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Highlights
FDA, NIOSH and OSHA Joint Safety Communication on Blunt-Tip Surgical Suture Needles". (2012).

Hospital eTool. OSHA, (2012).

Improving Patient and Worker Safety: Opportunities for Synergy, Collaboration and Innovation. The
Joint Commission, (2012).

National Emphasis Program for
Nursing and Residential Care Facilities. OSHA, (2012).

Culture of Safety

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Safe Patient Handling
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Safe Patient Handling

Starting a Safe Patient Handling Program

Through the Alliance between OSHA and the Association of Occupational Health Professionals (AOHP) (concluded 10/2012), AOHP and OSHA produced "Beyond Getting Started: A Resource Guide for Implementing a Safe Patient Handling Program in the Acute Care Setting" [642 KB PDF, 34 pages].

The Alliance recognized that patient handling practices impact not only healthcare workers but also patients.  Safe patient handling practices reduce the risk of the patient falling or experiencing other negative outcomes.  In addition, implementing safe patient handling practices will reduce a healthcare facility's financial burden with regard to patient claims and workers' compensation claims.

Safe patient handling programs frequently are initiated by or become the responsibility of healthcare providers themselves.  In some cases, this new responsibility may not include the additional resources to implement a program effectively and efficiently.

"Beyond Getting Started: A Resource Guide for Implementing a Safe Patient Handling Program in the Acute Care Setting":

  • Provides background information and reviews the differences between acute and long term care facilities;
  • Builds a foundation for a successful safe patient handling program;
  • Describes the process (assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation) of establishing a safe patient handling program;
  • Provides examples of forms, checklists, job descriptions, etc. which can be developed in support of a safe patient handling program; and
  • Lists additional references for more information.

This resource guide identifies the basic steps and processes necessary to implement a safe patient handling program in a comprehensive manner, including the need for adequate funding.  Whereas this guide was initially focused upon occupational health care providers, much of the information holds true, is transferrable, and may be easily augmented to address safe patient handling programs in other healthcare fields as well.

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