AED placement guidelines are about much more than finding an empty wall for a defibrillator. Where an AED is located affects how quickly it can be found, retrieved and brought to someone experiencing a cardiac arrest. The best location is visible, clearly signposted, accessible and close enough to the people it is intended to protect.

Buying an Automated External Defibrillator is therefore only the first step.

You also need to decide where it will be located, who can access it, how people will find it and who will make sure it remains ready for use.

A defibrillator hidden in an office, locked away when a building closes or installed somewhere nobody knows about may cause unnecessary delays during an emergency.

The principle behind good AED placement is simple:

Make the defibrillator easy to find and quick to access.

Why Do AED Placement Guidelines Matter?

When someone experiences a cardiac arrest, they become unresponsive and stop breathing normally.

This is a medical emergency.

Someone should call 999, CPR should begin and an AED should be used as soon as one is available.

The longer it takes somebody to locate and retrieve the AED, the longer the casualty waits for potential defibrillation.

That means the question isn’t simply:

“Does our building have an AED?”

A better question is:

“How quickly could somebody get our AED to a casualty?”

This should influence every decision about where you put it.

If you are unsure how the equipment is actually used, our step-by-step guide to using an AED explains the emergency process.

What Do Current AED Placement Guidelines Recommend?

Current Resuscitation Council UK adult basic life support guidance recommends that AEDs should:

be placed in clear sight
have their location clearly signposted
be housed in unlocked cabinets
be readily accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
be registered with The Circuit

Resuscitation Council UK particularly identifies high-footfall locations such as airports, shopping centres and railway stations as places where readily accessible public AEDs should be available.

Communities are also encouraged to place AEDs in public spaces, particularly where there is a higher incidence of cardiac arrest.

These AED placement guidelines provide a useful starting point for workplaces, schools, sports clubs, community organisations and public access defibrillator schemes.

AED Placement Guidelines for Workplaces

There isn’t one correct position that applies to every workplace.

An office with 20 employees on one floor is very different from a factory, warehouse, school, construction site or large industrial facility.

Think about the layout of the premises and where people spend their time.

Potential locations might include:

reception areas
main entrances
central corridors
security desks
staff hubs
sports or leisure reception areas
areas connecting different parts of a site

The AED should normally be somewhere people can identify and reach quickly.

Avoid choosing a location simply because there is an empty cupboard or spare wall space.

Convenience for storing the AED is less important than accessibility during an emergency.

Consider the Whole Site, Not Just the Main Building

Large workplaces need to look beyond reception.

Consider whether people work in:

separate buildings
warehouses
workshops
remote areas
upper floors
basements
yards
loading areas
sports grounds
detached offices

An AED may appear centrally located on a floor plan while still taking several minutes to retrieve from parts of the site.

Walk the routes yourself.

Consider stairs, security doors, lifts, controlled-access areas and the distances people actually need to travel.

For a large or complex site, one AED may not provide the level of accessibility you want.

AED Placement Guidelines for Multi-Storey Buildings

For a small two-storey workplace, one centrally positioned AED may be perfectly reasonable.

A large multi-storey building may require a different approach.

Think about:

number of floors
floor area
stairs
lift availability
security doors
number of occupants
visitors
likely retrieval time

Do not assume a lift will always provide the quickest route during an emergency.

Physically test how long it takes to retrieve the AED from different areas.

This provides far more useful information than simply looking at a building plan.

Should an AED Be Kept at Reception?

Reception can be a good AED location, but only if it works for the premises.

Advantages may include:

staff are often present
visitors can identify the location
it is usually easy to describe
the area may already be monitored
the AED can be clearly signposted

But there can also be problems.

If reception is locked when staff leave, the AED may become inaccessible.

If the premises are very large, reception might be too far away from parts of the site.

If the reception desk itself is locked or access controlled, that may introduce another delay.

Choose reception because it is a good emergency location, not simply because it is the obvious place to put equipment.

Avoid Hiding an AED in an Office or Cupboard

AEDs should be visible.

Putting one inside a manager’s office, first aid room or locked cupboard may seem tidy, but it can create problems.

What happens if:

the manager isn’t there?
the office is locked?
the first aider is absent?
a visitor needs the AED?
nobody knows which cupboard it is in?

An AED is emergency equipment.

People should be able to identify its location quickly without searching through rooms or asking who has the key.

AED Placement Guidelines for Cabinets

For public access AEDs, current Resuscitation Council UK guidance recommends unlocked cabinets.

The priority is immediate access.

A locked cabinet can introduce a delay while someone obtains and enters an access code.

Where conditions allow, an unlocked cabinet therefore gives people immediate access to the AED.

This is particularly important for community AEDs that may need to be accessed at any time of day or night.

The right cabinet will depend on whether the AED is being kept indoors or outdoors, the environment and the particular defibrillator being stored.

If you are installing or relocating an AED, you can compare AED cabinets and storage options from Jax First Aid.

Affiliate disclosure: The link above and other Jax First Aid links in this article are affiliate links. If you make a purchase after following one of these links, First Aid and Safety Training may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. We only include affiliate links where the products are relevant to the subject being discussed.

What About Theft and Vandalism?

Concern about theft is understandable.

An AED is expensive equipment.

However, security measures should not create unnecessary barriers to emergency access.

Options to consider can include:

locating the cabinet in a visible public area
CCTV coverage
good lighting
appropriate signage
clearly marking the AED
suitable tracking technology where appropriate
identifying the AED guardian or organisation

The purpose of the equipment is to be retrieved quickly during a cardiac arrest.

Any security arrangement needs to take that into account.

Should a Public AED Be Accessible 24 Hours a Day?

Where possible, yes.

Resuscitation Council UK recommends that AEDs are readily accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

An AED installed inside a building may be unavailable when that building closes.

For example, a defibrillator inside a:

shop
community centre
school
office
leisure facility
church

may only be accessible during opening hours.

That does not mean an AED with restricted access has no value.

The Circuit allows defibrillators that are not available 24/7 to be registered, with their actual availability recorded.

However, if you are planning a new community installation, 24-hour accessibility should form part of your AED placement guidelines and planning.

Register Your AED with The Circuit

Public access AEDs should be registered with The Circuit, the national defibrillator network.

The Circuit provides defibrillator location and availability information to UK ambulance services.

During a 999 call for a suspected cardiac arrest, this can allow the ambulance service to identify an accessible AED nearby and direct someone to retrieve it.

Registering an AED requires information about the device and where it can be found, including its location and accessibility.

It is also important to keep information such as electrode pad expiry dates and rescue-ready status up to date.

The location information needs to be accurate.

Simply owning a defibrillator does not automatically mean the ambulance service knows where it is.

What Is an AED Guardian?

Someone should take responsibility for looking after the AED.

This person is often referred to as the defibrillator guardian or AED guardian.

Their role may include:

checking the AED’s status indicator
checking pad expiry dates
monitoring battery status
updating The Circuit
checking the cabinet
making sure the location remains accessible
arranging replacement consumables
checking the equipment after deployment

An AED should never become equipment that everybody assumes somebody else is checking.

AED Placement Guidelines for Signs and Visibility

People need to know an AED exists before they can retrieve it.

Clear signs can help staff, visitors and members of the public locate it quickly.

Resuscitation Council UK guidance recommends prominent AED signage.

Good signage should make the AED easy to identify and, where necessary, direct people towards its location.

This can be particularly important in:

large workplaces
schools
sports facilities
community buildings
warehouses
public spaces
buildings with several entrances

Projecting signs can be useful inside buildings because they can be seen by somebody approaching from different directions.

Jax First Aid currently supplies a projecting AED location sign, along with other AED equipment and accessories.

Signs should support accessibility rather than compensate for poor placement.

If the AED is hidden away somewhere difficult to reach, adding more signs does not necessarily solve the underlying problem.

AED Placement Guidelines for Outdoor Defibrillators

An outdoor location can provide much better public accessibility, particularly outside normal opening hours.

However, the AED needs suitable protection.

Consider:

weather
rain
moisture
temperature
direct sunlight
frost
cabinet specification
electrical supply where required
manufacturer storage requirements
visibility
accessibility

Do not simply place an indoor AED outside in a basic box.

Check the AED manufacturer’s permitted storage conditions and use an appropriate cabinet for the location.

If you are planning an external installation, Jax First Aid’s AED range includes defibrillators, cabinets and other AED equipment and accessories.

Heated AED Cabinets

Some outdoor AED cabinets use heating to help maintain appropriate environmental conditions.

Whether heating is required will depend on factors including:

AED manufacturer’s storage requirements
local environment
cabinet design
expected temperatures

Follow the requirements for the AED and cabinet you are installing.

A cabinet is there to protect the equipment, not merely to make the installation look professional.

AED Placement Guidelines. Where Should a Defibrillator Be Located

AED Placement Guidelines for Sports Clubs

Sports facilities present some particular challenges.

A cardiac arrest may occur:

inside the clubhouse
in a gym
on a pitch
beside a court
in changing facilities
in spectator areas
in a car park

Putting the AED behind the bar because somebody is usually there may not be the best solution if the playing field is several minutes away.

Walk from the proposed AED position to the furthest areas where players, staff and spectators may be.

Also consider what happens when the clubhouse is closed but training or other activities are taking place.

For clubs travelling to away fixtures, a portable AED may form part of wider emergency planning.

AED Placement in Schools

Schools can have large and complex sites.

Consider:

reception
classrooms
sports halls
playing fields
playgrounds
staff areas
community facilities
detached buildings
after-school activities

A school AED may potentially need to be used on a pupil, employee, visitor or member of the public.

Accessibility outside the normal school day should also be considered where facilities are used by sports clubs or community organisations.

These factors make AED placement guidelines particularly important when deciding where a school defibrillator should be kept.

We will cover the wider issues around school provision in our dedicated AEDs in schools guide.

AED Placement in Warehouses and Factories

Large industrial premises should consider actual travel routes rather than straight-line distance.

Potential barriers include:

machinery
production lines
racking
controlled doors
stairs
large floor areas
external yards
noise
PPE requirements

In noisy workplaces, signage and staff awareness become especially important.

There may also be environmental factors such as dust, water or temperature to consider when selecting the AED and its storage arrangements.

AED Placement on Remote or Outdoor Sites

Remote workplaces create another set of challenges.

Consider:

distance from emergency medical help
communication
mobile phone coverage
site size
vehicle access
weather
AED storage conditions
who is working on site
emergency arrangements

A portable AED may be appropriate in some circumstances, but everyone needs to know where it is.

If equipment moves between vehicles, teams or sites, there should be a clear system for recording its location and maintaining it.

What About Keeping an AED in a Vehicle?

Resuscitation Council UK published specific policy guidance on AEDs in vehicles in 2026.

Its priority remains public access AEDs located in fixed, known locations registered with The Circuit.

However, vehicle carriage may be useful in some circumstances, including for some community responders and people travelling in rural locations.

If an AED is kept in a vehicle, consider:

temperature
accessibility
maintenance
storage
battery condition
pad condition
security
how people know where it is
The Circuit registration where appropriate

A vehicle AED should be part of a planned system, rather than simply being placed in a boot and forgotten.

AED Placement Guidelines: How Far Away Should an AED Be?

This is one area where it is tempting to give a universal number.

In practice, the important consideration is how quickly the AED can reach the casualty.

Buildings and sites vary enormously.

A distance that is easy to cover along an open corridor may take much longer when it involves several floors, security doors or separate buildings.

Instead of relying entirely on a theoretical distance, test your proposed AED location.

Have someone walk quickly from likely emergency locations, retrieve the AED and return.

Repeat this from:

the furthest workplace area
upper floors
external areas
busy areas
detached buildings

If retrieval takes too long, reconsider the location or whether additional AED provision is appropriate.

This simple exercise can make your AED placement guidelines much more relevant to the actual workplace rather than relying solely on a floor plan.

Do UK Workplaces Legally Have to Provide an AED?

There is currently no general health and safety law requiring every UK workplace to provide an AED.

The Health and Safety Executive’s first aid guidance explains that where an employer identifies through its first aid needs assessment that it wishes to provide an AED, the Provision and Use of Workplace Equipment Regulations 1998 apply.

The employer should provide appropriate information and written instructions, such as the manufacturer’s instructions.

HSE also recognises that fuller training is likely to increase user confidence.

CPR and AED use form part of regulated workplace First Aid at Work and Emergency First Aid at Work training.

AED provision should therefore be considered as part of the organisation’s wider emergency and first aid arrangements rather than as an isolated purchase.

What About BS 8599-1:2019+A1:2026?

The British Standard BS 8599-1:2019+A1:2026 expanded the scope of the workplace first aid kit standard to include provision of Automated External Defibrillators in the workplace.

It provides organisations with an additional framework for considering AED provision alongside workplace first aid arrangements.

However, a British Standard is not the same thing as legislation.

Employers should still base their workplace first aid arrangements on their needs assessment and applicable legal duties.

You can read our separate guide to BS 8599-1:2019+A1:2026 and workplace first aid provision.

Review Your AED Placement Guidelines Regularly

AED placement should not be a one-time decision.

Things change.

A business might:

expand
move departments
add another building
change access arrangements
install security doors
alter opening hours
increase staffing
change how premises are used

Review your AED placement guidelines and accessibility whenever significant changes take place.

If an AED is moved, make sure:

signs are updated
staff are informed
emergency arrangements are updated
The Circuit information is changed where applicable

People should never arrive at the old location during an emergency and find an empty cabinet.

AED Placement Checklist

When deciding where to locate an AED, ask:

Can people see it?
Is it clearly signposted?
Can somebody reach it quickly?
Is it behind a locked door?
Is the cabinet unlocked?
Is it available outside normal working hours?
Have we considered the whole site?
Have we tested retrieval from remote areas?
Is the environment suitable for the AED?
Does it need an outdoor cabinet?
Does everyone know where it is?
Is somebody responsible for checking it?
Is it registered with The Circuit?
Are the registered access times correct?
Would another AED be appropriate for a large or complex site?

If several of those questions expose problems, changing the AED location may significantly improve your emergency preparedness.

If the review shows that you need different storage, signage or other equipment, you can view AED equipment and accessories from Jax First Aid.

Good AED Placement Guidelines Make Defibrillators Easier to Reach

A defibrillator is designed to be used.

It should not be treated like expensive equipment that needs to be hidden away for safekeeping.

Good AED placement guidelines focus on reducing barriers between the AED and the person who may need it.

That means making it:

visible
accessible
clearly signposted
properly maintained
registered where appropriate
quick to retrieve

The equipment itself is important, but accessibility is what turns an AED from something you own into something that can be used during an emergency.

Build Confidence Around CPR and AED Use

Anyone can use an AED by following its instructions.

Training can still make a major difference to confidence.

It gives people an opportunity to practise recognising cardiac arrest, starting CPR, retrieving an AED, attaching the pads and following the device’s instructions before they face a real emergency.

First Aid and Safety Training includes practical CPR and AED skills within our regulated workplace first aid qualifications.

Our Emergency First Aid at Work course provides practical training in CPR, AED use and other essential emergency skills.

Organisations requiring more comprehensive workplace provision can consider our First Aid at Work course.

We also provide onsite first aid training for organisations across the North East.

If you would like help choosing appropriate first aid training for your workplace, contact First Aid and Safety Training.

You can also see our South Shields training location and customer reviews on Google.

Real Skills, Real Confidence.