Workplace Planning
AEDs for Construction Sites in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman
By NeoPulse AED Team · Published
Prepared with AI assistance using the linked sources. Read our editorial policy.
Quick answer
National workplace rules in the GCC set first aiders, first aid kits, first aid rooms and clinics by headcount, and few name AEDs. Project and client HSE standards often go further: the Lusail construction first aid procedure in Qatar requires every project medical facility to have an AED, with medical oversight, trained operators, an emergency services procedure and maintenance. Summer heat rules in all four countries also stop outdoor work at midday and ask for shade, water and first aid. Plan AEDs from walking time across work fronts, upper floors and welfare areas, and confirm what your client's HSE plan requires.
UAE
Sharjah's OSH Code of Practice 16 recommends an AED programme based on risk assessment findings or as mandated by relevant authorities, and Abu Dhabi's OSHAD Code of Practice 4.0 asks employers to consider one. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation's 2026 midday break stopped outdoor work in direct sunlight from 12:30pm to 3pm between 15 June and 15 September, and Gulf News reported that first aid kits must be available at all work locations.
Our separate UAE construction guide covers Dubai and Abu Dhabi site planning in more detail.
Source: Sharjah OSHJ Code of Practice 16: First Aid (PDF); Abu Dhabi OSHAD-SF Code of Practice 4.0 (PDF); Gulf News: UAE midday outdoor work ban 2026
Qatar: national rules and the Lusail project standard
Decree No. 16 of 2005 on medical care for workers, as summarised by the Gulf Labour Markets and Migration programme, sets a first aid kit for every 25 workers, a trained first aider, a part-time nurse above 100 workers and a clinic with a doctor and nurse above 500. The summary does not name AEDs.
Large project owners set their own rules. The Lusail Construction Safety Management Procedure for first aid (LUS-HSE-WG3-446-002.02, revision 2, May 2016) applies to contractors and subcontractors on Lusail projects. It asks for at least one first aider plus one more for every 25 employees, a first aid station on projects with 100 to 299 people per shift, a registered nurse and an emergency medical technician at each medical facility, and states that medical facilities must be equipped with an AED, with medical oversight, trained operators, an emergency services procedure and maintenance.
Ministerial Decision No. 17 of 2021 applies every year from 1 June to 15 September. The Peninsula reported in June 2026 that it prohibits outdoor work from 10am to 3:30pm, stops work where the WBGT heat index exceeds 32.1°C, and asks employers to train first aid responders.
Source: GLMM: Decree No. 16 of 2005 on medical care for workers; Lusail Construction Safety Management Procedure: First Aid, Rev 2 (PDF); The Peninsula: WBGT 32.1°C rule under Decision 17 of 2021 (June 2026)
Saudi Arabia
Ministerial Decision No. 400/1, in the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development's unofficial English translation (the Arabic text prevails), sets a full-time first aider where there are 50 or more workers, a first aid room within 200 metres of the farthest workplace, stretchers, and an ambulance for sites with more than 500 workers that are 10 kilometres or more from a health unit. It does not name AEDs.
The ministry bans work under direct sunlight from 12pm to 3pm between 15 June and 15 September for private sector establishments, as Gulf News reported for 2025. Check the current year's announcement and your client's HSE requirements.
Source: HRSD: Ministerial Decision 400/1, unofficial translation (PDF); Gulf News: Saudi midday outdoor work ban 2025
Oman
Oman's Ministry of Labour announced the 2026 midday break for outdoor work from 12:30pm to 3:30pm in June, July and August, according to the Oman Observer, and advised companies to provide shaded rest areas, cold water, cooling and first aid. The article cites fines under the Labour Law and Ministerial Decision 286/2008, Oman's occupational safety and health regulation. We have not reviewed the text of that regulation for AED wording, so check it and your client's HSE plan.
Plan from walking time across the site
OSHA's guide to AEDs in the workplace suggests a target of getting an AED to a person in cardiac arrest within three to five minutes. On a construction site the slow parts are upper floors reached by hoist or stairs, long work fronts, excavations and the walk from the site office to the far end of the plot.
Time a walk from each AED to the furthest work front, the top working floor and the welfare area, at shift change and at night. Add units where it takes too long, move them as the work moves, and keep each one in a shaded cabinet within the manufacturer's temperature limits.
- Site office or medical facility, where the nurse, first aiders or security are present.
- Each active work front or tower, especially upper floors served by hoists.
- Labour welfare, rest and canteen areas used during the midday break.
- The main access gate, so the ambulance crew can be met and guided.
- Night shift areas, with a named first aider on each shift.
Source: OSHA 3185: Saving Sudden Cardiac Arrest Victims in the Workplace (PDF)
Construction site AED checklist
Use this with the project HSE manager, the site nurse or first aid lead and the main contractor. It is an original planning aid, not an authority form.
| Check | What to record | Question for the review |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement | National rule, client or developer HSE standard, contract clause. | Which document names an AED or a medical facility AED for this project? |
| Location | AED positions and timed routes to work fronts, upper floors and welfare areas. | Can a trained person bring it to the furthest point within a few minutes? |
| Heat | Shaded cabinet, storage temperature range and the midday break plan. | Does the cabinet stay within the limits in July and August? |
| People | First aiders per shift and subcontractor, AED training dates, nurse or EMT cover. | Is a trained person on every shift and every work front? |
| Alerting | Radio channel, site emergency number, ambulance meeting point. | Who fetches the AED and who meets the ambulance at the gate? |
| Checks | Status indicator, pad and battery expiry dates and a signed log. | Who moves and checks the units as the site changes? |
What to ask an AED supplier
Ask for the exact model's registration documents for your country, the storage and operating temperature range, the dust and water rating, the voice prompt languages, the status indicator and self-test, and the pad and battery schedule in the manufacturer documents. For sites, ask about cabinets for heat and dust and carry cases for units that move with the work.
NeoPulse can quote AEDs, cabinets, signage and staff training for construction projects in the UAE and the wider GCC. Send the project size, number of work fronts, shifts and workforce per shift through the quote form.
Buyer questions
Is an AED required on a construction site in Qatar?
We have not found a national Qatar rule that names AEDs for every site. Some project standards do: the Lusail construction first aid procedure says project medical facilities must be equipped with an AED. Check your client's HSE requirements.
Do Saudi construction rules mention AEDs?
Ministerial Decision 400/1 sets first aiders, a first aid room within 200 metres of the farthest workplace, stretchers and ambulances for larger remote sites, but does not name AEDs.
How do summer heat rules affect site first aid?
All four countries stop most outdoor work at midday in summer. The UAE, Qatar and Oman announcements also mention shade, water and first aid or first aid responders. Plan first aid and AED cover for rest areas as well as work fronts.
How many AEDs does a construction site need?
Plan from time. OSHA suggests a target of three to five minutes to bring an AED to the person. Time each route to work fronts, upper floors and welfare areas and add units where it takes too long.
Is there a guide for UAE construction sites?
Yes. See our UAE construction site AED guide for Dubai and Abu Dhabi planning points.