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AGENCY LIFTING AND SAFETY

Policy: 

Mains’l is committed to providing employees and people who use our services a safe environment, while providing exceptional care. This policy has been developed to protect the health and safety of the people who use our services and our employees when people require lifting, transferring or repositioning in their daily care.

Mains’l uses assistive devices when lifts and transfers are required for people who use our services. This means we make every possible effort to never lift anyone physically under any circumstances, unless absolutely necessary.

Employees use lift equipment and other aids to avoid physical lifting and movement of people who use our services, except in an emergency.

All employees who may be required to physically move transfer, or reposition people who use our services are trained in the use of lifting devices and other aids.  All devices and aids are used in accordance with instructions and training. Whenever possible specific videos will be utilized for initial and refresher training.

Mains’l embodies a “culture of safety.” The term “culture of safety” describes the collective attitude of employees taking shared responsibility for safety in a work environment. By doing so, providing a safe environment for themselves, co-workers, and people who use our services. It is the responsibility of all employees to take reasonable care of their own health and safety, that of their coworkers and people who use our services.

Common Lifting Devices or Aids

  1. Lifting equipment includes both ceiling-mounted and portable/floor-based lifts (i.e. Hoyer), powered stand assist lifts and their accompanying slings, and mechanized lateral transfer aids such as that function to assist in lifting and transferring people who use our services, repositioning people who use our services, and other tasks. 
  2. Beds that provide assistance with health care needs. (if applicable at your work location)
  3. Repositioning aids provide assistance in turning and moving people who use our services.

If employees are having difficulty with following the policy and procedure as outlined or the training received, the supervisor will engage the employee in retraining. If after retraining an employee is still having difficulty following the policy and procedure it may result in coaching conversations, up to and including separation of employment. 
 

Procedure: 

Employees review safety plans and support plans of the people who use our services to determine level of care needed and required around assistive lifting devices to support the person. Based on the safety plans and support plans of the people who use our services, employees of Mains’l are trained by managers, nurses or other designated trainer(s). Employees lifting or transferring people who use our services do so in accordance with the person’s safety plan and support plan.

When there are new assistive lifting devices assigned, a designated representative from the vendor or manufacturer of the device will come out to the work location and do initial training on the new device. It is the responsibility of the supervisor/support coordinator to carry this training forward and to train all other employees that work at the particular work location on the device.  Whenever possible specific videos will be utilized for initial and refresher training.

Every effort is made to make assistive lifting devices and other equipment/aids accessible to employees. If an employee has identified that there is a need for an assistive lifting device and/or other equipment/aids to safely transfer, move or reposition someone; they communicate this need to their supervisor immediately. 

Employees inspect equipment prior to use to make sure it is functioning properly referring back to their training. Equipment that is damaged, broken, or not functioning properly is not used. Employees notify their supervisor if the equipment is damaged, broken, or not functioning properly to ensure that it is not used by other employees until the equipment can be repaired. When a piece of assistive lifting equipment is damaged, broken, or not functioning properly, and a person  who uses our services needs an immediate transfer, employees call for assistance which may include another nearby site or the supervisor up to point of calling local police or fire department to ask for assistance. In the event that there is a waiting period to repair/replace the equipment, the supervisor will contact a rental agency for temporary replacement. 

Mains’l Health and Wellness department is responsible for:

  1. Supporting the implementation of this policy;
  2.  Reviewing training documentation, in partnership with the supervisor/support coordinator at work locations with assistive lifting device(s) to ensure employees have completed specific training to the device(s);
  3. Supporting the Mains’l culture of Safety;

If assisting with movement of people  that use our services, using lift equipment and other aids to prevent  physical lifting and movement of  people  who use our services, according to written safety and support plans. 

Supervisors/Support Coordinators/other qualified trainers of programs with assistive lifting devices are responsible for: 

  1. Providing sufficient  equipment/aids to ensure safe movement of people who use our services;
  2. Ensuring equipment/aids are well maintained and repaired in a timely fashion;
  3. Supporting the implementation of this policy;
  4. Supporting  the Mains’l culture of safety;
  5. Ensuring employees complete training that is specific to the assistive lifting device and people who use our services; the completion of this training is documented in the medical data file;
  6. Ensuring employees complete initial and  refresher equipment use training;
  7. Report all employee injuries in accordance with Mains’l Workplace Injuries and Workers Compensation policy and procedure;
  8. Using lift equipment and other aids to prevent physical lifting and movement of people who use our services according to written safety and support plans. 

Employees of Mains’l:

  1. Follow this policy;
  2. Complete training on site specific lifting equipment and other aids (if applicable to your work location);
  3. Follow site specific training for safe use of lifting equipment, slings, and other equipment/aids (if applicable to your work location);
  4. Use proper lifting  techniques, lifting devices, and other  equipment/aids;
  5. Notify supervisor of any injury sustained to the employee or person that uses our services;
  6. Report  equipment in need of repair to supervisor immediately;
  7. Report an identified need for new or additional assistive lifting devices and/or other equipment/aids to safely transfer, move or reposition someone to supervisor;
  8. Notify supervisor of need for  refresher training with any equipment and aids;
  9. Use lift equipment and other aids to prevent  physical lifting and movement of  people  who use our services according to written safety and support plans;
  10. Support  the Mains’l culture of safety
     
Reference: 

How We Behave at Mains’l Policy and Procedure
Reporting and Responding to Incidents and Emergencies Policy and Procedure
Workplace Injuries and Workers’ Compensation Policy and Procedure

                                                                                                                Rev. 12/15/20, (HR Policy Team)