Designed & created by
Gavin Wright
Terms & Conditions 59 Balliol Close, Peterlee, Co.Durham, England. SR8 2NX e-mail
Minnesota has become the latest American state to introduce safe patient handling laws.
Ergonomics Today reported on the 19th of October, that the Occupational Safety & Hazards Administration must "develop and implement a standard to eliminate, to the greatest degree feasible based on technological and medical considerations, manual lifting of patients by direct-care registered nurses and other health care workers through the use of mechanical devices."
The greatest degree feasible is another way of saying “reasonably practicable”, which is the term used in the UK, South Africa and several other countries. What I like about this legislation is that it has made allowances for exceptions where patient safety might be compromised. Although allowances were built into the UK system, these were not clear and it took several high profile cases, most notably the “East Sussex (click to read judgement)” and the “Milton Keynes” cases to “thrash out in court” the meaning of “reasonably practicable”. It has also built in “get out” (my terminology not theirs) clauses for nurses who feel that they could not be party to these exceptions for whatever reason.
The senator who introduced the laws, Al Franken, said "nurses and health care workers shouldn't have to sacrifice their safety and their livelihood to help others,especially when many of these injuries could be prevented. All of us benefit from the services these professionals provide, and by passing this legislation, we can help ensure they're able to safely continue in their important careers"
Ergonomics Today
