Common Beliefs vs. Facts 

About Safe Patient Handling Programs

“Mechanical lifting is not as safe and comfortable for 

patients as manual lifting.” 

FACT: Once patients realize the ease and comfort of 

modern mechanical lifts, they will be more likely to 

accept them. Mechanical lifts are safer for both patients 

and healthcare workers. 

“Training and use of proper body mechanics (including use 

of back belts) is effective in preventing job-related injuries.”

FACT: Research shows that relying on “proper” body 

mechanics (including use of back belts) is not, by itself, an 

effective way to reduce injuries. There is no such thing as 

safe manual lifting of a patient. 

“You don’t need to worry about patient-handling 

injuries if your workers are healthy and never had 

a problem.”

FACT: Manual lifting can cause micro-injuries to the spine. 

Although workers may not feel the effects immediately, 

cumulative micro-injuries can result in a debilitating injury. 

Experts recommend that lifts be limited to 35 pounds or 

less. Good health and strength may actually put workers at 

increased risk because their peers are much more likely to 

seek their assistance when manually lifting patients.

“It is much faster to manually move patients.” 

FACT: If equipment is located conveniently, accessing it will 

not take a long time. It is often more time-consuming to 

round up a team of workers to manually lift a patient than 

to get safe patient handling equipment.

“Manual lifting is less expensive than mechanical lifting.”

FACT: Costs associated with back injuries in the 

healthcare industry are estimated to be $20 billion 

annually. Research shows the use of assistive technology 

such as mechanical lifts reduces injuries to workers and 

lowers costs associated with workers’ compensation, lost 

productivity, and turnover. 

record serious injuries and illnesses that are work-related 

and meet other general criteria on the OSHA 300 Log. 

Information from the 300 Log and the 301 form can be 

used to identify tasks and jobs with higher risks of injury, 

to monitor trends and to gauge the effectiveness of 

intervention efforts. 

Whistleblower Protections

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act employees 

may not be retaliated against for reporting a work-related 

injury or illness (29 U.S.C. 660(c)). Employers must ensure 

that no employee is discriminated against for exercising 

his or her rights, including reporting potential hazards, 

symptoms or work-related injuries.

The Free OSHA On-site Consultation Program: 

A Valuable Resource for Implementing a Safe 

Patient Handling Program

Through the OSHA On-site Consultation Program, OSHA 

provides free and confidential safety and health advice 

to small and medium-sized businesses committed 

to improving workplace safety and health. On-site 

consultation services are separate from enforcement and 

DO NOT result in penalties or citations. 

Additional Resources: y Occupational Safety and Health Administration 

www.osha.gov

y National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 

www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/safepatient

y The Veterans Health Administration 

www.va.gov/health

y The Joint Commission 

www.jointcommission.org

y Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 

http://tinyurl.com/seiuOSH

y American Nurses Association 

www.nursingworld.org; 

www.anahealthyworkenvironment.org

Safe Patient 

Handling

Preventing 

Musculoskeletal 

Disorders in 

Nursing Homes

For more information on safe patient handling 

legislation in states and other resources, visit 

www.osha.gov/SLTC/nursinghome.

OSHA 3708 - 02/2014 www.osha.gov

Under the OSHA law, employers have the responsibility 

for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their 

workers. Workers have the right to working conditions 

that do not pose a risk of serious harm. For questions, or 

to get information or advice, to order publications, or to 

file a confidential complaint, contact OSHA at 1-800-321-

OSHA (6742), or go to www.osha.gov.
Disabling Injuries

Nurses and other healthcare workers face many safety 

and health hazards in their work environments. In fact, 

healthcare workers experience some of the highest 

rates of non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses 

of any industry sector.

In 2012, injuries and illnesses reported for nursing and 

residential care workers were significantly higher than 

those in construction, and 2-3 times higher than in 

retail or manufacturing. Almost half of the injuries and 

illnesses reported for nurses and nursing support staff 

were musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Rates of MSDs for 

nursing assistants (225.8) were almost four times as high 

as the average for all workers (37.8). 

MSDs affect the muscles, nerves and tendons. Workrelated MSDs (including those of the neck, upper 

extremities and low back) are a leading cause of lost 

workday injuries and illnesses for healthcare and social 

assistance workers, particularly in nursing homes and 

residential care facilities. Examples of MSDs include 

muscle strains and low back injuries, rotator cuff injuries 

(shoulder problems), and tendinitis.

Research has identified that the risk factors for MSDs include 

the repeated and forceful movements associated with 

patient care such as lifting, transferring, and repositioning. 

Work-related MSDs can be prevented. Safe patient 

handling programs employ the use of mechanical 

equipment and other elements to reduce the number 

and severity of work-related MSDs.

Benefits of Safe Patient Handling 

Safe patient handling programs reduce the risk of injury 

for both healthcare workers and patients while improving 

the quality of patient care. Use of lifting equipment is 

essential to a successful safe patient handling program 

and has been shown to reduce exposure to manual lifting 

injuries by up to 95%.

In addition to reducing healthcare worker injuries and 

related lost work time, safe patient handling programs 

have other benefits, including:

y More satisfying work environment and professional status;

y Improved nursing recruitment and retention;

y Increased patient satisfaction and comfort;

y Decreased patient falls and pressure ulcers; and

y Reduced costs associated with injuries.

Elements of a Successful Safe Patient 

Handling Program

The elements of a successful safe patient handling 

program include:

Commitment from Management at All Levels: Gaining 

management support, as well as assembling a team for 

a safe patient handling program, are critical to program 

success. Management can provide visible support by 

consistently communicating the importance of safe 

patient handling; assigning roles for various aspects of a 

safe patient handling program to appropriate managers, 

supervisors, and other employees; and providing 

appropriate resources for implementing and sustaining 

the program over time. 

A Safe Patient Handling Committee that Involves 

Frontline Workers: To design and implement a safe 

patient handling program, as well as to evaluate and 

sustain the program into the future, the frontline (nonmanagerial) employees who provide direct care to 

patients should be well-represented on the safe patient 

handling committee.

Hazard Assessment: Address high-risk units, areas, 

and patient-handling tasks. Hazard evaluation should 

consider factors such as types of nursing units, the 

physical environment of patient care areas, and existing 

equipment and its utilization. It is important to consider 

characteristics of the patient population such as level of 

patient mobility and cognition.

Technology & Prevention Through Design: Implement 

methods to control hazards such as lifting, transferring, and 

repositioning patients. Manual lifting should be minimized 

in all cases and eliminated when feasible. For example, a 

“zero-lift“ program or policy minimizes direct patient lifting 

by using specialized lifting equipment and transfer tools. 

Establish safe patient handling policies that are based 

on patients’ physical and medical conditions and the 

availability of lifting equipment and lift teams. 

Select appropriate lifting equipment in accord with 

the hazard assessment, and install and maintain lifting 

devices according to manufacturer recommendations. 

The best proactive approach is through proper design 

of the work environment, including incorporating 

health hazard controls into the design of facilities during 

construction and remodeling. 

Education & Training: Provide sufficient education and 

training so that each worker understands the elements 

of the safe patient handling program and how to 

participate. The education and training of healthcare 

workers should be geared toward the assessment of 

hazards, selection and use of the appropriate patient 

lifting equipment and devices, and review of evidencebased practices for safe patient handling. Training should 

include when and how to report injuries.

Program Evaluation: Regular program evaluation within 

the environment of care is critical to the success of the 

program. Establish evaluation procedures necessary 

to assess the effectiveness of the safe patient handling 

program and to ensure its continuous improvement and 

long-term success. Credible data sources, including the 

OSHA Recordkeeping Log 300, and forms 301 and 300A, 

can be used to track and analyze injuries and trends 

related to the ongoing implementation of the program.

OSHA Emphasizes the Importance of Safe 

Patient Handling Programs

Reducing the number of musculoskeletal disorders in 

healthcare workers is a priority for OSHA. The agency 

revised its Guidelines for Nursing Homes, Ergonomics 

for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders and 

launched an educational outreach and enforcement 

program to address hazards specific to nursing homes. 

OSHA promotes a safety culture of prevention of harm

for both patients and workers through Injury and Illness 

Prevention Programs.

Use the OSHA 300 Log for Recordkeeping 

In addition to a thorough worksite hazard analysis, 

the OSHA 300 Log can be a useful tool to assess the 

health and safety needs of facilities and to evaluate the 

effectiveness of specific interventions and overall safe 

patient handling programs. The OSHA Recordkeeping 

Rule (29 CFR 1904) requires healthcare facilities to 

Injuries & Illnesses Resulting in Days Away from Work, 2012

Cases per 10,000 Full-time Workers

Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

0 50 100 150 200 250

Professional &

Business Services

Manufacturing

Retail

Construction

Nursing & Residential

Care Facilities

237

143

114

106

52