HARRISBURG – Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-46) and Sen. Nick Pisciottano (D-45) to ensure life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs) are available where Pennsylvania lineworkers perform some of the most dangerous work was advanced unanimously today by the Senate Labor and Industry Committee.
Senate Bill 1328, as amended, would require electric utilities and their contractors to have AEDs readily available at worksites where lineworkers and other electrical workers perform their duties, including temporary and field locations.
“Lineworkers put themselves in harm’s way every day to keep our homes, businesses, hospitals and communities powered,” Bartolotta said. “If a worker suffers cardiac arrest, there may be no time to wait for an ambulance particularly in rural areas, where emergency medical services and hospitals can be farther away. We already require AEDs in schools, health clubs and coal mines. The men and women who keep the lights on deserve that same protection.”
Sudden cardiac arrest can result from electrical shock, extreme exertion or trauma. The chance of survival decreases significantly with every minute that passes without defibrillation. AEDs are portable, simple to operate and designed to be used by individuals with minimal training.
“Sudden cardiac arrest can strike without warning and quick access to an AED device makes the difference between life and death,” Pisciottano said. “Pennsylvania’s utility workforce regularly braves dangerous conditions; we owe these essential workers the same emergency protections already provided in other high‑risk environments.”
Senate Bill 1328 now advances to the full Senate for consideration.