This page has been prepared as a resource for those interested in approaches to the manual handling of patients and prevention of injury. It is not intended to be exhaustive but should still serve as a starting point for more detailed investigations.
Canada - governmental/legislation
Alberta - Work Safe
- Work Safe Alberta is a government-led initiative in consultation with industry and labour to help prevent work-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities. Occupational Health and Safety Council enforces the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Regulation and Code.
Work Safe Alberta - No unsafe lift - Alberta Occupational Health and Safety requires assessment and control of workplace hazards.
No Unsafe Lift (PDF)
British Columbia - Work Safe
- Enforces the British Columbia Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation
- Patient Handling in Small Facilities (PDF)
- High-Risk Manual Handling of Patients in Healthcare (PDF)
Ontario Long-Term Care Homes Act
36. Every licensee of a long-term care home shall ensure that staff use safe transferring and positioning devices or techniques when assisting residents. O. Reg. 79/10, s. 36.
39. Every licensee of a long-term care home shall ensure that mobility devices, including wheelchairs, walkers and canes, are available at all times to residents who require them on a short-term basis. O. Reg. 79/10, s. 39.
Canada - associations and organizations
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)
Public Services Health & Safety Association (PSHSA)
Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW)
United States - governmental/legislation
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Safe Patient Handling: Preventing MSDs in Nursing Homes (PDF)
- Worker Safety in Hospitals: Safe Patient Handling
- Multiple tools and resources linked from this site
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
- Safe Lifting and Movement of Nursing Home Residents (PDF)
- Safe Patient Handling Training for Schools of Nursing (PDF)
Food and Drug Administration
US Department of Labor
- Guidelines for Nursing Homes: Ergonomics for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Flow charts outlining which equipment/lift to use
11 US states with safe patient handling laws/regulations
Occupational Safety & Health Administration
California
- California Hospital Patient and Health Care Worker Injury Protection Act (PDF)
- 2011 – added to Occupational Safety and Health Act – requirement for employers to provide safety devices and guards, safe patient handling policy, replace manual lifting with lift devices and use of lift teams.
Illinois
- 2011 – require facilities in University of Illinois Hospital system to implement policy to identify, assess, develop strategies to control risk of injury to patients/residents/nurses/healthcare workers associated with lifting/transferring/repositioning/moving a patient/resident
Maryland
- 2007 – require healthcare facilities to establish safe patient handling programs
- 2008 - extended safe patient handling practices to employees/residents in nursing homes
- 2007/8 – 50/50 management and employees to reduce employee injuries related to lifting, enhance use of lifting devices
Minnesota
- 2011 – require all settings that move patients to develop a safe patient handling plan
- 2007 – passed a law, providing grants for safe patient handling programs (500k per year for 2 years)
Missouri
- 2011 - safe patient handling policy for lifting, transferring, repositioning all or part or most of patient’s bodyweight excluding emergency situations
New Jersey
- Require healthcare facilities to establish safe patient handling programs
New York
- 2014/15 – general hospitals/health care facilities required to have safe patient handling and mobility programs by Jan, 2017
- 2011 – program to collect data reflecting employee and patient injuries resulting from patient handling, comparing manual and technology techniques
- All participants need risk identification and assessment plan, employee training program, need to commit to avoiding manual patient handling as much as possible, provide ongoing reporting through health and safety committees
Ohio
- 2005 – long term care loan fund program – purchase/improve/install lifts and for staff education and training
Rhode Island
- 2006 – required to have committee for development of safe handling program and be ready to implement in 2008
Texas
- 2006 – require governing body of hospital or QA of nursing home to implement policy to identify/assess/develop strategies to control risk of injury to patients and nurses associated with lifting/transferring/repositioning/moving patient
Washington
- Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. (2011). Implementation of safe patient handling in Washington State hospitals.
- Mandates hospitals to acquire lifting equipment and provide staff training (PDF)
- Lifting Patients/Residents/Clients in Health Care (PDF)
- A Back Injury Prevention Guide for Health Care Providers (PDF)
- Tools, checklists, etc.
United States - associations and organizations
American Association for Safe Patient Handling and Movement
- Healthcare Recipient Sling and Lift Hanger Bar Compatibility Guidelines - release pending
American Industrial Hygiene Association
- Safe Handling of Patients and Residents (PDF)
- Other related documents are available with registration on the Website
American Nurses Association
- Safe Patient Handling and Mobility: Interprofessional National Standards (For purchase)
- Implementation Guide to the Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Interprofessional National Standards (For purchase)
Association of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare (AOHP)
- Beyond Getting Started (PDF): A resource guide for implementing a safe patient handling program in the acute care settin
International - governmental/legislation
Australia
- WorkSafe Victoria
- Policy and Best Practice Guidelines for the Prevention of Manual Handling Incidents (PDF) in New South Wales Public Health Services
New Zealand
- New Zealand Patient Handling Guidelines (PDF) – the LITEN UP approach
United Kingdom
- All Wales NHS Manual Handling Training Passport & Information Scheme (PDF)
- The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 No. 2793
- Ireland: Guidance on the Management of Manual Handling in Healthcare (PDF)
- Manual Handling Training (PDF)
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)
- E-Facts
- Case Studies
Germany
International - associations and organizations
International Standards Organization
- Ergonomics -- Manual handling of people in the healthcare sector. International Standards Organization Technical Report. ISO/TR 12296:2012 (For purchase)