Most therapy equipment takes quite a beating. Southpaw works hard to design equipment around this fact by using the best materials available. However, even the best piece of equipment will have a finite life.

In the few instances of equipment failures we have seen over the years, most have been a result of parts wearing completely through, such as eyebolts breaking or ropes failing. The vast majority of failures can be completely prevented by simple, routine inspections and maintenance.

A Comprehensive 3-Step Inspection and Maintenance Program includes the following:

1. Training

All therapists who will use the equipment must familiarize themselves with the instruction sheet and maintenance checklist that comes with each item purchased from Southpaw. Both documents, which include a list of all parts, setup procedures (if applicable), safety notes, inspection point, and cleaning and storage instructions, need to be kept in a fully accessible, known location.

2. Know What Needs to be Inspected

As noted above, each item from Southpaw includes an instruction sheet and maintenance checklist. Each instruction sheet lists items to inspect on the product as well as inspection intervals. Following these guidelines will bring your attention to the wear on a piece of equipment before it becomes dangerous.

In addition to inspecting the specific points noted on the checklist, therapists must always inspect each piece of equipment as a whole before and after each use. The last person to use the equipment may have changed or reconfigured something that makes its use inappropriate for the next person.

3. Master Schedule

Developing a regular inspection and maintenance master schedule is one of the most significant steps you must take to keep equipment, therapists and clients safe.

A master schedule is highly detailed and includes a comprehensive list of all items requiring inspection, the related instruction sheets and checklists, and the dates on which each inspection should take place. The program should specifically identify assigned groups or persons to perform each task.

The importance of proper, scheduled maintenance cannot be overstated.