This bill, Minnesota House File No. 1856 (2025 session), seeks to amend Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 182.6526 by adding provisions related to workplace safety requirements. Specifically, it introduces a mandate for providing access to automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) and trained operators at warehouse distribution centers.

Key Provisions:

1. Definition Addition: The bill defines an automatic external defibrillator (AED) as an electronic device designed to deliver an electrical current to a person in sudden cardiac arrest.

2. Applicability: The new safety requirements are targeted at large warehouse distribution centers, specifically those employing:

   • 250 or more employees at a single location, or
   • 1,000 or more employees across multiple locations in Minnesota.

3. Worker Protection Measures: The bill reinforces workplace safeguards by ensuring that AEDs are available on-site in these large warehouse settings, which often have physically demanding work conditions.

4. Other Employment Definitions: The bill restructures and updates existing statutory terms related to quotas, work speed data, and employer responsibilities within warehouse distribution centers.

Impact:

• Enhances worker safety by ensuring immediate emergency response capability at large-scale warehouse facilities.
• Mandates proper training to ensure employees can effectively use AEDs when needed.
• Could reduce fatalities and improve health outcomes in emergency situations involving cardiac events at the workplace.

In summary, this bill prioritizes employee health and safety by requiring AED availability in large warehouse facilities and ensuring trained personnel are on-site to operate them.