Hi again
Here are some more details on the incident from Leading Age Services Australia (LASA)
It details articularly about how to atatch these types of portable hoists which is how the failure occurred
SAFETY ALERT
– re MOLIFT (Etac) NOMAD PORTABLE CEILING HOIST 1200003 with a safe working load of 235kg (or similar)
Please be aware that there has been an instance of failure in the operating system of the above named ceiling hoist within the aged care sector. This failure did result in the death of a resident.
All Government subsidised aged care services are currently required by legislation
(Aged Care Act 1997) to have internal systems and procedures in place to protect the
health, safety and well-being of care recipients at all times.
WorkSafe recommendation:
Worksafe recommends that the manufacturer’s manual specifies that the safety hook
(Flexi-link) be attached directly to the trolley rather than to the hook at the bottom of the extension strap – only ‘when necessary’ is the trolley to have a suspended attachment
hook – ensure staff are aware of this and using appropriately.
Refer to this link for further recommendations.
Staff Training/Manual Handling:
It is recommended that providers review and update systems for staff training and manual handling as required, ensuring that ALL steps that facilitate the safe use of a MOLIFT machine are documented and understood. All hooks/links are secure and double checked. There should be a verbal system in place for the cross-check.
The Department of Health recommends that when using mobility aids, it is important that:
• They are used appropriately following the assessment by an appropriate health professional.
• Placement of the mobility aids and the risks associated with use have been assessed and documented.
• The use of mobility aids is frequently monitored.
Policies and Procedures:
It is recommended that Policy and Procedure documents clearly outline your determined steps and include guidelines to ensure FRAT’s (Falls Risk Assessment Tool) are updated
and reviewed.
Ensure that within your Policy and Procedure documents that you have clear guidelines
for regular and scheduled maintenance (as per supplier’s guidelines). This would include
all mobility aids and hoists.