Hospital conditions offer additional challenges for casters located on all types of equipment including carts, trolleys or hospital beds because these pieces of equipment need levels of cleanliness not often required of a caster. Not only do the casters themselves need to provide sanitary conditions so that they do not make the environment dirty, they also need to withstand highly hot and humid conditions when subjected to cleaning in disinfecting cabinets. For the safety of patients, you want casters that can put up with these conditions without breaking down.
For these reasons it is important to consider casters specifically designed for hospital use since they will be best able to satisfy all of these conditions. In addition, these casters have options to include such important items such as brakes for when you need to lock your caster in place, antimicrobial wheel materials to protect against the spread of mold and bacteria, or conductive wheels to protect sensitive medical equipment from damage due to static shock.
Shepherd Institutional Series: NSF Approved and RoHS Compliant
One of our premier caster suppliers is Shepherd, a leading supplier of quality casters and wheels for over 55 years. The team at Shepherd is committed to designing cutting edge mobility solutions that are used by many Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) markets and applications, providing very competitive prices for excellent products.
One of their best casters for hospital uses is the institutional series caster, which meets the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliance by not using hazardous materials such as lead, thus making it environmentally friendly. Wheel options are available for these casters to be anti-static in order to protect electronic components. These casters also meet the requirements that allow them to be listed by the National Sanitation Foundation for use in extremely clean environments:
- Shepherd Institutional Series: TheseNational Science Foundation (NSF) listed and RoHS compliant casters offer construction of high strength steel for added durability. For increased caster lift and performance, there is a raceway dust cap included. Conductive wheels are also available providing durability, and are non-marking, offering floor protection, a cushioned ride, and chemical resistance. Dual ball bearing raceways and zinc finishing provide excellent durability. Brake options include PAT/PAD brakes, tread lock brakes, top lock brakes, direction lock brakes and total lock brakes.
Medcaster: Designed to Move Hospital Equipment
Medcaster supplies casters that are specifically designed for use in the punishing conditions of the hospital. Their specialty is in casters with antimicrobial design and wheel materials so that you don’t need to worry about spreading disease around the hospital on your equipment and carts.
The Medcaster antimicrobial wheels are designed for suppressing the growth of a variety of destructive and odor-causing microbes like molds, mildew, fungi, and bacteria. The active ingredient used is designed to work for the life of the wheel and neutralizes the ability of microbes to grow and reproduce. Although the antimicrobial compound is not made ineffective by scratches or tread wear, it does require cleaning as any hospital caster would.
Also available are anti-static wheels to protect against static shock to electronic equipment, which can cause damage and potential failure. These wheels can also protect people against getting a static shock from touching hospital equipment.
Here are two of Medcaster’s hospital casters for all hospital needs:
- Medcaster Chrome Hospital: Throughout the hospital you have many different caster needs and these top plate model chrome casters are ideal for use for food service, institutional equipment, case carts, utility carts, store fixtures, hospital equipment, and medical equipment. With dual ball swivel raceways and a chrome plated finish, these casters provide added durability and strength. The conductive rubber models have a 3”, 4”, 5” and 6” wheel option with a thread guard for added protection. Models come with a directional lock to hold the swivel and help with steering and a top lock to prevent the wheel from moving. Capacities for these wheels range from 190 – 260 lbs.
- Medcaster Next Generation Nylon (NG): These casters are maintenance free with sealed precision bearings to provide smooth and quiet operation for use on food service equipment, case carts, utility carts, medical equipment, hospital carts, and institutional equipment. The top plate is zinc plated and the wheels have a recessed axle with plastic covers for a clean look. The casters come with total lock brakes to hold both the swivel and the wheel easily. Wheel diameters are 3”, 4”, 5” and 6” with capacities of 200 lbs., 275 lbs., 260 lbs., and 300 lbs. respectively. Wheel materials include quikStart TPR and anti-microbial TPR.
Douglas Equipment: Excellent Bedside Manner for Caster Purchases
If you are looking for the best diagnosis of your caster problem, the team at Douglas Equipment is the place to turn. We have been in the business of quality casters and material handling equipment since 1955 and we have learned what it takes to find the right caster to meet the unique needs of each of our customers. We are confident that we can help you find the right type of caster to meet all of your needs at a price that is within reach.
From our location in Miami, we can easily supply hospitals throughout the entire United States. We can also quickly ship products to South America and the Caribbean as well. Call us toll free at 800-451-0030. If you would prefer you can also contact us online, and one of our dedicated and knowledgeable service team members will get back to you as soon as possible to help you find the right caster to suit your needs. Start browsing our online catalog now!
