The Society of Tissue Viability (SoTV) has published various articles on standards for beds and mattresses, as well as the flammability safety criteria for pressure care devices.
The articles have been written by BES Healthcare’s Dr Barend ter Haar in partnership with Jeannie Donnelly, Lead Nurse for Tissue Viability at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
First, ‘Understanding Standards for Beds and Mattresses: Whose job is it anyway?’ is the story of a contract adjudication group who were asked by the tender management team if the standards cited in a bed and mattress contract were correct/up to date.
The article discusses why understanding standards matters; which standards to use; where to find support in SoTV and the British Healthcare Trades Association’s (BHTA) series of bite-sized Beds and Support Surfaces and Pressure Care and Seating articles; an introduction to the BS EN ISO 20342 series of mattress and overlays standards; and a note on terminology.
‘Understanding Standards for Beds and Mattresses: Bed Rails and the Risk of Entrapment’ discusses incidents where elderly patients have died in hospital after becoming entrapped between side rails and their mattress.
The article covers learning from the analysis of accident data; the actions that were required to comply with the MHRA’s updated guidance on the management and safe use of bed rails; international standards for ‘assistive products’, medical beds, and mattresses; and references.
The final article, ‘Understanding Standards for Beds and Mattresses: Pressure Care Devices Flammability Safety Criteria’, takes a procurement perspective, with a focus on what should be specified within the description of the relevant flammability criteria for selection of a pressure care device.
It only covers pressure care devices which are referred to as “medical devices” since these are specifically excluded from UK fire regulations, whereas domestic beds, mattresses, and cushions fall under furnishings fire regulations. The article considers environmental inputs, product elements, and explains FDA: The standard is BS ISO 16840-15 plus Amd1.
Last year, Barend discussed materials for pressure care products.
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