What to check on a Stretcher.
A shipboard stretcher is not a scaled-down hospital trolley. It has to carry a casualty vertically up a ladder, through a narrow hatch, across a rolling deck and into a rescue basket for helicopter or lifeboat transfer, often with the patient already immobilised for a suspected spinal injury. That combination of requirements pushes the design toward a rigid frame, multiple securing straps and buoyancy, none of which feature on a standard ambulance stretcher.
What makes this type
A shipboard stretcher is not a scaled-down hospital trolley. It has to carry a casualty vertically up a ladder, through a narrow hatch, across a rolling deck and into a rescue basket for helicopter or lifeboat transfer, often with the patient already immobilised for a suspected spinal injury. That combination of requirements pushes the design toward a rigid frame, multiple securing straps and buoyancy, none of which feature on a standard ambulance stretcher.
Main components
Frame
Rigid, commonly a basket or Neil Robertson type frame that holds its shape when lifted vertically, unlike a soft or wheeled stretcher that would fold under the casualty's own weight in that orientation.
Securing straps
A set of cross straps and often a full-body harness that keeps the patient fixed to the frame regardless of the stretcher's orientation during transfer.
Head immobiliser
A padded block or strap arrangement restraining head movement where spinal injury is suspected, fitted as standard on rescue-type stretchers.
Lifting points
Reinforced attachment points along the frame allowing the stretcher to be lifted by rope or davit without the load concentrating on any single strap.
Selection / sizing
- Stretcher type matched to the vessel's rescue routes: a basket stretcher for vertical hoisting and helicopter transfer, a rigid folding type where storage space is limited.
- Buoyancy, required where the stretcher may be used in a survival craft or during a man overboard recovery.
- Compatibility with the ship's davit or hoist attachment fittings if vertical lifting through hatches or over the side is a realistic scenario.
- Storage location accessible from both the accommodation and the engine room, since casualties can originate in either.
Regulations / Class
The medical equipment scale required on board, including stretcher provision, is set by flag state requirements that draw on the ILO Maritime Labour Convention framework and, for vessels carrying it, the ship's medical guide. Class and flag surveys check that the stretcher is present, in serviceable condition and stowed where it is accessible without delay, rather than specifying the stretcher's construction in detail, which is left to recognised medical equipment standards.
Typical faults
| Fault | Cause | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Strap webbing degraded | UV exposure or salt contamination in an exposed stowage location | Strap failure under load during a real transfer |
| Frame corrosion at lifting points | Stowage in a damp or unventilated locker | Weakened lift point, risk of failure during vertical hoisting |
| Stretcher stowed inaccessibly | Location chosen for convenience rather than access during an emergency | Delay retrieving the stretcher when time matters most |
| Crew unfamiliar with strapping sequence | No drill practice with the actual stretcher type carried | Improper securing, added risk of further injury during transfer |
What to look for in a supplier
- Frame construction proven for vertical lifting, not just horizontal carrying, if the vessel's rescue plan includes hatch or side transfers.
- Buoyant construction if the stretcher may be used in or near a survival craft.
- Strap and webbing materials rated for continuous exposure if the stowage location is not fully enclosed.
Run at least one drill a year with the actual stretcher carried on board, not a substitute. The strapping sequence for a spinal casualty is not something to work out for the first time during a real injury.