Workplace Planning
AEDs for Warehouses and Logistics 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
No published GCC rule we reviewed names AEDs for every warehouse. Workplace first aid rules set first aiders, first aid boxes and first aid rooms by headcount: Sharjah's OSH Code of Practice 16 and Abu Dhabi's Code of Practice 4.0 recommend a risk-based AED programme, Saudi Ministerial Decision 400/1 sets a first aid room within 200 metres of the farthest workplace, and Qatar's Decree No. 16 of 2005 sets kits, nurses and clinics by workforce size. Summer heat rules in all four countries add duties for outdoor and poorly ventilated work. Plan AEDs from walking time across docks, aisles and yards, and keep them within the manufacturer's temperature limits.
UAE: first aid codes and the midday break
Sharjah's OSH Code of Practice 16 recommends that an entity establish an AED programme based on risk assessment findings or as mandated by relevant authorities, with first aiders trained in its use and the unit placed prominently. It also sets first aider numbers and first aid boxes by headcount and a first aid room at 250 or more employees. Abu Dhabi's OSHAD Code of Practice 4.0 also asks employers to consider an AED programme based on risk assessment or authority mandates.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation runs the summer midday break: in 2026, outdoor work in direct sunlight was not allowed from 12:30pm to 3pm between 15 June and 15 September. Gulf News reported that employers must provide shaded rest areas, drinking water and cooling, and that first aid kits must be available at all work locations. For a logistics site this covers yards, open loading bays and outdoor storage.
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
Saudi Arabia: Decision 400/1 and the summer ban
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, and stretchers. It does not name AEDs. On a large distribution campus, 200 metres is a useful reminder to measure the walk from the furthest dock or yard.
The ministry also 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.
Source: HRSD: Ministerial Decision 400/1, unofficial translation (PDF); Gulf News: Saudi midday outdoor work ban 2025
Qatar: Decree No. 16 of 2005 and Decision 17 of 2021
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.
Ministerial Decision No. 17 of 2021 applies every year from 1 June to 15 September. The Peninsula reported in June 2026 that it prohibits work from 10am to 3:30pm in outdoor areas and in shaded areas that are not ventilated, that work must stop where the WBGT heat index exceeds 32.1°C, and that employers should train first aid responders for emergencies. A warehouse without ventilation can fall inside these rules, so check yours with the Ministry of Labour.
Source: GLMM: Decree No. 16 of 2005 on medical care for workers; The Peninsula: WBGT 32.1°C rule under Decision 17 of 2021 (June 2026)
Oman: the midday break
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. We have not reviewed an Omani rule that names AEDs for warehouses, so check the occupational safety and health requirements for your company and any client or free zone standard.
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. In a warehouse, the slow parts of the route are long racking aisles, forklift traffic, mezzanine stairs, security gates between buildings and the walk out to the yard.
Time a walk from each AED to the furthest dock door, aisle end, mezzanine and yard parking bay, at a busy shift change. Add units where it takes too long. Many warehouses are not air conditioned, so keep each AED in a cabinet and location that stays within the manufacturer's storage temperature range for the exact model, and check it more often in summer.
- Gatehouse or main office, where staff are present on every shift.
- Loading docks, close to the dock supervisor's desk.
- Racking areas and mezzanines, so the furthest aisle is within your time target.
- Yards, truck parking and container areas, in a shaded cabinet near a staffed point.
- Cold stores and chilled areas, with a unit outside the cold zone if the storage limits require it.
Source: OSHA 3185: Saving Sudden Cardiac Arrest Victims in the Workplace (PDF)
Warehouse and logistics AED checklist
Use this with the site manager, the HSE lead and the security supervisor. It is an original planning aid, not an authority form.
| Check | What to record | Question for the review |
|---|---|---|
| Requirement | Emirate or country rule, free zone, landlord and client standard. | Which document names an AED or an AED programme for this site? |
| Location | AED positions and timed routes to docks, aisles, mezzanines and yards. | Can a trained person bring it to the furthest point within a few minutes? |
| Heat | Cabinet location, shade and the manufacturer's storage temperature range. | Does the cabinet stay within the limits in July and August? |
| People | First aiders on each shift, including nights and weekends, and training dates. | Is a trained person on site whenever trucks are loading? |
| Alerting | Radio or phone call to security, the ambulance number and who fetches the AED. | Does the gate know how to direct the ambulance to the right dock? |
| Checks | Status indicator, pad and battery expiry dates and a signed log. | Who checks the units in the yard and cold store? |
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 yards, ask about cabinets suited to heat and dust.
NeoPulse can quote AEDs, cabinets, signage and staff training for warehouses and logistics sites in the UAE and the wider GCC. Send the site area, number of buildings, shifts and staff per shift through the quote form.
Buyer questions
Is an AED required in a UAE warehouse?
We have not found a published UAE rule that names AEDs for every warehouse. Sharjah's OSH Code of Practice 16 and Abu Dhabi's Code of Practice 4.0 recommend an AED programme based on risk assessment or authority mandates. Free zones, landlords and clients may require one.
Do GCC summer heat rules apply inside warehouses?
The midday breaks cover outdoor work in direct sunlight. Qatar's Decision 17 of 2021 also covers shaded areas without ventilation, as reported in June 2026. Check how the rule applies to your building with the labour ministry.
Can an AED be kept in a hot warehouse?
Only within the storage temperature range the manufacturer gives for the exact model. Use a shaded or cooled location or cabinet and check the status indicator more often in summer.
How many AEDs does a distribution centre need?
Plan from time. OSHA suggests a target of three to five minutes to bring an AED to the person. Time each route to docks, aisles, mezzanines and yards and add units where it takes too long.
Who should be trained on a logistics site?
First aiders on every shift, dock supervisors, security and gate staff, and shift leaders. Qatar's heat rules also call for trained first aid responders, as reported in June 2026.