Personal mobility equipment—wheelchairs, shower chairs, standing frames, and beds—are vital for client care but are increasingly recognised as hidden vectors for infection transmission.
This presentation summarises findings from the 2025 report Infection Control and the Hygiene of Personal Mobility Equipment, which consolidates emerging research on biofilms, contamination, and recontamination within mobility devices.

Drawing on international and Australian studies, including The CLEEN Trial (Stewardson et al., 2024) and biofilm persistence research (Maillard & Centeleghe, 2023), this presentation highlights how mobility equipment often remains contaminated despite routine cleaning, with pathogens such as MRSA and Clostridioides difficile persisting on wheels, armrests, and fittings. It explores why conventional wiping protocols fail to remove biofilms, how rapid recontamination occurs, and the measurable reduction in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) achieved through structured, audited cleaning programs.

The session will discuss practical, evidence-informed strategies for occupational therapists and allied health professionals to integrate infection prevention principles into daily practice and service design. Attendees will gain insight into biofilm-aware cleaning, risk-based maintenance schedules, and advocacy for systemic change in cleaning standards across hospitals, aged care, and disability services.