How to Run AED Reliability and Maintenance Checks

Last Updated: November 10, 2026

Table of Contents

• Why AED Reliability Checks Decide Whether a Rescue Works
  • What 'Rescue Ready' Actually Means on Your Device
• How Often to Check an AED: Daily, Monthly and Annual Tasks
• Your AED Maintenance Checklist, Step by Step
  • Step 1: Interpret the Status Indicator
  • Step 2: Inspect the Physical Unit and Accessories
• Batteries, Electrode Pads and Consumable Replacement Cycles
• AED Self-Test Troubleshooting When the Device Reports a Fault
• Using an AED Maintenance Log Template That Stands Up to Audit
  • The Fields Every AED Log Should Capture
  • A Copyable Monthly Log Template
  • Linking the Log to Your Legal Duties
• Environmental Factors and Post-Rescue Maintenance
  • Environmental Risks by Setting
  • Post-Rescue Maintenance: What to Do Immediately After Use
• Ordering Replacement Pads and Batteries Before They Expire
• Frequently Asked Questions

Why AED Reliability Checks Decide Whether a Rescue Works

An AED only helps if it powers on and delivers a shock when someone collapses. That is the point of AED reliability and maintenance checks: proving the unit is ready before you need it.

An AED runs a self-test on its own, but that test cannot check everything. Pads dry out, batteries fade, cabinets get knocked, and the device may never tell you something is wrong until the moment it matters.

What 'Rescue Ready' Actually Means on Your Device

Rescue ready is the status an AED shows when its self-tests pass, its battery has charge and its pads are in date and correctly connected. Most units display this as a green tick or a steady green light.

A rescue-ready light is a good sign, not a guarantee. For a plain-language look at operating these devices, see our guide on whether AEDs are easy for laypeople to use.

How Often to Check an AED: Daily, Monthly and Annual Tasks

Check the status indicator daily or at the start of each shift, run a full visual inspection monthly, and arrange professional servicing annually. That three-tier rhythm keeps a defibrillator ready without burying anyone in paperwork.

How often to check an AED depends on use and setting. A busy construction site needs more eyes on its unit than a sealed cabinet in a quiet office.

• Daily: glance at the status indicator and confirm the cabinet is unlocked or the code is known
• Monthly: full visual inspection of the unit, pads, battery and accessories
• Annually: professional service, plus a review of pad and battery expiry dates

Your AED Maintenance Checklist, Step by Step

An AED maintenance checklist works best when it follows the same order every time, so nothing gets skipped and a second person can repeat the check and get the same result.

Safety officer in hi-vis vest checking a wall-mounted AED status light in a factory corridor

Step 1: Interpret the Status Indicator

Read the indicator before touching anything. A green tick or steady green light means the unit passed its last self-test. A flashing red light, a red cross or a beeping tone means the device has logged a fault.

Check the display if your model has one. Many units show a service message or a pad or battery icon. Note the exact wording, because it tells you what to fix.

Step 2: Inspect the Physical Unit and Accessories

Open the cabinet and look closely. Check the casing for cracks and damage, and the carry case for dust, moisture or foreign substances. Confirm the electrode pads are sealed, in date and plugged in.

Then check the rest of the kit:

• Razor, gloves, scissors and towel present and clean
• Rescue mask sealed and in date
• Battery seated firmly with no corrosion

Watch out: pads left unsealed in a hot car or dusty workshop can dry out early, and the unit will still show ready until the pads fail during a rescue.

Batteries, Electrode Pads and Consumable Replacement Cycles

Replace electrode pads and batteries before their printed expiry date, not after. Check the expiry dates printed on your pads and batteries, as these vary by model.

Track both dates in your log and order replacements a month ahead. For LIFEPAK CR2 units, our replacement electrode kit and replacement battery kit both carry a four-year life, so the consumables line up neatly.

Match consumables to the exact model. Match pads and batteries to the exact model, as they are not interchangeable.

AED Self-Test Troubleshooting When the Device Reports a Fault

A red status light or beeping alarm means the self-test found a problem. Start by checking the pads and battery, since those cause most faults.

Work through it in order:

1. Confirm the pads are plugged in fully and in date
2. Reseat the battery and check the contacts
3. Note any error message or beep pattern
4. Replace the pads or battery if either is due
5. Run a manual system test if your model supports it
6. Call the manufacturer's support line if the fault persists

Never put a faulty unit back in the cabinet and hope. Take it out of service and tag it clearly. Our walkthrough on fixing a red AED status light covers the common causes step by step.

Using an AED Maintenance Log Template That Stands Up to Audit

An AED maintenance log template should record the date, the checker's name, the status indicator reading, pad and battery expiry dates, and any faults or actions taken.

Most sites keep records, but few keep records that would survive an audit. A log that captures the same fields in the same order every time lets a second person repeat the check and lets an inspector trace the unit's history without asking questions.

The Fields Every AED Log Should Capture

Build your template around these fields. They cover the checks in this guide and the evidence an inspector will look for:

• Unit identifier, serial number and location (for example, "Reception wall cabinet, Level 2")
• Date and time of the check
• Checker's name and role

A Copyable Monthly Log Template

Paper logs work, but they get lost. A digital logbook on a shared drive or a simple spreadsheet is easier to search and harder to fudge.

Use this structure as a starting point for a spreadsheet or printed form. One row per check, one column per field:

A digital version has three practical advantages over paper: it timestamps entries automatically, it can flag a pad or battery expiry date approaching, and it can be exported as a PDF if an inspector or insurer asks for a history. A shared spreadsheet with a reminder set a month before each expiry date does most of this without buying software.

Watch out: a log that records only "checked, OK" is worse than no log, because it looks like compliance without proving it. If a field is not recorded, an inspector will treat the check as not done.

Linking the Log to Your Legal Duties

Under the model Work Health and Safety Regulations, workplaces must provide first aid equipment and maintain it in good order, and the code of practice on first aid in the workplace sets out how to assess and review those arrangements.

The log is how you demonstrate that duty was met. It should sit alongside your first aid risk assessment, not replace it. Our workplace AED compliance checklist maps the documentation an inspector will expect to see.

Environmental Factors and Post-Rescue Maintenance

Heat, moisture, dust and salt air can shorten the life of pads and batteries. The manufacturer's operating and storage temperature range is the figure that matters, and it is printed in the manual and often on the cabinet label.

Environmental Risks by Setting

Different environments attack an AED in different ways. Match your check frequency and storage choice to the setting:

• Hot workshops and vehicles, pads dry out and batteries self-discharge faster. Keep the unit out of direct sun and away from heat sources such as welders or engines. Check pad seals monthly for cracking or lifting.
• Humid and coastal sites, moisture and salt air corrode battery contacts and cabinet hinges. Wipe contacts dry, inspect for green or white corrosion, and check more often than the standard monthly cycle.
• Dusty industrial environments, dust ingress clogs buttons and vents and coats pads if the seal fails. Keep the carry case closed, clean the cabinet exterior, and inspect pad packaging for dust or moisture.

Store the AED in a cabinet that keeps it dry and within the manufacturer's temperature range. If a site cannot meet that range, relocate the unit rather than hope the self-test compensates.

Post-Rescue Maintenance: What to Do Immediately After Use

Post-rescue maintenance is the step most sites miss. After a deployment, the unit has done its job but is no longer rescue ready until it is reset. Work through this sequence before the unit goes back in the cabinet:

1. Replace the pads. Used pads are spent and cannot be reused. Order a replacement set the same day.
2. Check the battery. A rescue draws significant charge. Confirm the battery still shows full or replace it if the unit indicates low charge.
3. Note event data. Many units store the ECG and shock history. Download it if your model supports it, or note the incident details in the log while they are fresh. Keep the data secure and follow your privacy obligations for health information.
4. Clean the unit. Wipe the casing and cabinet with a manufacturer-approved cleaner. Do not immerse the unit or use solvents.
5. Inspect for damage. Check the casing, buttons and connector for cracks or contamination from the rescue.
6. Run a self-test. Confirm the status indicator returns to rescue ready before the unit goes back into service.
7. Record the event. Log the date, the outcome, the parts replaced and the return-to-service date. This entry sits alongside your routine checks and is often the first thing an inspector or insurer asks for after an incident.

A used AED sitting in a cupboard with spent pads is not protecting anyone. A same-day replacement of pads and a logged return-to-service date close the gap between "it was used" and "it is ready again."

Watch out: event data can contain personal health information. Store downloads securely and follow your organisation's privacy policy rather than leaving them on a shared drive.

Ordering Replacement Pads and Batteries Before They Expire

PFA Shop lists consumables for AED models, so you can match pads and batteries to your device. Pair your order with a maintenance log and a monthly reminder, and the whole cycle runs itself.

Keeping a defibrillator ready takes a routine, not a lot of time. Set a monthly reminder, log every check, and replace pads and batteries before they expire.

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