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VAUGHAN, ONT. – The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) and Smart Safety Solutions have put together a  to help employers build a policy governing the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).

As of Jan. 1, all construction sites with 20 or more workers that will be active for at least three months are required to have an AED, also known as a Mikey, onsite.

According to a release, the guide outlines 13 steps along with several resources constructors can use to build their own specific policies. 

The guide will help employers define the roles and responsibilities of all workplace parties involved in a workplace AED program, figure out the equipment that’s required, where it should be placed on a jobsite, what training is necessary and how implementation should be rolled out.

“The first and most important act is for an employer to conduct a hazard assessment as construction workers face an elevated risk of cardiac events due to high-stress environments, physically demanding work, and exposure to various high-risk conditions on a jobsite,” says RESCON VP Andrew Pariser in a statement. “The other steps in the guide will help ensure a constructor is prepared.”

For a copy .

News of the guide follows a Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) announcement that a rebate program has been established to help employers with the cost of purchasing an AED during the transition phase. Purchases made between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2027 are eligible for reimbursements.

�ȵ����es can be reimbursed for up to $2,500 a unit.  for more information from the WSIB. 

Employers can also reach out to the  if they need an AED. The network was started in 2002 after the death of Mike Salem, a partner in Heathwood Homes and Herity. Over the last 24 years, the organization has helped place more than 3,000 AEDs across Canada, the release adds.