Buying healthcare furniture in Australia requires practical considerations that go beyond aesthetics. The safety and comfort of your workers and patients should be factored into your decision. When you avoid a few common mistakes, you will ensure that the furniture you buy will serve the needs of your facility for years to come.
Choosing the wrong fabrics
A fabric can appear durable and look attractive but it doesn’t mean it will meet your needs. A good example of such fabric is Vinyl chair-covering. When buying furniture for a healthcare facility, it is not enough to ask for vinyl upholstery. It is important to specify vinyl that is made specifically for healthcare use. Such vinyl should be easy to clean and should be resistant to bacteria and other pathogens. You can have specially treated vinyl that can withstand heavy use.
There are other engineered fabrics such as Crypton that are known to offer excellent durability for your healthcare facility. Each fibre is treated individually to resist bacteria, stains and moisture. The fibres are tightly woven and this provides a strong barrier that prevents substances from getting to the cushion.
Not analysing what is good and bad about the furniture you already have
If you are replacing your existing furniture, it is important to take your time and evaluate what worked for you in the past and what did not work with each piece you are replacing. Doing this will help you refine the specifications of your healthcare furniture in Australia. You should also solicit input from your staff members who use your furniture. If you do not, you may never know what works and what doesn’t work.
Failing to assess your needs
Before you start selecting the rightfurniture, it is crucial to put together a list of specifications for each piece in terms of comfort, design, maintenance, durability and other key criteria. Doing this will help you narrow your choices to items that fit your needs. If it is a chair, you need to know whether it will be used occasionally, all day and so on. You need to know whether you need height-adjustable chairs or fixed chairs. It is also important to know whether the furniture will be movable or stationary.
Assessing your needs can offer important insights that will help you make the right choice and choose the right furniture. Furniture buyers make the mistake of rushing through their decision because they feel they have more important work to do, but you can invest some time to assess your needs and this will help you save in terms of money and comfort.
Choosing a product that is not rated for the job
When choosing healthcare furniture in Australia, it is important to choose furniture that is rated to the task. If all staff members and patients had the same body type or build, buying furniture for your healthcare facility would be easier. But that is not the reality. Instead, you should consider furniture that can accommodate everyone’s needs. You should purchase furniture that is rated for people weighing up to 250 pounds.