REDUCING THE RISK - WORK ORGANISATION

Is the manual handling in the task necessary? Reorganise tasks to reduce the manual handling involved. For example, some residents sit out of bed to eat breakfast; if they are showered before breakfast, this reduces the number of transfers needed. Is staff fatigue contributing to injury Avoid long shifts; if staff are having difficulty sustaining an 8 hour day, extending the workday to 10 hours should be avoided. Allow staff flexibility in selecting shifts.

Rotate staff between tasks involving the most dependent residents and the highest workload. For example, staff change over after each task so a nurse performs one resident's bath and then changes to bedmaking.

Spread the tasks that involve a high workload throughout the day. For example, showers can be done by morning, afternoon and night staff depending on the needs and preferences of individual residents.

Is assistance available when needed?

Organise staff into work groups so assistance is readily available.

Are safety policies and procedures documented and available to staff?

Recommended transfer techniques based on resident assessments should be documented and kept by resident's beds.

Procedures for potentially hazardous situations should be available. For example, what to do if a patient stops weight-bearing when standing and what to do when a patient is found on the floor.

Make sure all staff know the policies and procedures, including part-timers and night staff.

Continue with Strategies to Reduce the Risk of Back Strain in Nursing Homes
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[Last Updated: May 1996 - Worksafe Western Australia]