Manual Handling and Risk Assessment

Manual handling

Any activity required by a person to lift, lower, pull, push, carry, move, hold or restrain any animate or inanimate object

Risk

Probability that adverse events will have an impact (function of likelihood and consequences)

Risk management

Evaluating a situation, determine a level of risk, develop a strategy to minimise or eliminate risk - identify, assess, control

Potential risks in physio

Comprised patient safety and wellbeing, therapist safety and wellbeing, ethical and professional practice, sexual misconduct, lack of consent and documentation, work health and safety, environmental

Legal requirements and responsibilities

Code of conduct from PBA, patient safety, therapist knowledge, financial risk, legal and professional obligation

Risk assessment on bed and off bed

Safe manual handling, minimising patient handling, maximise patient involvement, support staff as required, equipment as required environment prep - consider patient, therapist and environment

SOOB (medical abbreviation)

sitting out of bed

GOOB (medical abbreviation)

getting out of bed

S2S (medical abbreviation)

sit to stand

Manual assist devices

Slide sheets, patient slides, transfer belts, swivel discs and frame stand

Therapist proficiency

Understanding of safe equipment operation and lifting technique, good communication skills and importance of establishing the therapeutic alliance

Reducing risk of injury

Avoid hazardous lifting where possible, use equipment if possible and available, wide base of support, keep load close to body

Steps for risk management

Identify tasks and areas to assess, identify what could go wrong, assess the risks, decide the controls, record findings, monitor and review

Risk likelihood descriptors

Almost certain, likely, possible, unlikely, rare

Risk consequence descriptors

Negligible, minor, moderate, major, extreme

Risk analysis descriptors

Low, medium, high, very high, extreme