Introduction
Ensuring safety in healthcare environments is essential, not just for patients receiving care, but for the healthcare professionals delivering it. Unfortunately, despite decades of focus, hospitals and surgical centers still face persistent threats to patient safety from healthcare acquired infections, errors, and injury.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 134 million adverse events occur annually in hospitals in low- and middle-income countries, contributing to 2.6 million deaths each year 1. In North America, preventable harm continues to burden healthcare systems, affecting both outcomes and cost. Unsafe care leads to longer stays, legal exposure, loss of public trust, and in some cases, fatal outcomes.
The U.S. Joint Commission, WHO, and numerous national patient safety bodies now emphasize proactive design and systems-based thinking. Yet implementing those ideas at the base level requires equipment and environments that enable safe behaviors by default.
This article outlines the dimensions of healthcare safety for patients and staff and identifies seven major risk areas. Each section explores how Torvan Medical’s reprocessing, drying, ergonomic, and modular equipment solutions can help prevent harm while improving workflow.
1 WHO “10 facts on patient safety”
The Dual Nature of Healthcare Safety
Patient Safety
Patient safety refers to the prevention of harm during the delivery of healthcare services. Most patient safety incidents stem from infections, equipment failures, or procedural errors, which are often linked to breakdowns in workflow, improperly reprocessed medical devices, or physical layout .
Examples include:
- Improperly reprocessed surgical instruments
- Retained endoscope moisture leading to microbial growth
- Delays in sterilization causing surgical schedule conflicts
Staff Safety
Healthcare workers are frequently exposed to:
- Bloodborne pathogens
- Sharp instrument injuries
- Back, neck, and joint strain from repetitive tasks
- Psychological stress from workflow bottlenecks and system downtime
The same systems that protect patients must be designed to support and shield the professionals who use them.
7 Key Risks Impacting Healthcare Safety Today
1. Hospital-Acquired Infections (HAIs)
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) affect an estimated 687,000 people annually in the U.S. alone 1. Many HAIs stem from inadequate reprocessing of surgical and diagnostic instruments, especially those with internal channels or lumens.
1 CDC: HAIs: Reports and Data
Contributing factors:
- Manual flushing and cleaning inconsistencies
- Debris retention in complex instruments
- Inadequate water quality and rinse control
Torvan’s Direct Impact:
Torvan Medical’s TPS Flushing Pump helps ensure standardized, pressure-regulated flushing of lumened devices such as flexible endoscopes and robotic instruments. Combined with Torvan’s high-capacity Reprocessing Sinks, the system delivers consistent, thorough debris removal, helping reduce microbial risk before disinfection even begins.
Both components integrate seamlessly with modular counters and splash guards, enabling facilities to create custom workflows with validated outcomes for meeting manufacturer’s instructions for use.
2. Cross-Contamination Due to Improper Reprocessing
Even when staff follow protocols, inconsistent manual cleaning can lead to cross-contamination, especially in high-volume settings or when instruments are rushed through processing.
Common causes:
- Missed steps in manual reprocessing
- Shared basins for multiple instruments
- Lack of verification in cleaning effectiveness
Torvan’s Direct Impact:
The AuqaBrush System, available through Torvan, is a fully enclosed, automated cleaning system for reusable tools. It standardizes the cleaning process with pre-set pressure, duration, and temperature parameters delivered to each instrument, reducing variability and the potential for human error.
The sealed chamber also limits splash back and airborne contamination, helping protect staff while they are cleaning instruments. When used in conjunction with Torvan’s ergonomic prep tables, facilities can reduce cross-contamination risk while improving throughput.
3. Poor Ergonomic Design Leading to Staff Injuries
Technicians often stand for hours, handling heavy trays, leaning across deep sinks, or performing visual inspections without proper support. These repetitive, static tasks are a leading cause of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in hospitals.
Typical injury contributors:
- Fixed-height tables or sinks
- Non-adjustable inspection stations
- Lack of seating or anti-fatigue flooring
- Poor lighting leading to missed damage or debris
Torvan’s Direct Impact:
Torvan Medical designs fully height-adjustable ergonomic workstations to reduce strain on the neck, shoulders, and lower back. Each unit can be electronically controlled to fit the needs of individual users.
These stations feature:
- Tilted inspection panels to promote neutral wrist angles
- Integrated lighting and magnification for detailed inspection
- Optional anti-fatigue mats and modular drawer units for efficient close-range storage
This ergonomic infrastructure helps departments meet workplace safety regulations while improving employee job satisfaction and reducing injury-related absenteeism.
4. Inadequate Endoscope Storage & Drying
Endoscopes require specialized handling. After high-level disinfection, they must be completely dried and stored in a controlled environment to prevent moisture-related bacterial growth.
Common failures include:
- Ambient air drying with no active channel purge
- Inadequate HEPA filtration in storage cabinets
- Channel occlusion due to accessories not being removed and scopes not positioned correctly
Torvan’s Direct Impact:
The EndoCab™ Storage Cabinet from Torvan provides constant positive-pressure, HEPA-filtered ventilation and an optional HEPA-filter channel-purge to dry internal lumens. Together, these features help maintain a dry, filtered environment aligned with AAMI ST91 guidance for endoscope drying and storage.
The cabinet’s channel porting system connects directly to reprocessed scopes, actively evacuating moisture trapped in all internal lumens. Controlled access doors, custom hangers, and temperature control help ensure safe, documented storage for even the most delicate endoscopes.
5. Environmental Hazards & Workflow Clutter
Crowded and disorganized reprocessing areas not only slow down instrument turnover, they also increase the risk of slips, falls, misplaced instruments, and errors. Many healthcare spaces must be retrofitted for reprocessing rather than designed for it.
Hazards include:
- Wet floors near sinks or ultrasonic cleaners
- Instruments crossing clean/dirty boundaries
- Staff needing to double back through traffic zones
Torvan’s Direct Impact:
Torvan’s Configurator Tool allows departments to digitally simulate their processing environment, optimizing layout to support one-way flow, proper zoning, and safe work paths.
By using this preplanning approach, departments can:
- Decrease workflow bottlenecks
- Eliminate high-risk intersections
- Improve tray handoff speed and traceability
- Allocate storage for PPE, consumables, and backup instruments
Torvan also offers custom millwork, cabinet systems, and mobile units that adapt to your footprint and helps ensure safety doesn’t depend on square footage.
6. Inconsistent Safety Protocols Across Departments
Non-standardized SOPs, rotating staff, and ad-hoc “tribal knowledge” can result in inconsistent safety compliance across facilities. These inconsistencies can lead to reprocessing failures, documentation gaps, and weakened accountability.
Symptoms of protocol drift:
- Differences in inspection or drying steps between staff members
- Inconsistent instrument tracking processes
- Conflicting definitions of what constitutes “clean”
Torvan’s Direct Impact:
Torvan’s equipment is designed to enforce standardized workflows with:
- Customizable cleaning procedures meeting IFUs
- Digital cycle counters and time logs
- Modular layouts that physically guide instruments through steps
- Integrated accessory holders and labeling features
Used in conjunction with a documented SOP, Torvan’s hardware promotes repeatable, compliance-ready behaviors, even during peak workload or onboarding new staff.
7. Delays Due to Equipment Shortages or Downtime
When reprocessing equipment fails or is delayed in delivery, technicians often turn to unsafe workarounds such as skipping steps or overloading functional equipment.
Risks of downtime include:
- Increased stress and fatigue among staff
- Delayed or canceled surgical cases
- Loss of instrument traceability and audit readiness
Torvan’s Direct Impact:
Torvan Medical’s modular product line allows for:
- Rapid on-site reconfiguration during workflow redesigns
- Component-level replacement rather than full-unit downtime
- Shorter manufacturing and delivery lead times, often within weeks
With robust construction, built-in serviceability, and readily available components, Torvan’s infrastructure helps minimize equipment-related delays and supports business continuity in high-risk environments.
The Role of Facility Design & Equipment in Safety
Smart facility design is not just about aesthetics, it directly impacts safety. Workflow layout, lighting, material choice, and modularity all influence whether a task is performed safely, efficiently, and correctly.
How Facility Design Supports Safety
Torvan’s design services use lean principles to:
- Physically separate clean and dirty zones
- Reduce redundant movements and task overlap
- Promote recommended visibility levels during cleaning and reprocessing
- Provides traceability for auditing and compliance
How Equipment Reduces Risk
Torvan’s product suite integrates:
- Ergonomics to reduce staff injury risk
- Automation to improve cleaning and drying consistency
- Touchless interfaces to limit contact transmission
This enables better outcomes for both clinical safety and staff satisfaction.
Long-Term Value
Designing for safety doesn’t just protect lives, it improves facility reputation, reduces insurance premiums, and helps institutions meet regulatory benchmarks. Hospitals that invest in modular, ergonomic and compliance-aligned infrastructure are building resilience from the ground up.
Conclusion
Safety in healthcare is an ongoing, evolving challenge. It requires the right combination of policy, training, and the right tools and infrastructure.
Torvan Medical empowers healthcare facilities to move beyond reactive compliance and toward proactive prevention. From our automated reprocessing systems and ergonomic workstations to validated drying cabinets and custom layout planning, our solutions address today’s most urgent risks with precision, reliability, and clinical intelligence.
Ready to elevate safety in your facility? Contact Torvan Medical at 1-888-832-0355 or reach out online to schedule a design consultation.