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Repair Library / Fire & Life Safety
Fire & Life SafetyAdded September 15, 2026

AED Inspection & Readiness: A Facility Maintenance Guide

AED maintenance is mostly about readiness: the device is where it belongs, accessible, showing a normal ready status, and stocked with unexpired model-approved pads and battery.

Wall-mounted emergency defibrillator cabinet containing a Philips HeartStart AED
Real-world facility equipment. Exact hardware and requirements vary; use the installed equipment's label/manual, site procedures, and applicable code.
Life-safety equipment: An AED must be ready when someone is in cardiac arrest. This guide is for readiness inspections, not internal repair or medical training. During an emergency, call 911, begin CPR as trained, retrieve the AED and follow its voice/visual prompts.
In this guide
  1. How often to check
  2. Readiness check
  3. When to call the AED provider
  4. After use
  5. What to record

How often to check

Use the AED manufacturer's inspection schedule and your facility's emergency-response/AED program. As a practical facility routine, a documented monthly readiness check is a useful baseline unless the manufacturer or site program requires more frequent checks. Also check after an AED has been used, after an alarm/error indication, and after any event that could have damaged the cabinet or device.

Monthly readiness check

1. Status indicator

Confirm the device displays the manufacturer's normal ready/OK status. A red, failed, blank or unfamiliar status indication requires follow-up using the device manual or service provider.

2. Access and cabinet

Confirm the AED is in its designated location, readily accessible, not blocked, and the cabinet/signage are intact. If the cabinet has an alarm, verify it according to the site's approved procedure without compromising AED readiness.

3. Pads and battery

Check that electrode-pad packages are sealed and within their expiration date, and that the battery status/expiration or replacement date is acceptable for the model. Confirm required pediatric pads/key, spare battery or other site-required accessories are present where applicable.

4. Physical condition

Look for cracks, contamination, moisture, missing components, damaged cables/connectors or evidence of tampering. Do not dismantle the AED for a routine facility inspection.

5. Rescue kit and signage

Verify the site's intended rescue supplies are present and usable, such as gloves, scissors, razor and barrier mask, and that directional/AED signage remains visible.

When to call your AED service provider

Escalate when:

• The ready/OK indicator is not normal or the AED reports an error.
• Pads or battery are expired, near the facility's replacement threshold, damaged or missing.
• The AED has been used.
• The cabinet, AED, cable, connector or accessories are damaged or contaminated.
• The unit was exposed to water, extreme temperature or another condition outside manufacturer limits.
• Required accessories are missing and cannot be replaced with the exact approved item.
• You cannot verify the device is rescue-ready.

After the AED is used

Do not simply return it to the cabinet. Follow the manufacturer's post-use process and the facility's medical/emergency-response program. Typically this includes replacing used pads and other consumed supplies, checking/replacing the battery if required, cleaning the device as instructed, downloading/event-data handling only by authorized personnel, and confirming the AED returns to its normal ready status before it is placed back in service.

What to record

Record AED location/ID, date, ready-status indication, pad expiration, battery status/date, cabinet/access condition, accessory status, deficiencies and corrective action. Keep the record consistent with your facility's AED program and manufacturer recommendations.

References