EBME Forums Forums Free discussion Free discussion Staffing Levels for EBME deptments.

Thank God for someone with some sense on this forum Too many biomed live in the past.

Yes, Mate ... best get to kip.

I try not to confuse too much, but conditions vary from place to place, site to site, hospital to hospital.

Some have no programme at all, whilst others are well advanced in their equipment management techniques.

What I generally like to go for is:-

1) Make a proper inventory (equipment details, plus a note of condition)

2) Make a schedule for I/PM (usually by Department, at least at first) ... let's get it done at least once first!

3) Implement the schedule (this sometimes does not happen, due to objections by "management" etc.)

4) Re-set the schedule aiming at six-months for most things, and 90 days for the sort of kit already mentioned.

5) Run the new schedule through a couple of cycles (I have usually been fired by this time, but have to hope that those I left behind carry on without me)!

6) Then start thinking about RCM!


In short, start with fixed PM intervals, then (in light of experience) progress to sliding (hopefully lengthening) intervals in accordance with RCM.

Yes, you're right Billy ... all the pioneering work has already been done.

In my experience there is almost nothing in current use requiring 3 monthly PM. In the case of electrical safety most devices are double insulated these days requiring little in the way of testing!!

Everyone is more than welcome to come on here and offer an opinion, Billy.

But from what you say, I assume that your experience so far has been a bit, shall we say, limited.

"Almost nothing"? What does this mean? Some?

"Little in the way of testing"? What does that mean?

I have over 15 years experience from apprentice to manager, to give an example Drager recommend there Ventilators are checked at six monthly intervals not three.

And what do they recommend about electrical safety testing, I wonder?

Once a year is by far enough !

Just to throw a little slant on the topic
What would you say is the difference between PM and "servicing", if any?
When you say I/PM Geoff do you mean Inspection?

Getting back to the original question one Tech per 600-700 items should be sufficient this would equal about 3 PMs per day, not taking into account breakdowns which PM does little to reduce!