- Home
- Categories
- Medical & Emergency
- Medical Equipment
Safety & Lifesaving
Medical Equipment
Medical Equipment covers the durable devices in a rig's sick bay and medic's response bag: automated external defibrillators (AEDs), patient monitors, oxygen therapy sets, suction units, examination and treatment fittings, and telemedicine kit.
Every device here has consumables with expiry dates and depends on the maker's support. Check both before you consider a used unit.
What the sick bay has to do
A rig's medic stabilises a casualty and keeps them stable until a helicopter or vessel evacuates them, sometimes for many hours. The equipment covers airway, breathing, circulation, monitoring, wound care and contact with a shore-based doctor. The flag state's medical scale and the installation's medical plan set the minimum.
Configurations
| Device | Purpose | Main consumables |
|---|---|---|
| AED | Analyses heart rhythm and shocks | Pads, battery |
| Manual or advanced defibrillator monitor | ECG, pacing, monitoring for a trained medic | Pads, ECG electrodes, battery, paper |
| Patient monitor | SpO2, blood pressure, ECG, temperature | Probes, cuffs, electrodes |
| Oxygen therapy set | Oxygen delivery in transit and in the sick bay | Medical oxygen, masks, tubing |
| Portable suction | Clears the airway | Canisters, catheters |
| Treatment couch and examination light | Examination and minor procedures | None of note |
| Telemedicine kit | Sends vital signs and images to a shore doctor | Software licence, connectivity |
Key specifications
| Parameter | Why it matters | Typical classes or units |
|---|---|---|
| Device standard | Proves basic safety and performance | IEC 60601-1 plus the device's particular part, such as IEC 60601-2-4 for defibrillators |
| Ingress protection | Spray, dust and wet decks | IP rating |
| Battery chemistry and life | Standby and in-use time | Lithium manganese dioxide or lithium-ion; expiry date |
| Oxygen connection | Must match cylinders you are supplied | Pin index, bullnose or national valve standard |
| Data export | Telemedicine and records | USB, Bluetooth, proprietary software |
Standards and regulation
- MLC 2006 Standard A4.1 and flag state scales set what you carry.
- The International Medical Guide for Ships is the treatment reference most scales follow.
- Regulation (EU) 2017/745 and FDA rules govern the devices themselves.
- IEC 60601-1 covers electrical safety of medical electrical equipment. IEC 62353 covers recurrent testing after repair and in service.
- ISO 10524-1 covers pressure regulators for medical gas cylinders.
AEDs in detail
An AED runs daily or weekly self-tests and shows its status. Pads and batteries carry printed expiry dates, and shelf life varies by model and maker. Read the dates on the actual items rather than relying on a typical figure. Makers end support for older models, after which pads, batteries and software updates stop. Check the model's support status with the maker or its authorised distributor first.
Failure modes and inspection
- AEDs. Confirm a pass on self-test, check the event log and inspect the case, connector and pad door.
- Monitors. Check every parameter against a patient simulator, and replace worn probes and cuffs.
- Oxygen sets. Check regulator flow and leak tightness, cylinder test dates and the cleanliness of oxygen components, which must stay free of oil and grease.
- Suction. Check the vacuum level and battery run time.
- All electrical devices. Run an electrical safety test to IEC 62353 and check battery dates.
Documentation
- Serial number, date of manufacture and conformity marking.
- Service and calibration history from the maker or an authorised biomedical service.
- Electrical safety test report.
- Consumable expiry dates and the AED self-test or event log.
Integration
Pick devices your medic is trained on and your medical provider supports. Match pads, probes and batteries across the fleet so spares serve every unit. Confirm telemedicine software works with your connectivity and your shore doctor's system. Oxygen regulators must fit the cylinder valves your gas supplier fills, which differ between regions.
Refurbishment and what never to buy used
A biomedical service can refurbish a supported monitor or AED with new batteries, consumables and a safety and performance test. Unsupported models are poor value, however clean. Never buy used pads, electrodes, masks, tubing, sterile items or medicines, and never buy oxygen cylinders without a supplier who will fill them.
For moving the casualty, see emergency response equipment.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do AED pads and batteries expire?
Yes, AED pads and batteries both carry printed expiry dates, and shelf life varies by maker and model. Read the dates on the actual items. Fit new pads and a new battery to any used AED before putting it in service.
What standard covers defibrillators?
IEC 60601-2-4 covers the particular safety and performance requirements for cardiac defibrillators, on top of the general IEC 60601-1 standard for medical electrical equipment. In-service and post-repair electrical testing follows IEC 62353.
Is a used AED worth buying?
Only if the maker still supplies pads, batteries and software for that model. Once support ends, consumables become scarce and the unit soon becomes unusable. Check the support status before checking anything else.
What checks should a used patient monitor pass?
It should pass an electrical safety test to IEC 62353 and a performance check of every parameter against a patient simulator. Replace probes, cuffs and the battery. Ask for the service history from an authorised biomedical service.
Can I reuse oxygen cylinders from another rig?
Only if they are in test date and your medical gas supplier will accept and refill them. Medical oxygen is a regulated medicinal product in many countries. Valve connections also differ by region.
Looking for medical equipment?
Tell us what you need and we will find out what is available. We reply within one business day.