Home Healthcare workers face unique occupational hazards, including some potentially serious or life-threatening hazards.These hazards include overexertion; stress; weapons; illegal drugs; potential verbal or physical violence in the home or community; blood-borne pathogens and needle sticks; unhygienic conditions; and motor-vehicle risks.
While many of these hazards are similar to those hazards experienced by all workers in the healthcare industry, additional hazards come into play due to employees working offsite and directly at the clients’ residences.
BackgroundWhen reviewing claim trends for home healthcare workers, Liberty Mutual found that the most costly employee injuries include:
• Patient/Client Handling
• Tasks involving lifting, lowering, loading, unloading, pushing, pulling, and/or twisting while working with a patient/Client
• Same Level Slips, Trips and Falls
• Onwetfloors,ice,orcausedbystairs, steps or furniture
• Motor Vehicle Crashes
• Involving rear end collisions, intersections or turning
• Falls from Elevation
• From stairs or steps, or caused by ice or snow
• Manual Materials Handling
• From furniture, boxes, bags or other containers
Injury Prevention Resources/GuidelinesThe use of a pre-placement safety survey will help to identify physical conditions in a client’s home that pose the potential for risk or injury to the service provider or
caregiver.Oncehazardsareidentified,theycaneitherbereduced or eliminated by working with the client or job-/hazard-specifictrainingcanbecompletedtoassisttheemployee in recognizing the hazard and how to reduce their likelihood of injury. Please see Liberty Mutual Risk Control Reference Note (RC 5610) “Home Health Services Pre-Placement Safety Survey.”
The survey addresses major loss areas such as slips and falls, client handling, manual materials handling, struck-by/against, and falls from elevation.
The survey is designed to be completed in the following instances:
• Prior to placing a caregiver into a new client’s home
• When a new caregiver is being assigned to an existing client’s home
• When the home situation or level of care for a client has changed
The principles contained in this material are general in scope and, to the best of our knowledge, current at thetimeofpublication.LibertyMutualInsurancespecificallydisclaimsallliabilityfordamagesorpersonalinjury alleged to arise from reliance on the information contained in this document.
A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER : from Liberty Mutual Insurance
FOCUS on HealthcareAPRIL 2014
RISK CONTROL SERVICES VOLUME6•ISSUE2
Injury Prevention for Home Healthcare Workers
FOCUS ON SAFETYRISK CONTROL SERVICES APRIL 2014 • VOLUME 6 ISSUE 2
The principles contained in this material are general in scope and, to the best of our knowledge, current at thetimeofpublication.LibertyMutualInsurancespecificallydisclaimsallliabilityfordamagesorpersonalinjury alleged to arise from reliance on the information contained in this document.
In addition to the survey, there are best-practice guidelines to follow to assist with reducing injuries in each of the top loss driver categories mentioned above.
These guidelines are reviewed in the following sections:Injuries from Patient/Client Handling• Utilize mechanical lifting aids or devices
whenever they are available
• Use company resources, such as mentors, and safe patient handling protocols and assessments to assist with solutions for challenging patient handling environments
• Review and follow company guidelines and training as they relate to safe patient handling
Injuries from Slips, Trips and Falls from the Same Level• Keep ice melt and snow melt on hand
during inclement weather
• Wear footwear with non-slip soles, closed toes, and without heels
• Review the completed pre-placement safety survey prior to arrival to assist with identifying any unknown hazards
• Confirmwalkwaysarefreeoftrippinghazardssuch as pets, wastebaskets, shoes, hanging clothing, storage boxes, patient equipment electrical cords and any other obstructions
Injuries from Motor Vehicle Crashes• Confirmyourvehicleiswellmaintained
• Always wear your seatbelt
• Avoid distractions while driving such as mobile phones, GPS devices or eating
• Follow safe driving principles such as those reviewed in Liberty Mutual’s Decision Driving® Principles
Injuries from Falls from Elevation• Confirmstairsareingoodconditionandunobstructed
• Use handrails where available
• Notify responsible parties if repairs are necessary
• Limit carrying items up or down stairs to keep your balance and view clear
• Injuries from Manual Materials Handling
• Keep frequently used items between knee height and shoulder height
• Use safe lifting techniques such as keeping the load close to your body, bending at the knees, and not twisting
• Identify if equipment with wheels or carts are available to eliminate lifting and carrying
The discussion above includes a few guidelines to help reduce your risk of occupational injuries related to the risk factors described above. The references listed below are great resources for additional information on reducing or helping prevent injuries to home healthcare workers.
ReferencesRC 5703, Employee Injuries in Home Health Care
CDC. NIOSH Hazard Review. “Occupational Hazards in Home Healthcare”: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010-125/pdfs/2010-125.pdf
RC 5610, Home Health Services Pre-Placement Safety Survey
CDC. NIOSH Fact Card “How to Prevent Violence on the Job”: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2012-118
CDC. NIOSH Fact Card “How to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders”: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2012-120
CDC. NIOSH Fact Card “How to Prevent Exposure in Unsafe Conditions”: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2012-121
CDC. NIOSH Fact Card “How to Prevent Driving-Related Injuries”: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2012-122
CDC. NIOSH Fact Card “How to Prevent Needlestick and Sharps Injuries”: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2012-123
For More InformationContact Liberty Mutual’s Risk Control Consulting Center
Telephone: (866) 757-7324
E-mail: [email protected]
