Mechanical Tugs

NHSBT is committed to reducing manual handling activity wherever possible. Through Market research a <br/>feasibility pilot with a manual handling equipment (MHE) supplier was undertaken on a mobile team and has <br/>proven to reduce the Manual Handling of the IT cabinets/Roll cages. The devices have been very positively <br/>received by the team. Hence, the introduction of pedestrian tugs onto the Blood Donation teams is seen as a <br/>key piece of equipment to help reduce manual handling risk as it reduces the physical pushing/pulling of cages. <br/>The purpose of this document is to provide an outline specification for the initial purchase of 52 battery-operated <br/>pedestrian tugs for use on Blood Donation mobile teams. Including the ongoing maintenance and repair of the <br/>pedestrian tugs for an initial period of 3 years with the option to extend for a further two options of one year, <br/>bringing the contract duration to 5 years. <br/>NHSBT has circa 52 mobile teams who travel to different venues, in various locations within England, to collect <br/>blood component donations from donors. This involves transporting all equipment and consumables required to <br/>collect the target number of donations, from the team base to the scheduled venue. The longest journey time <br/>from team base to venue is approximately 2 hours. The teams transport the critical equipment and consumables <br/>needed to collect component donations in roll cages. They are currently manually handling the roll cages on and <br/>off a 7.5 tonne vehicle. <br/>Should the number of mobile teams increase, we would also require the ability to either purchase or lease <br/>additional pedestrian tugs.