HB 2480 — An Act requiring automated external defibrillators at utility or electrical worksites; imposing duties on the Department of Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.

PRINTER'S NO.   3338

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2480
                                                Session of
                                                  2026

     INTRODUCED BY ORTITAY, MATZIE, JAMES, RIVERA, KUZMA, NEILSON,
        CIRESI, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ AND BOROWSKI, MAY 1, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND
        UTILITIES, MAY 4, 2026


                                     AN ACT
 1   Requiring automated external defibrillators at utility or
 2      electrical worksites; imposing duties on the Department of
 3      Labor and Industry; and imposing penalties.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6   Section 1.     Short title.
 7      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Utility
 8   Worksite Automated External Defibrillator Safety Act.
 9   Section 2.     Legislative findings and purpose.
10      (a)     Findings.--The General Assembly finds and declares as
11   follows:
12            (1)   Pennsylvania lineworkers perform some of the most
13      important and dangerous work in this Commonwealth, as they
14      routinely work on energized electrical systems, at
15      significant heights, in confined spaces and in all weather
16      conditions, often during storms and disasters.
17            (2)   Sudden cardiac arrest is a constant risk to these
18      workers due to electrical shock, extreme exertion or trauma.
 1        (3)    In sudden cardiac arrest, survival is measured in
 2    seconds, and the chance of survival decreases by about 10%
 3    for every minute that passes without defibrillation.
 4        (4)    AEDs are simple, portable devices designed so that
 5    anyone can use them with minimal training, and they can mean
 6    the difference between life and death.
 7        (5)    The risk of death from sudden cardiac arrest is
 8    elevated in rural communities, where the nearest hospital or
 9    emergency medical services station may be 20 to 40 minutes
10    away.
11        (6)    Pennsylvania law already mandates AEDs in schools,
12    hotels, health clubs and coal mines, yet there is currently
13    no requirement that electric utilities or their contractors
14    provide AEDs at worksites where linework and electrical work
15    are performed.
16        (7)    This lack of a requirement leaves a critical gap in
17    protection for workers whose jobs are both inherently
18    hazardous and essential to public safety and the reliability
19    of the electric grid.
20        (8)    AEDs are inexpensive, easy to use and require
21    minimal training, and for large utilities, the cost of
22    purchasing and maintaining AEDs and providing basic training
23    is small when compared to the human and financial cost of a
24    preventable death and the loss of a skilled, experienced
25    lineworker.
26        (9)    Experienced lineworkers are essential to maintaining
27    and restoring our electric grid.
28        (10)   Pennsylvania already protects students, health club
29    members, hotel guests and miners with AED mandates, and the
30    lineworkers who power our homes, businesses and hospitals

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 1      deserve the same protection.
 2            (11)    The United States Occupational Safety and Health
 3      Administration does not maintain a specific standard or
 4      policy governing the placement or maintenance of AEDs at
 5      worksites.
 6      (b)   Purposes.--The purposes of this act are to:
 7            (1)    Ensure the availability and operability of AEDs at
 8      each utility or electrical worksite, including a temporary,
 9      mobile or field worksite.
10            (2)    Require basic AED and CPR training for lineworkers
11      and line crew leaders and establish reasonable maintenance
12      and inspection standards.
13            (3)    Extend and clarify Good Samaritan protections so
14      that individuals who use AEDs in good faith are shielded from
15      unnecessary liability, consistent with existing protections
16      in schools, health clubs, hotels and coal mines.
17   Section 3.      Definitions.
18      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
19   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
20   context clearly indicates otherwise:
21      "Automated external defibrillator" or "AED."     A portable
22   medical device that:
23            (1)    Is approved by the United States Food and Drug
24      Administration.
25            (2)    Is designed to be operated by a layperson.
26            (3)    Is capable of recognizing the presence or absence of
27      ventricular fibrillation or rapid ventricular tachycardia and
28      determining, without intervention by the user, whether
29      defibrillation should be performed.
30            (4)    Upon determining that defibrillation should be

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 1      performed, automatically charges and requests delivery of an
 2      electrical impulse to an individual's heart.
 3      "Cardiopulmonary resuscitation" or "CPR."     A first aid
 4   technique utilizing hands-only compressions of the chest used to
 5   revive an individual whose heart has stopped beating.
 6      "Department."     The Department of Labor and Industry of the
 7   Commonwealth.
 8      "Lineworker."     An employee or contractor who performs or
 9   supervises construction, maintenance, repair or operation of
10   overhead or underground electric utility lines or related
11   electrical equipment.
12      "Utility."
13          (1)   Any of the following employers of lineworkers:
14                (i)    A public utility as defined in 66 Pa.C.S. § 102
15          (relating to definitions).
16                (ii)    A municipal electric system operating within
17          this Commonwealth.
18                (iii)    Any other entity engaged in the generation,
19          transmission or distribution of electric power within
20          this Commonwealth.
21          (2)   The term includes a contractors or subcontractor
22      performing linework or electrical work on behalf of an entity
23      enumerated under paragraph (1).
24      "Utility or electrical worksite" or "worksite."     A location,
25   whether fixed or in the field, where linework or electrical work
26   is performed for a utility in connection with the generation,
27   transmission or distribution of electric power, including a
28   substation, pole or line location, construction or maintenance
29   site or other location designated by the utility where
30   lineworkers are assigned to perform electric utility or

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 1   electrical work.
 2   Section 4.     AED availability on worksites.
 3      (a)   Duty of utility.--A utility shall ensure that at least
 4   one AED is readily available and operable at each worksite.
 5      (b)   Temporary, mobile or filed worksites.--For each worksite
 6   that is temporary, mobile or in the field, including a location
 7   where a lineworker is working on poles, underground facilities
 8   or storm restoration activities, the AED required under
 9   subsection (a) must be:
10            (1)   located on a vehicle, trailer or other mobile unit
11      that remains on or in reasonable proximity to the worksite;
12      and
13            (2)   reasonably accessible to lineworkers and line crew
14      leaders during working hours.
15      (c)   Multiple locations.--If a utility deploys multiple line
16   crews to distinct locations:
17            (1)   For the purposes of this section, each distinct
18      location shall be treated as a separate worksite.
19            (2)   The utility shall ensure that an AED is readily
20      available and operative at each location in accordance with
21      this section.
22   Section 5.     Notice.
23      A utility shall:
24            (1)   Post or otherwise communicate the location of each
25      AED to line crew leaders, lineworkers and other employees at
26      a worksite.
27            (2)   Include information on the location of each AED in
28      any applicable job safety briefing conducted prior to the
29      start of work or on any tailboard of a vehicle used at a
30      worksite.

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 1   Section 6.     Training.
 2      (a)   Basic training in CPR and AED use.--
 3            (1)   Each line crew leader assigned to a worksite shall
 4      maintain current certification in CPR and AED use from a
 5      nationally recognized organization.
 6            (2)   Each utility shall ensure that a sufficient number
 7      of lineworkers at each worksite are trained in CPR and AED
 8      use and reasonably present at the worksite during working
 9      hours.
10      (b)   Contents.--CPR and AED use training under this section
11   must include:
12            (1)   Recognition of sudden cardiac arrest.
13            (2)   Prompt activation of emergency medical services.
14            (3)   Proper operation and use of an AED.
15            (4)   Basic CPR techniques.
16      (c)   Records.--Each utility shall maintain records of
17   required training under this section and shall make the records
18   available for inspection upon request by the department.
19   Section 7.     Maintenance and inspection.
20      (a)   Maintenance standards.--A utility shall:
21            (1)   Maintain each AED in accordance with the
22      manufacturer's guidelines.
23            (2)   Ensure that AED batteries, pads and other required
24      accessories are within the manufacturer's recommended service
25      life and are replaced as necessary.
26            (3)   Ensure that each AED is stored in a manner that
27      protects it from damage and environmental conditions likely
28      to impair its operation.
29      (b)   Inspection.--Each utility shall establish and implement
30   reasonable inspection procedures to verify that each AED:

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 1            (1)   Is present at each designated location.
 2            (2)   Indicates readiness for use through self-test or
 3      status indicators.
 4            (3)   Is not visibly damaged or otherwise compromised.
 5      (c)   Documentation.--Each utility shall document required
 6   inspections and retain the documentation for a period of not
 7   less than two years.
 8   Section 8.     Immunities.
 9      (a)   Good Samaritan immunity.--A person who, in good faith
10   and without compensation, uses or attempts to use an AED at a
11   worksite to render emergency care or treatment to an individual
12   in apparent sudden cardiac arrest shall be immune from civil
13   liability for any damage or injury resulting from the use or
14   attempted use, or from any act or omission in providing or
15   arranging further medical treatment, except for acts or
16   omissions that constitute gross negligence or willful or wanton
17   misconduct.
18      (b)   Utility, owner and operator immunity.--A utility or an
19   owner or operator of a worksite, including an officer, employee
20   or agent of the utility or owner or operator of the worksite,
21   that acquires, provides, installs, maintains or makes an AED
22   available in compliance with this act shall be immune from civil
23   liability for any damage or injury resulting from the use or
24   attempted use of the AED by any person, except for acts or
25   omissions that constitute gross negligence or willful or wanton
26   misconduct.
27      (c)   Consistency with existing law.--The immunities provided
28   under this section:
29            (1)   Are intended to be consistent with and in addition
30      to protections applicable to the use of AEDs in schools,

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 1      health clubs, hotels and coal mines under existing law.
 2            (2)   Shall be construed broadly to effectuate the purpose
 3      of encouraging the availability and use of AEDs in
 4      emergencies.
 5   Section 9.     Investigations.
 6      (a)   Authorization.--If the department receives information
 7   indicating that a person has violated this act, the department
 8   may investigate the matter.
 9      (b)   Permitted actions.--As part of an investigation under
10   this section, an authorized representative of the department may
11   take any of the following actions:
12            (1)   Enter and inspect a worksite at any reasonable time
13      to examine and inspect records that relate to compliance with
14      this act.
15            (2)   Subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, examine
16      witnesses and copy or compel the production of records,
17      contracts and other documents that are necessary and
18      appropriate for the enforcement of this act.
19   Section 10.    Penalties.
20      A person that violates this act shall be subject to the
21   following:
22            (1)   For a first violation, the department shall issue a
23      warning letter to the person detailing the violation and
24      shall provide 30 days for the person to correct the
25      violation.
26            (2)   For a second or subsequent violation, the department
27      shall bring administrative action to assess a fine not
28      exceeding $500.
29   Section 11.    Regulations.
30      (a)   Authorization.--The department may promulgate

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 1   regulations as necessary to implement, administer and enforce
 2   this act.
 3      (b)    Conflict with Federal law.--If the department determines
 4   that any provision of this act conflicts with or is preempted by
 5   Federal law, including regulations of the Unites States
 6   Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the department
 7   shall:
 8             (1)   Issue a statement of policy explaining the conflict
 9      or preemption, the entities and individuals impacted and any
10      other information that may be relevant to the public.
11             (2)   Transmit notice of the statement of policy under
12      paragraph (1) to the Legislative Reference Bureau for
13      publication in the next available issue of the Pennsylvania
14      Bulletin.
15             (3)   Conduct outreach to stakeholders as soon as
16      practicable and provide a reasonable time for stakeholders to
17      provide feedback on the statement of policy under paragraph
18      (1).
19   Section 12.     Construction.
20      Nothing in this act shall be construed to:
21             (1)   Create a duty for any person to use an AED.
22             (2)   Require the placement of an AED in a location other
23      than a utility or electrical worksite.
24             (3)   Limit or reduce protections or requirements for AEDs
25      under other Federal or State law.
26   Section 13.     Effective date.
27      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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