Wire carts and mobile shelving units are common sights in workplaces across Canada, from warehouses, to commercial storage rooms, office spaces, educational institutions, and the hospitality sector.
However, it’s in healthcare where carts and mobile shelving truly shine. Those managing equipment procurement for hospitals, medical research centers, and private clinics understand the unique advantages of wire carts. Their versatility makes them indispensable in virtually every healthcare setting, from critical care areas to clean supply rooms. Let’s take a closer look at some of their most impactful benefits.
6 Benefits and Key Considerations for Choosing Wire Carts
Accessibility
The open design of wire carts carried by Forsyth provides superior visibility, allowing staff to quickly identify and access stored items. This eliminates the need for constant opening and closing of drawers or compartments, streamlining workflows and saving valuable time. In a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, this efficiency directly supports improved patient care.
Clean Design
Wire shelving isn’t just dust-free—it’s also non-porous and non-shedding, meeting CSA standards for storing clean and sterile supplies. This makes it a superior choice compared to painted or wood shelving, which lack these essential hygienic features.
Mobility
In healthcare settings, the mobility of wire carts provides unparalleled utility. Their flexibility allows you to reorganize or repurpose storage spaces without the hassle of unloading supplies from stationary units, saving time and effort.
Casters should be tailored to the specific environment and application. Factors like wheel diameter, tread material, shape, and braking mechanisms all contribute to how easily carts move. Casters all have different weight capacities which impact the total capacity of a shelf unit.
For heavy loads or frequent movement over varying surfaces and elevator gaps, a dolly base with plate casters is a smart choice. It enhances both the mobility and durability of the cart compared to stem casters, making it a more reliable option for demanding applications.
Accessories such as donut bumpers can also be a good addition when space allows, as they help protect walls and nearby equipment from accidental damage.
Adjustability
At Forsyth, the brands we carry provide customizable configurations and accessories to enhance usability and accessibility for your staff, ensuring an optimal fit for your space.
For instance, Metro wire carts (sold in Canada through Forsyth Healthcare) feature Super Adjustable Super Erecta Shelf construction. This patented system allows for tool-free height adjustments, making assembly and reconfiguration quick and seamless as inventory needs change. Metro has also recently introduced the EZ-ADD shelf, which allows you to add shelves to existing carts without the need to dismantle the entire unit. This innovation offers even greater flexibility for adapting storage solutions as needs evolve.
When it comes to those less conventional needs, like storage rooms that benefit from wire carts fitting into the corners, traditional wire carts won’t work. Thanks to our partnership with brands like Wanzl, Nexel and Quantum Medical, Forsyth can customize carts that fit into unique spaces with corner-wire shelving
Adaptability
Wire shelves are particularly well-suited for larger, flat-bottomed items, as well as products that come in sturdy, non-corrugated packaging such as bandages, medications, and cotton swabs. The open design of wire shelves ensures excellent airflow and visibility, which is ideal for these types of supplies.
If you’re dealing with smaller or uniquely packaged items and want to avoid the hassle of cleaning plastic bins, fine mesh supply baskets offer an efficient solution. This type of shelf allows you to store those smaller supplies securely without the need for separate containers and can be integrated on to any existing shelf unit. These basket shelves also provide excellent support for bulkier items, such as IV bags, while keeping everything organized and easily accessible.
Eliminating the need for plastic bins streamlines both cleaning and storage processes. The result is a more efficient and hygienic storage solution that maximizes space and minimizes unnecessary steps in your workflow.
Finish
There’s a reason why clinical-grade wire shelf units cost more than something you might find online or in stores like Costco or Home Depot. Here’s why:
- Wire Gauge and Density: Retail shelving units typically use smaller gauge wire components, and fewer of them. This results in larger gaps between the wires. In contrast, clinical-grade shelves are built with thicker, more durable wire and tighter spacing, making them stronger and more secure for heavier, medical-grade items.
- Finish Quality: While many manufacturers offer various finishes, the quality can differ dramatically. Clinical wire shelving often features specialized coatings or finishes designed to withstand the demanding healthcare environment—think frequent cleaning, and resistance to corrosion. Retail units may not meet these standards, leading to quicker wear and a lower lifespan.
Choosing wire shelving and carts manufactured in an ISO-certified plant is key to ensuring both quality and durability. ISO certification guarantees that the products are made to consistent, high standards, with rigorous quality control processes in place. This means the finish will be more resilient, the construction more reliable, and the overall product built to last—ideal for the demanding conditions of healthcare environments.
Hospitals and larger medical centers can benefit from wire carts beyond just storing medical supplies. The same advantages we’ve discussed—mobility, visibility, and durability—make these carts ideal for other areas such as hospital cafeterias, staff lounges, executive offices, and even server rooms. Their versatility ensures they can meet a wide range of storage needs across various departments within healthcare facilities.
At Forsyth Healthcare, we’re here to help you maximize your storage spaces with effective solutions like wire carts and other essential products, designed to improve efficiency and organization in your facility.View more on our line of wire carts, and contact us today to discuss your unique needs.
