AED Compliance and Maintenance: The Complete Australian Guide

Buying an AED is straightforward. Keeping it compliant, tested, and ready to save a life for the next five to ten years is where most organisations fall short.

This guide covers the complete lifecycle of AED ownership in Australia — from installation through to annual testing, pad and battery replacement, and the documentation your insurer and WHS auditor will ask for. For guidance on which AED to buy, see our AED comparison guide for Australian workplaces.

Step 1: Installation and Placement

The goal is that any person — trained or not — can locate and retrieve the device within 60 seconds. Guidelines:

• High-traffic, highly visible location — near reception, building entrances, or main corridors
• Within 90 seconds of any point in the building
• At eye level — 1.2–1.5 metres from the floor
• Accessible 24/7 — the SA AED Act requires accessibility to the public at all times

Step 2: Wall Cabinet

Mount your AED in an alarmed wall cabinet. The cabinet alarm draws attention and deters tampering. We stock ZOLL and WAP AED wall cabinets suitable for all major AED brands.

Step 3: Signage

Signage is not optional under the SA AED Act. You need an ILCOR location sign at the AED plus directional arrows along corridors leading to it. We stock the full range of AED signs for all brands including ZOLL, Defibtech, and WAP.

Step 4: Register Your AED

Register with your state ambulance service after installation. In most Australian states, this is free and takes less than 10 minutes. For SA compliance specifically, read our SA AED legislation guide. For Queensland, see our Queensland AED requirements guide.

Step 5: Annual Testing and Maintenance

Annual testing should include a full functional test, pad and battery expiry check, cabinet and signage inspection, and a NATA-certified calibration certificate. Our AED testing service covers all of this — carried out by the same biomedical engineers who service AEDs for Queensland Ambulance Service and NSW Ambulance.

Pad and Battery Replacement Schedule

Brief Your Team

At minimum, your team should know where the AED is, how to open the cabinet, and that the device talks them through every step. For full training guidance including nationally accredited courses, see our AED training guide for Australian workplaces.

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