Pennsylvania lawmakers have advanced bipartisan legislation requiring electric utilities and their contractors to keep automated external defibrillators available at worksites where lineworkers and other electrical workers face dangerous conditions.
The state Senate passed Senate Bill 1328, sponsored by Republican Sen. Camera Bartolotta and Democratic Sen. Nick Pisciottano. The measure would require AEDs to be readily available at utility and electrical worksites, including temporary and field locations, according to Bartolotta’s legislative updates.
The bill targets a specific safety risk in an industry where workers regularly operate around energized electrical systems, often in difficult weather and at sites that may be far from emergency services.
Sudden cardiac arrest can result from electrical shock, exertion or trauma. An AED can help restore a normal heart rhythm, and quick access to the device can be critical while emergency medical personnel are on the way.
Supporters argue that utility workers should receive protections comparable to those already required in other settings, including schools, health clubs and coal mines.
“Pennsylvania’s utility lineworkers work in all weather and in inherently dangerous conditions,” said Travis Beck, president of Utility Workers of America System Local 102, according to the announcement.
The legislation passed the Senate by a vote of 47-2, demonstrating broad bipartisan support. It had previously advanced unanimously through the Senate Labor and Industry Committee.
The bill’s practical impact would depend on the requirements ultimately enacted and how utilities and contractors implement them. The legislation is designed to ensure that lifesaving equipment is available where workers need it, rather than relying on emergency responders to bring it to remote or temporary worksites.
The measure comes as Pennsylvania continues to debate workplace safety and the responsibilities of companies operating critical infrastructure. Utility crews perform work that keeps homes, businesses and public facilities powered, but the conditions can expose them to serious risks.
Requiring AEDs at worksites would add a specific emergency-preparedness obligation for utilities and contractors. Supporters say that added precaution could make the difference between life and death when a worker suffers cardiac arrest.
