In 2022 the South Australian Government passed legislation requiring publicly accessible places to have Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). The Automated External Defibrillator (Public Access) Act 2022 then went through a review which has resulted in the supporting Regulations being developed in 2024. Together, these provide information and guidance on the requirements for installing AEDs.

Catholic Safety and Injury Management (CSaIM) have been closely following the developments and provided feedback during the review stage. Now that the information is finalised and available, we have interpreted the information in light of our unique workplaces in Education, Health, Social Services and Parishes. 

To support you in identifying your site’s requirements, CSaIM have provided the AED Requirements for CCES Worksites information memo. This document provides further detail about the requirements of the Act and highlights where AEDs are needed at CCES worksites. 

This document also contains information about the relevant signage that is required for AEDs, as well as registering the AED and planning for ongoing maintenance. When registering an AED(s), please ensure that you follow the prompts in the ‘Additional information’ text box and include all relevant information such as site name and address. In addition, in the ‘Additional information’ text box, if there are any aspects that are relevant, such as access which may not align to the actual site address, times when not available etc., please include detail of this. For schools, where access to the AED is not available during school holidays, please include this in the text box in caps, e.g. THIS AED IS NOT AVAILABLE DURING SOUTH AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL, PUBLIC HOLIDAYS OR WEEKENDS.

You can also make changes to a registered AED at any time by completing the form available on the Registration page by scrolling down to the ‘Change AED Registration Details’ section.

CSaIM do not endorse any specific AEDs as different worksites need to consider the people most likely to required it (e.g. schools will need to ensure an AED can be used on young children, while Parishes may not need to consider this). 

Keep on the lookout for any groups that are providing grants to support the purchase of AEDs. Preventive Health SA have information regarding grants for not-for-profit organisations. It is important to remember that no matter what AED is purchased, consideration must be given for ongoing maintenance and support of the AED, including the lifespan of the pads and battery.

There is still time to review your worksite and organise for the purchase, installation and signage for any AEDs that are required. The legislation comes into effect from 1st January 2026. If you have further questions about AEDs or any other safety issues, please contact your Safety Business Partner at CSaIM.