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Injury Prevention Resources for Health Care - Ceiling Lift Resources

Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSI) and Ergonomics | Ceiling Lift Resources | Violence | Needlestick Injuries | Infectious Diseases | Latex Allergies | Home Care | Cytotoxic Drugs | General Resources

The following links list tools, publications, and other resources to help prevent the most common injuries and illnesses in the health care industry. These resources may not meet all the requirements for health and safety in British Columbia. Please check the Workers Compensation Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, and related materials for specific WorkSafeBC requirements.


Ceiling Lift Resources



Introduction: Overhead Patient/Resident Track Lifts in Health Care

Within the British Columbia health care sector, patient handling musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) account for 34% of WorkSafeBC time loss claims and for 40% of WorkSafeBC claims cost. Musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) such as back, neck, and shoulder strains result from the lifting, lowering, holding, pushing, and/or pulling of a patient while assisting them in their daily living activities.

The elimination or minimization of unsafe manual lifting of patients or residents in health care facilities can be significantly reduced through the use of mechanical patient lifting devices. This initiative is intended to assist health care employers in reducing the number of patient handling MSIs by promoting proper selection, installation, and use of overhead patient hoists/ceiling lifts. Recent ceiling lift installations in BC health care facilities as part of a comprehensive no-lift program has resulted in reduced incidence and severity of patient handling MSIs. The ceiling lift resources listed here - ceiling lift reference material, occupational health and safety guidelines, and other related documents - provide stakeholders with a single source of information related to ceiling lifts.

Who should use these ceiling lift resources?

The ceiling lift resources presented here include research, guidelines, standards, programs, and other materials related to the selection, installation, and use of ceiling lifts.

  • Employers, Senior Managers, Project Managers, Facility Managers, and others responsible for the development of strategic policies for occupational health and safety: ensure that the installation of ceiling lifts in their workplace complies with the requirements of the law and is done in accordance with best practices.
  • Workers: particularly those who are representatives on workplace health and safety committees involved in the process of ceiling lift selection, installation and use.
  • Occupational Health and Safety advisors, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and Nursing staff: advising senior and operational managers and workers on the more practical aspects of ceiling lift program implementation.
  • Other professionals, such as risk managers and patient care quality managers: reviewing their patient care systems designed to ensure the safety of the patients.

Although the ceiling lift resources listed here focus on patient handling through the use of ceiling lift technology, risk control can be achieved through other technologies such as floor lifts or other patient handling systems.

Checklists for Ceiling Lift Selection, Installation, and Follow-Up

  1. Pre-Installation Considerations Checklist (PDF 98 KB), WorkSafeBC
  2. During Installation Considerations Checklist (PDF 89 KB), WorkSafeBC
  3. Post-Installation Considerations Checklist (PDF 86 KB), WorkSafeBC

Research and Success Stories

Research

  1. Ceiling lifts as an intervention to reduce the risk of patient handling injuries - Ceiling Lift Literature Review, OHSAH
  2. Comprehensive Ceiling Lift Program in Continuing Care Project (PDF 476 KB), Fraser Heath Authority of B.C. (November 2002)
  3. Project Update: The Ceiling Lift Project at St. Joseph's General Hospital: Follow-up Evaluation August 2002, OHSAH
  4. Effectiveness & Cost Benefit of Ceiling Lifts to Reduce Musculoskeletal Injury, OHSAH
  5. Victorian Nurses Back Injury Prevention Project - Evaluation Report (PDF 1 MB) (December 2004)

    6. Success Stories

  6. Ceiling Lifts Reduce Nurse Injuries, Improve Client Comfort (PDF 642 KB), Health Care Health and Safety Association of Ontario, The Safe Angle vol. 2, no. 3 (Spring-Summer 2000), p. 5
  7. Zero-lift Pilot Targets Patient Transfer Injuries (PDF 161 KB), SAIF Corporation, Loss Control (October 2001), pp. 9-10
  8. Patient Handling Ergonomic Demonstration Project - Skilled Nursing Facility (PDF 385 KB), Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (October 2001)
  9. How One Nursing Home Reduced Staff Injuries to Near Zero - Zero Lift Success Story (PDF 116 KB), Steve Pierce, Contemporary Long Term Care (November 2002)

No-Lift Policies

  1. Safe Patient Handling and Movement Policy (PDF 13 KB), VISN 8 Patient Safety Center of Inquiry, James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, Florida
  2. No Manual Lift Policy, OHSAH
  3. Getting to a Zero Lift Policy (PDF 2.2 MB), Hillarie Klass, The Safe Angle, vol. 3, no. 3 (October 2001), pp. 2-3
  4. Memorandum of Understanding (Excerpt) (PDF 80 KB), Association of Unions and Health Employers Association of B.C. (March 2001)

Patient Handling Programs

  1. A Practical Guide to Resident Handling (PDF 4 MB), 2004, Interior Health Authority of BC
  2. The Guide to the Handling of Patients, 4th Edition, Royal College of Nursing, UK (Note: This document can be purchased at the linked site.)
  3. Review of Safe Patient Handling and Movement Principles, FLASH Presentation, NIOSH
  4. Patient Care Ergonomics Resource Guide: Safe Patient Handling and Movement; Part 1 (PDF 420 KB), Part 2 (PDF 309 KB); October 2001, VISN 8 Patient Safety Center of Inquiry, James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, Florida
  5. Evidence-Based Patient Handling: Tasks, Equipment and Interventions, 2002, Routledge (Note: This book can be purchased at the linked site.)
  6. Patient Handling Program / Patient Handling Controls, OSHA
  7. Healthcare Workers - Patient Handling (PDF 173 KB), 1999, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc.
  8. Nursing Home Initiative: Getting to Zero, State of Washington
  9. Transferring People Safely: A Practical Guide to Managing Risk - handling patients, residents and clients in health, aged care, rehabilitation and disability services (PDF 1167 KB), Victorian WorkCover Authority, WorkSafe Victoria (Australia)
  10. A Planning Guide for the Implementation of Client Mechanical Lifts Catalog, HCHSA, Ontario

Risk Identification and Assessment

General Risk Identification and Assessment
  1. Handle with Care: Patient Handling and the Application of Ergonomics (MSI) Requirements: Part 4: Risk Identification (PDF 397 KB); Part 5: Risk Assessment (PDF 2 MB); Complete version of Handle with Care (PDF 2.5 MB)
  2. Risk Assessments: Principles and Preparation - The Practice (Chapter 11/12, pp. 90-111, in The Guide to the Handling of Patients, 4th Edition), Royal College of Nursing, UK (Note: This book can be purchased at the linked site.)
  3. Five-Step Process in Patient Handling, OHSAH
  4. Individual Client Mobility Needs Assessment Tool Part 1, Page 43, OSACH
  5. Unit/Departmental Client Mobility Needs Assessment Summary Tool - Part 2, Page 44, OSACH

    6. Bariatric/Obesity Considerations

  6. Bariatric Ergonomics - Maximum Efficiency with Minimum Effort, Dr Michael Dionne (founder of Choice Physical Therapy, Gainesville, GA)
  7. Bariatric Ergonomics - Transfer and Mobility of the Obese Patient, based on presentation by Dr Michael Dionne, NAAFA Convention, 2002
  8. U.S.'s Obesity Woes Put an Extra Strain On Hospitals in Unexpected Ways, Rhonda L. Rundle, Wall Street Journal (May 1, 2002)

Standards, Guidelines, and Regulatory Requirements

  1. Properly Install, Inspect, and Load Test Overhead Patient/Resident Track Lifts (PDF 206 KB), WorkSafe Bulletin, 2002, WorkSafeBC
  2. CAN/CSA-Z10535-03 Hoists for the transfer of disabled persons - Requirements and test methods
  3. Ergonomics (MSI) Requirements, Occupational Health and Safety Regulation Sections 4.47 to 4.53, WorkSafeBC
  4. Notice of Project, WorkSafeBC

Ceiling Lift Selection, Design, and Implementation

  1. Selecting a ceiling lift vendor partner (PDF 25 KB), Worksheet, Safe Patient Handling in Washington
  2. Designing Workplaces for Safer Handling of Patients and Residents (PDF 197 KB), Australia Workcover
  3. Types and Features of Manual Handling and Mechanical Lifting Equipment: Advantages and Disadvantages (Chapter 13, pp. 112-130, of The Guide to the Handling of Patients, 4th Edition), Royal College of Nursing (Note: This book can be purchased at the linked site.)
  4. Safe Patient Handling and Movement Technology Resource Guide, VISN 8 Patient Safety Center of Inquiry, James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, Florida
  5. Ceiling Track Lift Implementation Manual (PDF 1 MB), Safe Patient Handling in Washington State
  6. Choosing an overhead hoist (PDF 84 KB), HSE, UK

Request for Qualifications and Proposals (RFQ and RFP)

  1. Ergonomics - Current Initiatives, OHSAH
  2. Considerations when Purchasing and Evaluating Equipment, OHSAH
  3. Modified RFQ Evaluation Criteria (PDF 179 KB), OHSAH
  4. Capital Equipment Request for Proposal (PDF 275 KB), Interior Health authority of B.C.
  5. Sample Pricing Summary (PDF 55 KB), Interior Health authority of B.C.
  6. Sample Equipment Specifications/Quotation Document (PDF 71 KB), Interior Health authority of B.C.
  7. Scorecare for Ceiling Lift Purchase (PDF 46 KB), OHSAH

Manufacturers, Suppliers, and Distributors

  1. The document Technology Resources Guide (a Word document) published by the VISN 8 Patient Safety Center includes these two resources:

Training Materials

  1. The Guide to the Handling of Patients (4th Edition), Royal College of Nursing, UK (Note: This document can be purchased at the linked site.)
  2. A Practical Guide to Resident Handling (PDF 3 MB), Interior Health Authority of B.C.
  3. Safe Patient and Resident Handling: Acute and Long Term Care Sectors Handbook 2000 Part 1, Part 2, OHSAH
  4. Reference Guidelines for Safe Patient Handling (PDF 647 KB), OHSAH
  5. Patient Handling - Training - Chapter 4 (PDF 531 KB), Queensland Government


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The Workers' Compensation Board (WorkSafeBC) of British Columbia does not endorse or prescribe the use of any specific products, programs, web sites, or suppliers. WorkSafeBC does, however, recognize the use of engineering controls that effectively minimize the risk of MSI to workers. Attempts have been made to include an assortment of documents and material from a variety of sources. If you feel there are additional documents and material that should be included in this reference guide, please contact WorkSafeBC Industry Services Health Care Department at 604 276-3100.