Air Compressors and Hospitals

There are many uses for compressed air in hospitals, from maintenance right through to front-line healthcare delivery.

Different applications can place different demands on hospital air compressors. For example, compressed air used in treating patients may need to be very dry and clean of any microscopic oil droplets.

In other parts of the building, there may be less stringent demands placed on the kind of compressed air that can be used, and other factors such as the volume of output might be more significant.

Operating theatres

One critical setting for compressed air in hospitals is in the operating theatre, where it can be used in respiratory devices as well as in medical tools.

For obvious reasons, this is where air quality and cleanliness are at their most critical, and medical air compressors will often be equipped with dryers and filters, or may be oil-free to avoid any risk of contamination by lubricants.

Hospital maintenance

Compressed air powertools are as useful in hospital maintenance as in other settings. Air compressors provide a convenient source of high-impact energy for these tools.

Air screwdrivers, riveters, hammers and grinders all allow essential repair work to be carried out – and cordless air tools mean this can happen even when there is no air compressor nearby.

Dentist air compressors

There are particular applications of air compressors for dentists. Air can be used for suction to clear fluids and debris from the mouth, as well as to power dental drills.

Often these are compact, quiet-running air compressors that can be used indoors without high noise levels.

Again, their output can be very clean and dry, so that there is no risk of infection or contamination in sterile healthcare settings.

Choosing a hospital air compressor

The best air compressor for hospital settings depends on its specific role, how often it will be used and how much output you expect to need from it.

Some of the factors to consider include:

• Do you need an air compressor for a single specific tool or for many different uses?
• Is operating noise level a concern – for example in enclosed spaces or if it might disturb resting patients?
• Do you need medical-grade compressed air output, i.e. very dry and very clean?

Once you know the minimum specifications you need, you can start to look at the options that meet those criteria. If you’d like any further help choosing a hospital air compressor, get in touch and we will be happy to make some suitable suggestions.