For any organisation, having a functioning defibrillator on hand is an essential part of workplace safety. If you manage a school, office, factory, or public facility, you are entrusted with providing access to vital emergency equipment and ensuring that it remains ready for use at all times.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK offers firm guidance on first aid provision, and more workplaces are moving to install AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) as part of their first aid arrangements.

However, placing an AED on the wall is not the end of the job. Maintenance is a legal and practical requirement. If an AED fails during an emergency because the battery has run flat or the pads are out of date, the consequences can be catastrophic—for the casualty, but also for you, from a compliance and liability perspective. Traditional defibrillator maintenance is time-consuming. It often requires checking separate battery and electrode pad expiry dates, managing multiple component orders, and ensuring replacements are installed correctly and on time. Mistakes and oversights are common, especially in busy workplaces where competing safety tasks fill every minute.

Missing a routine check or misplacing a service schedule might seem minor at the time, but in practice these issues can easily result in a defibrillator being unavailable or unfit for use. This directly puts lives at risk and exposes your organisation to legal scrutiny.

The PAD-PAK cartridge system from HeartSine, as found in the Samaritan PAD 360P Fully Automatic AED, simplifies this process. By combining the battery and electrodes into a single, easily replaceable unit with one expiry date, PAD-PAK cartridges remove much of the administration and uncertainty. Streamlining maintenance means staff have one clear task: replace the cartridge before its single expiry date. This directly reduces the risk of AED failure and supports your organisation’s compliance and readiness obligations.

Common Pitfalls

Despite the clear advantages, many organisations still get AED maintenance wrong in practice. The most common pitfalls include:

Tracking multiple expiry dates
Facilities teams often rely on spreadsheets, wall calendars or sticker systems to track both battery and separate pad expiry dates. Mistakes or omissions creep in, especially as both components sometimes require replacement at different intervals.
Assuming AEDs are self-sufficient
The assumption that a beeping or blinking light is the sole indicator of an issue leads some to neglect scheduled checks—unaware that electrodes could degrade or a battery could lose charge without any immediate warning.
Incorrect installation or incompatibility
Ordering the wrong replacement consumable, or making mistakes during installation, go unnoticed until the device undergoes a periodic check or, worse, is needed in an emergency.
Cost-based shortcuts
In a drive to save money, some workplaces attempt to replace only pads or batteries individually (when supported), but this increases workload, risk, and the chance of error.
Failure to incorporate AED checks into the wider H&S routine
AEDs are frequently left out of routine health and safety or first aid checks, creating blind spots in maintenance.

If these points are missed, your AED may not work in a genuine cardiac emergency, or it could be out of compliance with first aid risk assessment requirements. For decision makers, this can become a serious breach of workplace health and safety duties.

Step-by-Step Fix

Moving to PAD-PAK cartridges with your HeartSine Samaritan PAD 360P means you only have a single consumable to manage, drastically cutting maintenance effort. Here is how to do it properly:

Step 1: Confirm correct PAD-PAK and AED pairing
HeartSine PAD-PAK cartridges are model-specific. For the Samaritan PAD 360P Fully Automatic, you need the designated compatible PAD-PAK, which combines electrodes and battery suited for this device’s operational requirements.

Read the AED label and user manual to identify your model.
Purchase only from reputable suppliers. A trusted UK stockist like DefibSpace is ideal.
Child/paediatric PAD-PAK versions are also available (usually with a different colour code. Grey for adults, pink or blue for paediatrics).

DefibSpace Tip:
Keep a spare adult PAD-PAK and, if your site covers children, a paediatric PAD-PAK in a clearly marked location next to your AED. In an emergency, immediate access saves lives.

Step 2: Schedule a single expiry date and record it properly
With a PAD-PAK cartridge system, you only need to keep track of one expiry date. This is printed clearly on each PAD-PAK cartridge itself.

On the day you install a new PAD-PAK, write the expiry date in your AED maintenance log.
Mark the date prominently on your first aid room calendar, or set an alert on your digital maintenance system.
Align expiry checks with monthly, quarterly, or annual H&S inspections for easy integration.

DefibSpace Tip:
Set a digital reminder at least eight weeks before the cartridge expiry. This gives you time to order a replacement and allows for any shipping delays, especially if your AED is critical infrastructure.

Step 3: Install the PAD-PAK correctly, every time
Installation is straightforward but must be correct for the AED to function. Most HeartSine models power up once a cartridge is connected and the device cover is closed.

Here is a summary of the process:

Power off the AED and open the PAD-PAK compartment.
Remove the old cartridge carefully from its housing.
Unpack the new PAD-PAK. Double-check the expiry date.
Insert the new PAD-PAK firmly until it clicks. The AED will often perform a self-test (follow the device prompts).
Close the compartment securely.

Detailed, illustrated instructions are provided in the HeartSine user manual and typically on a sticker located inside the device compartment.

DefibSpace Tip:
Schedule a brief, supervised demonstration so all first aiders know how to perform a PAD-PAK swap. Even a training device or manufacturer video helps build familiarity and reduces human error under pressure.

Step 4: Update your maintenance records
After installation, update your AED log with the type of PAD-PAK fitted, the installation date, and the new expiry date.

Use a dedicated AED maintenance sheet or logbook (free templates are widely available).
Include a simple tick-box line for the monthly visual check.
If you use a digital asset register, upload a photo of the new PAD-PAK and its packaging for evidence.

Ensure your health and safety coordinator or designated first aider is responsible for following up as the expiry approaches.

DefibSpace Tip:
Print and laminate a quick reference sheet showing cartridge location, expiry check routine, and fitting instructions. Attach it inside the AED cabinet or storage site for easy reference.

Step 5: Integrate into site-wide first aid and H&S checks
AED checks must be part of your existing safety protocols.

Add a “defibrillator check” to every routine first aid kit or emergency equipment inspection.
Assign a named responsible person and audit compliance quarterly.
Record that PAD-PAK expiry and device readiness have been reviewed.

Consider aligning with any HSE or local authority inspection schedule, so AED readiness is captured alongside fire safety and first aid provision reviews.

DefibSpace Tip:
If you manage multiple sites or AEDs, use a central secure database or key contacts list that tracks all device locations, responsible persons, and PAD-PAK expiry dates. Modern systems can send automated reminders and reduce human error.

Step 6: Respond after every AED use
A PAD-PAK cartridge must be replaced immediately after an AED has been used in a real emergency, regardless of the expiry date.

After use, clean the device according to HeartSine instructions.
Remove and dispose of the used PAD-PAK (consult local clinical waste guidance where appropriate).
Install a new PAD-PAK straight away so your AED is ready for future emergencies.
Log the incident and update your records to avoid confusion.

DefibSpace Tip:
Keep a written checklist of “what to do after AED use” inside the AED cabinet or with your first aid kits. In the post-incident rush, a clear printable reminder avoids important steps being missed.

What Most People Miss

The real advantage of PAD-PAK cartridges is the reduction in human error—a factor repeatedly identified in both real-world incident reports and regulatory audits.

A single expiry date means there is far less room for confusion or missed deadlines. Your staff do not have to remember which separate component is nearing expiry or risk swapping one part while forgetting the other. This approach narrows your margin for error and simplifies training. First aiders only need to learn one process.

Another important factor is psychological: when maintenance is straightforward and clearly documented, staff are more likely to actually follow through. Compliance rises, and the AED is much less likely to be out of action when it matters most.

Best practice is to integrate AED maintenance into the broader safety culture of your organisation, not to treat it as an isolated technical task. With PAD-PAK cartridges, maintenance fits naturally into your main first aid routines.

The Bigger Picture

When you move to a PAD-PAK system, you make life easier for your facilities team and improve your site’s emergency readiness, supporting your first aid risk assessments and meeting your duty of care.

Streamlined maintenance means better AED uptime. When a crisis hits—a cardiac arrest on your premises—your staff’s response is likely to be swift, effective, and legally defensible. Accessible records and simple, well-drilled routines ensure your device is ready and your team is confident.

Switching to PAD-PAK cartridges can also bring these benefits:

Consolidates procurement, simplifying budgeting and supply chains for consumables.
Reduces the risk of stock-outs, delays, or inappropriate substitutions.
Makes compliance easier to demonstrate to insurers, the HSE or inspectors.
Encourages a proactive attitude to all emergency kit maintenance.

Many workplace managers report an improvement in overall safety culture when defibrillator checks follow this practical route. That means fewer accidental lapses, cleaner audit trails, and better outcomes when minutes make the difference.

Wrap-Up

Introducing PAD-PAK cartridges to your HeartSine Samaritan PAD 360P is a practical, proven method for reducing maintenance time, cutting risk, and ensuring your defibrillator is always ready when required. By focusing on one reliable replacement process and expiry date, your first aid arrangements become both simpler for your people and stronger for your organisation.

Record expiry dates, train staff on cartridge swaps, document each check, and make AED maintenance a routine, not a scramble. This small operational change can make all the difference when an emergency strikes.

For further detail on compatible PAD-PAK cartridges, device selection, or template maintenance schedules, see Heartsine Samaritan PAD 360P Fully Automatic AED.

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