AED Legislative Update
This month our partners: Fitness Business Canada produced an article regarding the proposed Government of Ontario Bill, The Defibrillator Access Act.
Bill 41, if implemented would require public places such as schools, fitness facilities, hockey arenas and other public areas to have AED’s installed and available in their facilities. Owners of facilities would also need to ensure that training is undertaken and that an AED trained individual is available at the facility at all times.
On May 6th 2010, the proposed Bill was ordered referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Policy, which means that the Bill will either be ratified or axed completely. FIC is keeping a close watch on the status of this Bill and will intervene if we feel that the proposed Bill will negatively affect our industry. As we all know legislation tends to spread across our country, therefore we need to ensure that onerous legislation is not passed without your knowledge in any jurisdiction.
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Establishing AEDs in public places causes an increase in costs for facilities by having to install and maintain equipment as well as pay for specific training in CPR and defibrillator use. It may also expose the owner of the facility to lawsuits if there is a failure to comply. However, since 2006, over 20 lives have been saved because of quick access to an AED in Ontario. Without quick access to an AED, every minute that goes by for an individual experiencing cardiac arrest, their chances of survival drop between 7% and 10%.
Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) is a supporter of AED legislation that contains reasonable liability protections regarding the use and non-use of AED for club owners and their employees. FIC is in support of reasonable staffing requirements for staffed and unstaffed clubs as well as adequate compliance time.
Bill 41 link to www.ontla.on.ca/web/bills/bills_detail.do?locale=en&Intranet=&BillID=2320
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