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 In Australia, the most common cause of
compensated injury and disease in the
Health and Community Services
industries in 2004–05 was muscular stress
(due to manual handling or repetitive
movement), which accounted for 51% of
claims.
Worldwide, back injuries have point
prevalence of approximately 17%, an
annual prevalence of 40-50% and lifetime
prevalence of 35-80%.
The worldwide population in general is
getting heavier, older and sicker. The
Mercury, ABC online, Adelaide Now and
Sunday Mail have highlighted that
medical professionals involved in patient
transfer and handling face several safety
obstacles as a result of Australia’s
growing obesity epidemic.
There is a close relationship between
patient safety and career safety with
manual handling of patients, hazardous
for both healthcare staff and patients.
In addition, staff in pre-hospital services
(paramedic, ambulance service and
firefighter/emergency technicians)
have no control over the environment
where they pick up patients (eg.
Individual homes, nursing homes).
Workers and carers in the home sector
face a unique challenge in that the home
is not often designed for ease of client
assisted transfers. Home sector workers
often work alone and must transfer
patients by themselves.
1. Euromed, 2007, Health First Europe,
http://www.eucomed.be/partnerships.aspx
2. DETYA, 2001, National Review of Education Discussion Paper,
http://www.dest.gov.au/archive/HIGHERED/nursing/pubs/discussi
on/chap4.htm
3. Australian Safety & Compensation Council, 2007, Health &
Community Services Fact Sheet,
http://www.ascc.gov.au/ascc/PriorityIndustries/HealthCommunity/
4. Premier, 2007, Back injury prevention,
http://www.premierinc.com/quality-safety/toolsservices/
safety/topics/back_injury/
5. The Mercury, 2007, Obesity puts strain on emergency,
http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,20787686-
5005940,00.html
ABC online, 2004, Number of obese older Australians increases,
http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,20787686-
5005940,00.html
Adelaide Now Sunday Mail, 2006, Obesity puts a strain on
emergency,
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,20787686-
911,00.html?from=public_rss
6. Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, 2006,
Preventing injuries and illnesses from patient handling,
http://www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/Research/SafePatient/Default.asp
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