Review of safe moving principles All images from Careerforce (2013) US23452 Workbook (Reproduced with kind permission from Careerforce, 2013)

The rules Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 Employers must provide safe working environment Workers must ensure their own safety and the safety of others District Health Board Policies Under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 It is the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe working environment It is your responsibility to take all practicable steps at work to ensure your own safety

ACC claims Examples of reasons for health staff injuries: Lifted a patient and developed acute neck pain down to shoulder and arm Transferring patient and injured lower back Lifting patient and slipped pulling shoulder muscles Working at a rest home helping an elderly lady stand and pulled back muscle Lifting patients is the most common reason for long term injury

Don’t catch a falling client To catch a falling person weighing 60kg, you would need to exert a force equal to 480kg to hold them by the time they reached the floor. http://www.walkezstore.com

Moving task What would you need to know if you had to move equipment or a person? What would you have to prepare before you did the moving task? How would you look after yourself when doing the moving task?

Back injury A common form of workplace injury Twisting or jerking when carrying things can damage back joints discs between vertebrae ligaments holding bones together Back Injury one of the most common forms of workplace injury twisting or jerking when carrying things can injure the small joints in your back damage the discs between the vertebrae damage the ligaments which hold the bones together

Your back 33 small bones (vertebrae) and discs The discs are soft, elastic jelly-like substance inside a tough, fibrous outer casing act as shock absorbers between each vertebra Is made up of 33 small bones (vertebrae) and discs The discs are soft, elastic jelly-like substance inside a tough, fibrous outer casing act as shock absorbers between each vertebra

Avoid combining these stress factors: To Protect your back Avoid combining these stress factors: Bending forward from the waist Moving and transferring quickly Too heavy loads Holding a load away from your body Holding a load for too long

Protect your back Good posture Regular exercise Warming up and stretching You can care for your back by: maintaining good posture exercising regularly (back, stomach and leg muscles) warming up and stretching before you start work

Protect your back You can care for your back by: Organising equipment to minimise bending and lifting Using the right aids and equipment Using the right technique You can care for your back by: organising equipment to minimise bending and lifting using the right aids and equipment (e.g. trolleys and hoists) Using the right technique

Push the load

Don’t overload your container

General principles What are the bio-mechanical rules? Always bend your knees and your hips, not your back, this may mean sticking your bottom out! Don’t bend and twist at the same time Always have heavy objects/loads, close to your body Push (not) pull if possible

General principles Use your body weight, using your whole body, not just your arms Move your whole body when changing direction

General principles Work with others where possible If it is difficult, find another way, for example: A person weighing 50 kg requires a 40 kg pulling force to re-position them; a slide sheet reduces this to 12 kgs

Headlights Headlights: This can help you not to twist All the lights should point in the same direction

LITE Load Individual Task Environment weight, shape, size, surfaces, and edges Individual the support worker’s age, fitness level, size, fatigue, knowledge and training Task what has to be done and best handling method e.g. pushing, pulling, carrying Environment space available, layout of area, lighting, type of flooring surface

Two memory aids The headlight principle The LITE principles LITE = Load Individual Task Environment