Hospital Furniture - The 3 Key Principles of Design
The hospital environment needs to meet strict health and safety guidelines in order to ensure that everything is suitable for use. Naturally, cleanliness is of paramount importance and it is the responsibility of each individual to ensure that the standards are met. But what about the hospital furniture? Indeed, staff can keep the floors and kitchen clean, but there are many other important considerations too. From the beds to the patient chairs, all these need to be kept in tip-top condition.
There are, however, furniture suppliers out there that can make it easier for you to help your hospital run smoothly and meet the stringent health and safety standards necessary. Not only will this furniture last for many years due to its solid construction, but it will also have the necessary design elements needed to make it the perfect hospital furniture product. Lets take a look at the main requirements:
Manual Handling
No matter who handles furniture in a hospital, everyone should follow the manual handling training to ensure they are doing it right. A bonus to this is buying hospital furniture that has had this aspect taken into consideration, so you can be sure that you are getting a quality item that wont break the bank, or your back. Manual handling refers to the way in which you pick something up, and if there are hospital products being designed that are made with the carrier in mind, then this must only be a good thing.
Infection Control
Another important element to consider is infection control. The furniture surface is a breeding ground for germs and so it is very much dependent on what materials are used as to how good they can be at preventing and reducing the risk of infection, not only to one patient but to any number of patients within the hospital. This risk can be reduced by having wipe clean table surfaces, for example, which can then be disinfected with the appropriate cleaning fluid. It is for this reason that you are unlikely to find hospital furniture with an emphasis on superior designer style rather than function, because it needs to meet all the guidelines necessary in this type of environment.
Pressure Management
During the various stages of testing and development for hospital furniture, pressure management is also an important consideration. The items need to be good and solid and be able to withstand a certain level of force. In addition to this, they will also be tested in accordance with fire safety regulations.
Of course, the benefit of changing times and more design-led furniture companies surfacing is that now you can find hospital furniture suppliers that make furniture with these three key principles in mind, but also make it look really good too. Hospitals are able to get the best of both worlds now.
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