Aged-care workers are at a high risk of injury from performing manual handling tasks, according to an article on the Australian Aging Agenda website.
In 2012, more than three-quarters of aged-care facilities reported a work-related injury or illness in the previous three months, according the latest aged care workforce census.
Facility design, workload, accessibility of equipment, staffing and supervision, repetition of tasks and work organization are some of the contributory risk factors, the article said.
High-performing facilities were physically designed to support the use and accessible storage of lifting equipment.
The more recently the facility was built, the more likely it was to have doorways that took in all of the equipment, and included smooth flooring so as not to limit staff using mobility equipment, the article said.
Every Detail Matters: A Patient's Story of Healing, Hope and Healthcare Facilities
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center Tops Off New 11-Story Tower
PAM Health Announces Plans for Medical Rehabilitation Hospital in North Carolina
3 Ways to Minimize Disruption During Construction in Healthcare
St. Luke's University Health Network to Open Heart Hospital in October