is used in conjunction with CPR within minutes of cardiac arrest

AEDs are integral when it comes to preventing tragic deaths due to cardiac arrest. We at Heartzap are ecstatic about what Bill 141 will mean to public health, and we’re ready to help make your environment safer.

Bill 141: What AEDs in Designated and Public Spaces Will Look Like

Bill 141 introduces many new requirements for owners of designated or public premises. A full transcript of the Defibrillator Registration and Public Access Act, 2020 has been posted by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario so you can read the document in its entirety. Key points include:

• Ensure that Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are installed and easily located as per regulations. Signs pointing to your AED are also mandatory for visibility.
• AEDs are to be tested as per manufacturer’s guidelines, and any other official guidelines prescribed.
• Employers and employees are to be trained in AED operation from an accredited education program.
• AEDs will undergo mandatory inspections and AED owners are required to perform prescribed maintenance in interim.
• AEDs must be properly registered, and relevant authorities informed upon movement of AED placement in public areas.

If you aren’t already equipped with AEDs and AED training, this can seem like a huge project. You need to:

• Locate a distributor of Health Canada approved AEDs and AED accessories
• Train your staff with an approved education program
• Install and maintain your AED

Luckily, Heartzap can help with all three of these challenges.

Heartzap is a One Stop Shop for Your AED Needs

Heartzap offers a variety of Health Canada approved Automated External Defibrillator (AED) brands such as ZOLL and Cardiac Science. We even stock AED accessories to ensure that you can keep life-saving AED stations visible to everyone, even those unfamiliar with the layout of your premise.

If you or anyone you employ aren’t AED certified, Heartzap also offers a variety of CPR/AED safety training courses. We can even tailor our programs to meet your specific work environment. If you’re already certified, we can refresh your knowledge – especially now that social distancing is impacting first aid best practices.

If you’re ready to install a life saving AED on your premise, or are in need of AED certification training, contact Heartzap.