Injury Rates Before and After the Implementation of a Safe Resident Handling Program in the Long-Term Care Sector

Details

• Personal Author:
  Gore R ; Kurowski A ; Punnett, Laura ; Richardson Kincaid K ; Roberts Y
• Description:
  Manual resident handling (RH) tasks increase risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) for clinical staff in nursing homes. To reduce the incidence and cost of MSDs, a large healthcare corporation instituted a Safe Resident Handling Program (SRHP) comprising purchase of mechanical lifting equipment, worker training, and detailed usage/maintenance protocols. The program was initially administered by a third-party company; after three years, program responsibility shifted to individual centers. Workers' compensation claim rates were compared before and after SRHP implementation. Claims and FTEs were classified as "pre-SRHP," "first post period" (up to 3 years post-SRHP), or "second post period" (4-6 years post-SRHP), based on claim date relative to implementation date for each center. Complete data were available for 136 nursing homes with average annual employment of 18,571 fulltime equivalents. Over the 8-year period, 22,445 claims were recorded. At each time period, the majority of RH claims affected the back (36% low, 15% other) and upper extremity (26%). Workers' compensation claims were reduced by 11% during the first post period and 14% during the second post period. RH-related claims were reduced by 32% and 38%, respectively. After six years, the rate for all claims had decreased in 72% of centers, and RH claim rates decreased in 82%. Relative risk for post-/pre-SRHP injury rates increased for centers with less developed wellness programs, unionized centers, and centers with higher LPN turnover pre-SRHP. Injury reduction among these nursing home workers is plausibly attributable to the introduction of mechanical lifting equipment within the context of this multi-faceted SRHP. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Ergonomics Health Personnel Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety Staff Development
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Intervention Studies Cost Reduction Healthcare Ergonomics Health Care Workers Injuries Injury Prevention Intervention Effectiveness Lifting Low Back Pain MSD Musculoskeletal Disorders Musculoskeletal System Disorders Nursing Patient Handling Safe Resident Handling Program Safety Programs Total Worker Health Training TWH Workers Compensation Workers Compensation Claims

  More +
• ISSN:
  0925-7535
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  217-224
• Volume:
  92
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20055549
• Citation:
  Saf Sci 2017 Feb; 92:217-224
• Contact Point Address:
  Alicia Kurowski, Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell, 1 University Ave., Kitson Hall, Room 200, Lowell, MA 01854, USA
• Email:
  Alicia_Kurowski@uml.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• NORA Priority Area:
  Public Safety ; Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Performing Organization:
  University of Massachusetts, Lowell
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20060701
• Source Full Name:
  Safety Science
• End Date:
  20210831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1301a37b1f03053764cdb8507819db421593aa838437213951a8af18dec96ead6f7b45867324ddba057d10464858a68650533465ee31334864e68fac40e7464f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/213374/cdc_213374_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 472.43 KB ]