Sudden Cardiac Arrest at Work: The Risk Most Organizations Are Not Prepared For

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is one of the most serious medical emergencies that can occur in the workplace, yet it remains widely misunderstood and underprepared for. Many employers view cardiac arrest as a personal health issue rather than an organizational safety risk. This mindset creates a dangerous gap in preparedness.

The reality is simple. Sudden cardiac arrest can happen anywhere. Offices, factories, warehouses, construction sites, logistics hubs, and even meeting rooms are not immune. When it happens, survival depends almost entirely on what happens in the first few minutes before emergency medical services arrive.

For organizations, the real question is not whether a cardiac emergency might occur, but whether the workplace is ready to respond effectively when it does.

Cardiac Emergencies Are Not as Rare as Assumed

Cardiac arrest remains one of the leading causes of sudden death globally. Unlike a heart attack, which is caused by blocked blood flow to the heart, sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical failure that causes the heart to stop beating effectively. Without immediate intervention, it leads to death within minutes.

Difference between cardiac arrest vs heart attack

Workplaces naturally bring together people of different ages, health conditions, and lifestyles. Long working hours, high stress environments, physical exertion, heat exposure, and fatigue all contribute to increased cardiovascular risk. Even seemingly low-risk office environments are not exempt.

Many organizations classify cardiac arrest as a low probability event and plan resources accordingly. However, low probability does not mean low impact. A single incident can result in loss of life, emotional trauma for staff, legal exposure, and reputational damage.

Prepared organizations recognize that cardiac arrest is not rare enough to ignore and not predictable enough to delay action.

Why Sudden Cardiac Arrest Is Different from Other Medical Emergencies

Sudden cardiac arrest is fundamentally different from other workplace medical emergencies.

When someone experiences cardiac arrest, the heart stops pumping blood effectively. The person collapses, loses consciousness within seconds, and stops breathing normally. There is no grace period.

Without immediate CPR and defibrillation using an Automated External Defibrillator, survival chances decrease by approximately 7 to 10 percent with every passing minute.

Key characteristics that make sudden cardiac arrest unique include:

• Sudden onset with little or no warning

• Immediate loss of consciousness

• Survival fully dependent on rapid intervention

Emergency medical services, no matter how efficient, rarely arrive within the first three to five minutes. This means the outcome is decided by bystanders and colleagues on site.

CPR keeps blood flowing to vital organs. An AED delivers a controlled electrical shock to restore a normal heart rhythm. Together, CPR and defibrillation form the only effective response to cardiac arrest.

The Hidden Assumption: Someone Will Know What to Do

Many workplaces operate under a dangerous assumption that someone nearby will know how to respond.

Common beliefs include:

• A trained first aider will be present

• Emergency services will arrive quickly

• Existing emergency plans will be sufficient

In reality, the first responder is almost always a colleague who happens to be closest. This person may have no medical training and must act under extreme pressure.

Without clear guidance, people hesitate. They worry about doing the wrong thing. They wait for instructions. These delays cost lives.

An Automated External Defibrillator is designed to guide untrained users with clear voice prompts. However, this only works if employees know where the AED is located, feel confident using it, and understand that immediate action is encouraged.

Common Gaps in Workplace Cardiac Preparedness

Organizations often believe they are prepared until an incident exposes critical weaknesses. These gaps are not always visible during audits or safety inspections, but they become decisive during real emergencies.

Common gaps include:

• Emergency response plans that focus on fire or evacuation but not cardiac arrest

• No clearly assigned roles during the first critical minutes

• Employees unsure whether to perform CPR or wait for help

• AEDs that are locked away, poorly maintained, or unknown to staff

• Lack of regular training or refreshers

For example, an AED placed in a security office may technically exist, but if employees do not know its location or cannot access it quickly, it may as well not be there.

Effective cardiac emergency preparedness is not about owning equipment alone. It is about integrating AEDs, CPR training, and response protocols into everyday workplace safety culture.

Why Preparedness Is an Organizational Responsibility

Workplace safety is not limited to preventing slips, falls, or machinery accidents. It also includes responding effectively to medical emergencies that can reasonably occur at work.

Employees expect their employer to provide a safe working environment. This expectation extends to life-threatening events such as sudden cardiac arrest.

Preparedness is not about predicting who will be affected. Cardiac arrest can strike individuals with no known medical history. The responsibility lies in ensuring that when it happens, the organization can respond immediately and effectively.

From a risk management perspective, cardiac preparedness also reduces legal exposure, supports duty of care obligations, and demonstrates genuine commitment to employee wellbeing.

Organizations that invest in AEDs, CPR training, and clear response plans send a powerful message that every life matters.

Moving from Awareness to Readiness

Awareness alone does not save lives. Readiness does.

The first step is recognizing sudden cardiac arrest as a workplace risk, just like fire or chemical exposure. From there, organizations can build practical response systems that prioritize speed, clarity, and confidence.

Effective cardiac readiness typically includes:

Strategically placed Automated External Defibrillators

Clear signage and accessibility

Regular CPR and AED training for employees

Simple response protocols that reduce hesitation

Ongoing maintenance and readiness checks

When these elements come together, ordinary colleagues become capable first responders. Lives are saved not by chance, but by design.

Ansac Technology (S) Pte Ltd is ISO 9001 certified for quality management and BizSafe Star certified for workplace safety and health excellence.