Workplace Planning
AEDs for Labour Accommodation and Worker Camps in the GCC
By NeoPulse AED Team · Published
Prepared with AI assistance using the linked sources. Read our editorial policy.
Quick answer
Worker accommodation rules in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia require first aid provision, such as a first aid room, a first aid kit, a nurse or a named first aider, but the official texts and summaries we checked do not name AEDs. An AED is still worth planning for any accommodation where hundreds of people sleep and an ambulance may take time to arrive. Keep it where residents and night staff can reach it quickly, usually at the first aid room or a central guard post, train the first aiders and nurses on that exact model, and include it in the accommodation emergency plan and its annual drill.
What accommodation rules say about first aid
In Dubai, Dubai Municipality’s Technical Guidelines for Labour Accommodation Compliance (DM-HSD-GU85-LAC2, version 5, issued 30 September 2025) say each labour accommodation must have at least one first aid room with adequate furniture and supplies and a cabinet containing first aid materials.
The UAE government portal’s labour accommodation page says each housing unit must have a first-aid room with a nurse and a quarantine room. In Sharjah, the OSHJ code of practice on occupational safety and health in workers’ accommodation (OSHJ-CoP-25) asks for a first aid box in every facility, a dedicated first aider whenever the accommodation is occupied, a first aid risk assessment, and a first aid room with a nurse where more than 50 employees live. It also requires an emergency response plan tested at least once a year.
None of these documents names an AED or defibrillator. That means the AED decision usually comes from the employer’s or client’s HSE standard and the first aid risk assessment the Sharjah code asks for, not from a fixed accommodation rule.
Source: Dubai Municipality: Technical Guidelines for Labour Accommodation Compliance, V5 (PDF); UAE government portal: labour accommodation; Sharjah OSHJ-CoP-25: occupational safety and health in workers’ accommodation (PDF)
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman
In Qatar, Ministerial Decision No. 18 of 2014 on the conditions and specifications for workers’ accommodation, as summarised by the Gulf Labour Markets and Migration programme, requires a first aid officer, a licensed resident nurse for accommodation hosting 100 to 500 workers, a doctor above 500 workers, and a safety and evacuation emergency plan. Check the full Arabic text for your site before relying on the summary.
In Saudi Arabia, the same programme’s summary of Ministerial Decision No. 399 of 2007 on housing conditions for workers says housing far from public services must have first aid and emergency materials, with round-the-clock transport to the nearest healthcare facility. Distance is the point: when the nearest hospital is a long drive away, the first minutes depend on what is already at the camp.
We did not find a public Oman accommodation rule on first aid when this guide was written. Use the employer’s HSE standard and the risk assessment, and ask the client or main contractor whether their accommodation standard adds requirements.
Source: GLMM: Qatar Ministerial Decision No. 18 of 2014 on workers’ accommodation (summary); GLMM: Saudi Ministerial Decision No. 399 of 2007 on housing conditions for workers (summary)
Why an AED belongs in the accommodation plan
Accommodation is where workers spend most of their off-duty hours, including the night. A first aid room or nurse on paper does not help if the room is locked, the nurse covers several blocks, or the gate guard does not know where the equipment is.
US OSHA publication 3185 says AEDs should be placed so a response can happen within three to five minutes, and names remote sites among the places where emergency medical services may be delayed. Use that as a planning benchmark, not as a GCC legal requirement.
Source: US OSHA 3185: Saving Sudden Cardiac Arrest Victims in the Workplace (PDF)
Where to keep the AED in a camp or accommodation block
Walk the route from the furthest room to the AED and back with the camp boss and the first aider, once in daytime and once at night.
- The first aid room, if it is staffed or unlocked at all hours.
- The main security post or reception, where someone is awake around the clock.
- Dining halls, prayer areas, gyms and sports grounds where many residents gather after shifts.
- Additional units for large camps, separate blocks or sites where the walking time is long.
- A shaded, temperature-controlled spot within the manufacturer’s storage limits, never an unshaded outdoor wall.
Worker accommodation AED worksheet
Use this with the camp manager, HSE lead and the nurse or first aider. It is an original planning aid, not an authority form.
| Check | What to record | Question for the review |
|---|---|---|
| Rule that applies | Emirate or country rule, client accommodation standard, first aid risk assessment. | Which document sets first aid provision here, and does it mention AEDs? |
| People on duty | Nurse and first aider rota, certificates, AED training on the exact model. | Who can use the AED at night and on rest days? |
| Location and access | AED locations, opening hours of the first aid room, keys or alarms. | Can a resident reach an AED quickly from the furthest room? |
| Language and signage | Signs and emergency numbers in the languages residents read. | Will residents know where the AED is and whom to call? |
| Emergency plan | Plan reference, drill dates, gate and ambulance handover steps. | Does the annual drill include a cardiac arrest scenario? |
| Checks and spares | Device status log, pad and battery expiry dates, spare set. | Who checks the AED, and who replaces pads after use? |
What to ask an AED supplier for worker accommodation
Ask which voice-prompt languages the exact model offers, whether a cabinet with an alarm suits a busy communal area, and what the manufacturer says about storage temperature for the proposed location.
Ask for training for nurses, first aiders and security staff on the model you buy, with refreshers, and for a clear process to replace pads and batteries after use. NeoPulse can quote AEDs, cabinets, spares and training for accommodation in the UAE and the wider GCC; send the number of blocks and residents through the quote form.
Buyer questions
Is an AED required in labour accommodation in the UAE?
The Dubai Municipality guideline, the UAE government portal and the Sharjah code we checked require first aid rooms, kits, nurses or first aiders, but none of them names an AED. Check your client’s HSE standard and your first aid risk assessment.
What first aid does Qatar require in worker accommodation?
The published summary of Ministerial Decision No. 18 of 2014 lists a first aid officer, a licensed resident nurse for 100 to 500 workers, a doctor above 500 workers, and a safety and evacuation emergency plan.
Where should the AED go in a worker camp?
Where someone is awake and the device is unlocked at all hours, usually the first aid room or main security post, with extra units for large or spread-out camps. Walk the route at night to check the time.
Who should be trained to use the camp AED?
The nurse, the first aiders on each shift and the security team, on the exact model installed, with refreshers and a cardiac arrest scenario in the annual drill.
Does this guide cover construction sites?
No. Site AED planning is covered in our construction guide; this guide covers where workers live.