Moving large machinery can be difficult, especially when we talk about sensitive equipment. These devices are notorious for being very sensitive, and moving them can prove to be quite the hassle. That does make you wonder, what protocols should you have when it comes to sensitive machinery moving? How can you move these devices properly and without any concerns? Here’s what you need to know.
Learn the risks that come from handling the equipment improperly
One of the major things to note here is that inadequate moving can lead to malfunctions and damage. Many pieces of medical equipment are very delicate, they have certain regulations and machinery requirements that you need to follow. A lack of adequate moving can lead to void warranty, malfunctions, downtime, legal liabilities and many other similar issues that could arise. Addressing that is not going to be easy, but it’s totally something you need to keep in mind.
Pre-move risk assessment
Before you use machinery movers and start the moving process, you need to do a quick assessment. The main idea here is that you want to see the inventory and whether it works well or not. Additionally, you want to check the dimensions, weight, if any calibration is required, etc. You also have to think about warranty terms and any potential service history. The more you assess here, the better, because you know what you are working with.
Additionally, you want to think about risk classification, from class 1 that’s high risk to class 3 where there’s usually a lower risk. Naturally, the higher the risk class is, the more comprehensive the machinery moving plan needs to be, so keep that in mind.
Also, depending on the moving site, you do need to perform route planning and a site survey as well. Doing a walk-through of the route helps, since you want to identify obstacles and other things that could become obstructions. You also need to confirm network and power availability as well, along with other route details for your plan.
Communicating details to your team
Your team is involved in one way or another in this moving process. That’s why you want to be 100% sure they have all the details and information they need for the process. With that in mind, moving medical equipment could involve IT technicians, clinical engineering teams, safety officers and so on.
It always helps if you have a very comprehensive moving plan and fully understand everything that you need to do here. Define all the points of contact and, of course, you must have a contingency plan, as it will help more than expected. You do want to have a progress log and a real-time checklist, if you can. All those things can help quite a bit, and they will surely make a huge difference.
De-installing and taking pre-move precautions
You have to shut down the equipment and that’s extremely important to focus on. Additionally, you want to disconnect it from the gas, electrical and water lines. Additionally, if the device has any electronics with data, perform a data backup. Storage media has to be appropriately removed, too, as it will matter a lot more than you might expect. All of that is super crucial and will help you immensely in the long term.
Even simple things such as labeling will matter because these are super important, and can ensure you avoid mis-reinstalling the items, which can always be a huge challenge. You do need a checklist and labeling info, as it always helps and it will make the process of assembling stuff back together a whole lot easier.
Packing the machinery
These pieces tend to be very sensitive, so you have to use custom crates for sending everything properly. Additionally, due to the sensitive aspect of these pieces, they might need to be in a transportation system with climate control. That’s valid for devices that have refrigerants, liquid components, ultrasound machines and many others. Not only that, but you will have tilt and shock indicators as well, just in case there are issues and you want to protect everything the way it should. Simple things like this can make all the difference, and it’s crucial to focus on this type of stuff as much as you can.
Carrier selection and logistics
You need to ensure that the machinery moving company you are working with is very professional. That means they have FDA and DOT-compliant fleets, they have insurance coverage, along with trained personnel and a lot of experience in this niche. The same thing is valid when it comes to the vehicle considerations. Things like GPS-tracking, air-ride suspensions that reduce vibrations, all of these are crucial and extremely important to focus on.
Arrival and reinstallation
Some transports like this will need escort services. But once everything arrives, you will need to unpack and make sure that everything is working the way it should. That means you have to check for any external signs of damage, along with cross-checking the package list. Follow the re-assembly guidelines and info, and restore all the connections. Then, you can go ahead and reconnect all the accessories and peripherals. It helps quite a lot, and it certainly makes the process much easier and more convenient.
Perform a post-move audit
After you work with machinery movers you have to do a post-move audit. The role of such an audit is to ensure there is compliance with the move protocols, and if there was any damage. You also need to report any type of incidents and ensure no issues like those will appear again in the future. Plus, having a set of lessons learned in a list can ensure no problems like those will appear in the future, which is always helpful.
Consider the regulatory requirements
There are a lot of compliance-focused things you have to consider here. You will need to follow all kinds of standards, ranging from NFPA to HIPAA and GDPR, OSHA Guidelines, FDA 21 CFR part 280 and many others. All of these are crucial when it comes to moving, and you have to take them all into consideration.
Additionally, there are various documentation requirements to think about. These can be chain of custody records, calibration certificates, along with incident reports and maintenance logs. Having these is crucial because it eliminates misunderstandings, it ensures everything works correctly, and the results as a whole will be really good.
There’s also another thing to consider, which are specifics related to those high-risk devices. You will find many devices that come with a really high degree of risk. Addressing those risks helps a lot, and it will make the process much easier. Some of the well-known devices include MRI machines, radiation devices, but also lab instruments. These have complex and intricate components that can prove to be extremely difficult to ensure they work the way they should.
Moving complex pieces of medical equipment can prove to be extremely challenging. However, it also has its benefits, since you can use that machinery in the new place, and potentially it could bring you lots of income. That’s why you need to ensure your machinery is moved correctly, and hiring the right machinery moving team can be the best idea. Once you do that, it will make the process much easier, and you can avoid any potential damage that could arise from transporting such sensitive equipment pieces.
