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Just as casters are vital to the automotive, aerospace, and other heavy industries, they are equally important to the medical industry. These casters must move in a variety of ways, and they must also be constructed of materials that can withstand corrosion, absorb shock, and withstand failure over time. Here are some scenarios in which using the wrong caster wheel in the medical industry could spell disaster.
Gurneys and hospital beds are some of the most commonly used pieces of equipment in the entire medical field. These are more often than not on wheels, and these wheels must support a patient and keep him or her safe during transport. Without the right caster wheels designed to absorb shock, one single bump could paralyze a patient who has been seriously injured in an accident. What’s more, using the wrong caster wheels that are not designed to support a patient’s weight could cause the caster to completely fail, throwing the entire bed or gurney off-balance and potentially causing the patient to fall.
Casters play an important role in making medical equipment mobile, as well. These days, everything in a hospital or clinic is mobile, including medicine carts, computer stands, IV poles, and more, and all of these rely on the right caster wheels to make them safe during transport. Again, using the wrong caster wheel could cause a complete failure, leading to a medicine cart, IV pole, or computer stand toppling over. In the worst-case scenario, these could fall onto the patient or a worker, leading to a serious problem and a very expensive claim. Utilizing the right casters for small medical equipment is vital for these reasons.
Hospitals and clinics also rely on heavy-duty casters to support large equipment and make it more mobile. Some of the equipment used to conduct medical testing at a patient’s bedside, such as portable x-ray machines, can be incredibly heavy and cost a great deal. Failing to use the proper casters on these products presents some serious risks. Again, caster failure is always a concern. Should a caster fail, equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars could topple over, causing a significant expense.
When it comes to choosing casters for the medical industry, it’s important to consider their environment, their weight capacity, and more. Some of the features that might be necessary for medical casters include easy rolling, ergonomic design, noise reduction, shock absorption, hygienic, easy to clean, and easy to maintain. Casters used in the medical industry should have long lifespans, and they should also be replaced as needed to ensure patient and equipment safety.
The medical industry is one of the largest industries in the country, and the goal is to provide quality care and treatment to patients who need it. The wrong caster wheel in the medical industry can actually harm patients more than help them, so it’s important to be sure that you are using the right casters in the right scenarios.
