Hospital Furniture

Hospital furniture is the beds, trolleys, cabinets, lockers, racks, tables, seating and stands that wards, operation theatres, treatment rooms, laboratories and stores use every day. Unlike furniture for an office or a home, it is cleaned and disinfected over and over, moved between rooms, and used by patients who may be weak, in pain or at risk of falling.

Infection control guidance for healthcare buildings, such as the NHS Health Building Note HBN 00-09, asks for furniture and fittings that can withstand repeated cleaning and disinfection, with surfaces that are smooth, impervious and quick to dry, and designed so they do not hold dirt in seams and corners. That is why hospital furniture is usually made in stainless steel, or in mild steel protected by a powder or epoxy coating, rather than in wood or fabric.

Safety matters as much as hygiene. Beds need side rails and positions that suit the patient; trolleys need wheels that roll and stop where staff expect; and cabinets and lockers need locks, so medicines, records and personal belongings stay secure.

Stainless steel is the most hygienic choice for clinical areas. It has no coating to chip, does not rust, and stands up to frequent cleaning with detergents and disinfectants. SS 304 suits most wards and rooms; SS 316 resists chlorides and strong disinfectants better and is worth choosing for wet areas and operation theatres. Most of our hospital furniture is made in SS 304 or SS 316, in a matt or mirror finish where stated.

Powder-coated or epoxy-coated mild steel (MS) is strong and costs less, and works well in wards, offices and stores where furniture is wiped down rather than washed. Our hospital beds are made with an epoxy-coated MS frame and are also available in stainless steel, and most of our cabinets, lockers, racks and tables are available in both. For furniture that goes into cleanrooms rather than hospitals, see our cleanroom furniture.