It is important to note that sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is not the same as heart attack. SCA occurs when electrical impulses in the heart become rapid or chaotic, which causes the heart to suddenly stop beating. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is blocked. A heart attack may ultimately cause cardiac arrest.

SCA is a leading cause of death in the United States and accounts for 13 percent of workplace fatalities, according to OSHA. The only effective therapy for the most common cause of SCA, which is ventricular fibrillation, is defibrillation. According to the AHA, a victim’s chances of survival are reduced by 7 to 10 percent with every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation.

In cities where defibrillation is provided within 5 to 7 minutes, the survival rate is as high as 30-45 percent. Unfortunately, reports indicate it generally takes six to 12 minutes for the average emergency medical services team to arrive at the scene of an emergency. In industrial facilities, response times can be complicated by sprawling complexes and/or security restrictions.

Convinced that early defibrillation saves lives, Tall approached Washington Mutual executives and convinced his colleagues to incorporate AEDs into the company’s emergency preparedness program.

“After an extensive and exhaustive review of the various AED products on the market, we chose Philips HeartStart On-Site Defibrillators,” says Tall. “Our selection criteria included simplicity of use, total cost of ownership, maintenance requirements, safety, reliability and track record.”

Washington Mutual occupies 42 floors of the WaMu Center, Seattle’s sixth tallest building. In July 2007, Washington Mutual installed 42 HeartStart OnSite Defibrillators, one on each work area floor of its new headquarters.

“The time it takes to get to the lobby, clear security and wait for the elevator wastes valuable minutes for someone experiencing SCA.” says Tall. “That’s why our AED program also includes trained Emergency Response Teams (ERT) on each floor at a target ratio of one ERT member to 20 employees,” Unlike Washington Mutual, many organizations, large and small, are unsure of how to best implement AED programs. For Riviera Utilities, Foley, AL, it came down to cost.

“We knew that AEDs made sense given the type of work we do and the hazards we face on a daily basis,” says Bill Burchett, Riviera’s Superintendent of Safety and Risk Management. “Finally, in 2004, we found ourselves in a position to add AEDs to our safety program, and we chose Philips Heart-Start FR2+ Defibrillators.” Burchett says the unit’s rugged reliability and ease of use were key in the decision making process.

“We tell our people that the hardest part of deploying the unit is unzipping the carrying case—it’s an extremely user-friendly device.” Riviera has 18 HeartStart Defibrillators distributed throughout its six locations, and each supervisor carries a unit in his or her truck. “Now that we have the AEDs, we hope we never have to use them,” says Burchett. “However, it’s very comforting to know that we have the ability to respond and the potential to save lives if and when the need arises.”

Many organizations now agree the benefits of implementing an early defibrillation program in the workplace far outweigh the risks. According to the American College of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 34 percent of those who have implemented an AED program have used their AED at least once in order to help save a life. And the American Heart Association reports that as many as 40,000 lives could be saved annually with widespread access to defibrillators.

Still, the fear of liability and lawsuits causes some to be reluctant about AED programs. However, legislation, including Good Samaritan Laws, effective in many states, provide a great deal of protection against liability for responders acting in good faith to help save a life. To date, there have been no known successful lawsuits against lay rescuers providing CPR or deploying AEDs. In contrast, some companies have been held liable for not making AEDs available.

It’s been eight years since Craig Tall’s initial brush with death and one year since Washington Mutual implemented its AED program. “My experience with heart disease has helped me focus on what’s important in life. Each and every day is a gift and another chance to make a difference,” says Tall. “If we never have cause to deploy one of our 42 Philips HeartStart Defibrillators it will still be the best investment Washington Mutual has ever made.” FSM

Kristen Lappin, Field Marketing Manager for Philips Healthcare, works with businesses interested in establishing AED programs in the workplace. kristen.lappin@philips.com 206.664.5016