In California, hospitals must have a plan to protect both patients and health care workers from injuries while health care workers handle patients. This plan should be part of a larger injury prevention program. The plan must include rules for safely handling patients to prevent back and muscle injuries for workers.
The plan must also have a "safe patient handling policy" in all areas where patients are cared for. They must have trained lift teams or other staff who know how to lift and move patients safely. Also, employers must provide health care workers special training on how to use equipment like lifts and how to handle patients in different situations, such as when moving patients from beds to wheelchairs or repositioning them in beds.
Registered nurses are supposed to be in charge of watching and directing how patients are lifted and moved to make sure it's done safely. Also, although lift teams should be made up of hospital staff who are specially trained to help with moving patients, hospitals don't have to hire new staff for these teams as long as patient care is not affected.
If health care workers feel it’s unsafe to move patients or if the right equipment or help isn’t available, they can refuse to do it without being disciplined. This law helps keep everyone safe in hospitals.
(See Link(s): Labor Code Sections 6403.5)