Transporting medical devices

You may find you are transporting a passenger and they have a medical device with them. This could be anything from specialist equipment to oxygen the medication that they need. 

It is possible that you may transport someone who needs an oxygen cylinder, if you do you will need to take additional precautions.

• Make sure that your insurance covers you to carry oxygen.
• Always make sure that the oxygen tank in laid down, they should never be left standing.
• Ensure that it is safe and secure and cannot roll around.

Your passenger may have a different type of equipment or specialist machine with them,  their bag could contain expensive and fragile medical devices, so be very careful when you are handling and putting their belongings into your vehicle, if the equipment is vital and you break it, you passenger's health could be at risk.

Your passenger may have been receiving medical treatment and has a wound that has been dressed, if any blood came through the dressings you could potentially have to deal with removing the blood from your vehicle.

If you do have a passengers blood in your vehicle, you need to be aware of the danger of blood borne pathogens, you also need to take care when dealing with any other type of bodily fluid. Coming into contact with any bodily fluid carries a risk of infection.  

• Always wear protective gloves when cleaning up any bodily fluids
• Remove blood using a wipe 
• Wipe carefully to avoid "splashing" or flicking any bodily fluids either around your vehicle or onto you
• Dispose of all soiled items carefully by placing them in a waste bag and dispose of them correctly.

When a patient has been receiving medical treatment and feels unwell, they may vomit while you are transporting them.  Clear up vomit using the same method as you would with a blood spill.

Consider carrying vomit or sick bags in your vehicle, if you don't have them already.

Make sure that your first aid kit has enough disposable gloves, antiseptic wipes and disinfectant wipes and bags that you can use for safe disposal.  Always replace any items that you have used as soon as possible.