Concerned about what can go wrong during hoisting?

Don’t run the risk of injury

There are a multitude of things that can potentially go wrong during a hoisting procedure. The consequences of incidents that occur during hoisting very often include injury to both the patient and carer staff.  Therefore it is key that staff receive the adequate training and information on people moving and handling. Practical training has an important role to play in ensuring that staff have the skills and confidence to hoist people safely. In addition to practising equipment selection and use, staff need to understand the principles of hoisting, the potential risks, how to use the specific equipment they have in their workplace and how to implement individual handling plans.

What can go wrong during hoisting?

Some of the things that can potentially go wrong during a hoisting procedure include:

• Selection of the wrong size sling – resulting in discomfort if the sling is too small and a risk of the person slipping through the sling if it is too large.
• Selection of the wrong type of hoist or sling for the individual, or for the specific task – resulting in inadequate support and increased risk of falling from the sling. For example, access/toileting slings give a great degree of access but very little support and their use should therefore be restricted to toileting purposes, where appropriate.
• Incompatibility of the hoist and sling – resulting in insecure attachment between the two. For example, incorrectly attaching a loop on a sling to a spreader bar designed for a clip attachment, or attaching a clip on a sling to a spreader bar designed to take a loop attachment.
• Failure of equipment due to poor maintenance, lack of inspection, inappropriate laundering processes or as a result of inadequate repair or modification.
• Leaving a vulnerable person unattended in a hoist, or in a position where they might be at risk of falling from the bed or chair.
• Hoist overturning when manoeuvring over difficult surfaces, transporting an individual over a long distance on a hoist, or not following manufacturer’s instructions for use or safe systems of work.
• Not using the safety harness/attachment (if the sling specified for the individual has one).
• Instability when moving someone on a mobile hoist – resulting in them striking objects. This is likely to cause injury, especially to those with vulnerable skin, and will increase the risk of a fall or overturn. In many cases, assessment will show that two handlers are required: one to operate the hoist; the other to help steady things and, where needed, support the person’s lower legs to keep them in a safe position when moving from one place to another. Importantly, they can also provide direct reassurance to the person being hoisted to maintain their co-operation and reduce the likelihood of them contributing to unstable movement.

Personalised Training

Have you heard of personalised training? Our trainers don’t just go through the motions, they ask what specific challenges your staff are having right now and then provide practical training and solutions for those needs. In care environments there are a vast range of complexities and differing needs of individuals, therefore specific training to those needs is of great benefit to carer staff.

Contact us today – We have training covered

For further information or to speak to one of our trainers call 0800 298 6000 or email [email protected]