Inspection and maintenance of treatment tables

As the owner of a practice you are the operator of your treatment tables and responsible for their safe operation. Electrically operated tables therefore need regular electrical safety testing, and all tables need mechanical inspection and maintenance according to the manufacturer's instructions. How often they are inspected is something you set based on the manufacturer's information and your risk assessment.

Which rules apply to treatment tables

Therapy tables and treatment tables are usually medical devices. In Germany their operation is governed by the Medical Devices Operator Ordinance (MPBetreibV). It obliges the operator to use medical devices only in proper condition and to maintain them according to the manufacturer's instructions. Safety checks under the MPBetreibV are usually only mandatory for treatment tables if the manufacturer specifies them in the instructions for use. For electrically operated, i.e. active, medical devices the ordinance additionally requires an inventory in which every table is recorded together with its inspections. If you employ staff, occupational safety rules also apply: electrical work equipment must be tested regularly by a qualified electrician under DGUV Regulation 3. For medical electrical equipment, the measurement is usually carried out according to the standard DIN EN 62353.

Electric and hydraulic tables compared

The drive helps determine which inspections are needed. Electric tables have a motor, control unit, power cable and operating elements, which are measured and examined during the electrical safety test. Hydraulic tables work without electricity, so no electrical test is needed. Both, however, must be inspected and maintained mechanically: lifting mechanism, joints, screw connections, brakes and castors, and on hydraulic tables also the pump, cylinder and release valve for leaks and smooth lowering. The table below shows which series in our range are available with both drives and how far apart the prices are.

How an inspection works

• Visual inspection of frame, upholstery, cables, control unit and warning labels.
• Function test of all adjustments across the full height range, checking for unusual noises and smooth movement.
• Check of pinch and crush points on the lifting mechanism and articulated arms.
• For electric tables, measurement of electrical safety.
• Documentation in the inspection report and an inspection sticker showing the next due date.

The lifting mechanism deserves particular attention. Height-adjustable tables develop considerable force when lowering. It becomes dangerous when someone cleans underneath the lowered table or when feet get into the scissor mechanism during a seated treatment. Intact warning labels and a team that knows the danger points reduce this risk considerably.

What your team can check itself in daily use

Between two inspection dates your team is the first line of control. A quick check before work starts is often enough: is the power cable undamaged and not trapped, does the table run without jerking or unusual noises, do the brakes hold, are the upholstery and covers free of tears? On hydraulic tables it is worth looking for oil traces under the frame and checking whether the table slowly sinks by itself with a patient on it. Anything unusual should be reported immediately and the table taken out of service until it is resolved. Record such reports in writing, as they help the technician find the fault and also belong in the operator records.

How often tables should be inspected

There is no single deadline that applies to every practice. The manufacturer's information in the instructions for use comes first. As an employer, you set the interval for electrical testing based on your risk assessment, and an annual cycle is common in practices. Tables that are adjusted many times a day or moved frequently should rather be inspected more often. Keep your inspection reports so that you can show during an inspection by the authorities or the employers' liability insurance association that your tables have been inspected regularly. This guide is not legal advice; if in doubt, your occupational safety specialist can give you a binding answer.

With Riedimed Engineering we inspect, maintain and repair electric and hydraulic treatment tables from any manufacturer directly at your premises. Every inspected table receives an inspection sticker, and we document the results for your operator records. The more tables we inspect in one visit, the better the price for you.