This February is National Heart Month and time for our annual reminder of the importance of recognising the signs and symptoms of heart-related illnesses at work.
If someone in your workplace suffered a heart attack or cardiac arrest today, would you know how to save their life when every second counts?
Could you save someone’s life at work?
According to the British Heart Foundation, every year more than 30,000 people in the UK have a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital environment. That might be at home, in the street – or in the workplace.
Currently, fewer than one in 10 people get access to the immediate medical attention they need to survive. This means:
- Someone that recognises what is happening
- Someone that can perform CPR
- A defibrillator
When these three things are present, a person’s odds of survival are greatly increased. Without them, they will almost certainly die.
With this in mind, businesses should ensure all staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of heart-related illnesses. They should also implement CPR training and install a defibrillator for use in an emergency. In these ways they will help protect themselves against the unthinkable – a death at work.
Find out more: Does my workplace need a defibrillator?
Our guide to installing a defibrillator in your workplace
Cardiac arrest in the workplace: Jolie’s story
Jolie was just 30 years old when she suffered a cardiac arrest at work. Fortunately, her friend and colleague Louise was able to perform CPR, keeping her alive until paramedics arrived.
The fit and healthy mum-of-one was a primary school deputy head teacher and was leading morning assembly when she collapsed.
Louise, who had recently undergone refresher training in CPR, recognised the signs of sudden cardiac arrest immediately and stepped in to perform CPR. Without her actions, Jolie would not be here today.
Listen to Jolie’s story in her own words.
Heart attack vs cardiac arrest: What’s the difference?
A cardiac arrest and a heart attack are not the same, although they are often mistaken as such.
A heart attack happens when the blood supply to the heart muscle is cut off. Someone having a heart attack may clutch their chest, become breathless, or complain of pain in their shoulder or left arm. Find out more about the signs someone might be having a heart attack. They will usually be conscious and breathing. They need to go to hospital as soon as possible for proper assessment and treatment.
By contrast, someone who experiences a sudden cardiac arrest will collapse without warning. They will be unconscious, unresponsive, and either not breathing at all or not breathing normally. This is because their heart has stopped beating.
A sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can happen to anyone, of any age, at any time, even if they are very fit and healthy and have no prior history of heart trouble. Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. Without immediate medical attention, someone in cardiac arrest will die within minutes.
Cardiac arrest: How to save a life
Someone in cardiac arrest needs a controlled electric shock, administered by a defibrillator, to restart their heart and restore normal rhythm.
Until that can happen, CPR is the only thing that will keep them alive.
If someone collapses without warning and appears unconscious, you should:
#1 Check their vitals – Are they breathing? Shake them gently by the shoulders and ask them loudly if they can hear you. If they don’t respond:
#2 Call for help – Shout to nearby people to call for an ambulance. If you’re on your own, call 999 and place your mobile phone on speaker.
#3 Start chest compressions immediately and continue until medical assistance arrives
#4 If there is a defibrillator nearby, get someone to bring it to you. Between you, follow the instructions to use it, only stopping CPR when it tells you to do so. You don’t need to have had any prior training on how to use a defibrillator.
[!] Do not stop chest compressions to go and fetch a defibrillator, no matter how close it is.
If you don’t have a workplace defibrillator, the 999 operator will be able to tell you if there is a public access defibrillator located nearby.
The British Heart Foundation offers free online training in how to perform CPR and how to use a defibrillator. All you need is a mobile phone or tablet, and a cushion to practice on. For more information on cardiac arrest, you can also view the charity’s dedicated webpages or consult the Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK website.
Posted 25 Feb 2026
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