Reducing physical strain when maneuvering patient lifts (Liberein)

How esense drive support improves ergonomics and safety in healthcare

Liberein is a care facilitator in the eastern part of The Netherlands. The focus of their internal program ‘Fit for Work’ is on the well-being of clients and employees. An important focus point within this program is the physical load while maneuvering patient hoists. One of the measures Liberein has taken to reduce physical strain of employees is the use of esense patient lifts.

This case study provides insight into the physical load while working with these motorized esense patient lifts.

The results

Practical use of the esense patient lifts at Liberein was monitored in a case study. At that time more than 15 lifts were in use. At Liberein, daily use of patient lifts was analyzed using the esense Ergometer. The results clearly demonstrate the benefits of esense drive support: both peak load and frequency of occurrence were reduced to a safe level.

• 80% of users experience full control when maneuvering an esense patient lift
• 70% of users report increased job satisfaction when working with esense
• 40% of users report reduced neck strain. An additional 20–25% report reduced shoulder and wrist strain

• Average peak force when pushing an esense lift: 9 kg
• Average continuous force while working with an esense lift: 5 kg

Based on ISO/TR 12296 the maximum force used to move mobile equipment should never exceed 20 kg. The results of the study at Liberein clearly show the effectiveness of esense drive support. Both peak forces and frequency of occurrence are reduced to acceptable and safe levels.

The graphs clearly illustrate the difference between operating with and without the esense drive system. Without the esense drive wheel, the maximum peak forces exceed the allowable load limits, whereas with the esense drive wheel, all forces remain well within the acceptable range. Without esense drive, push forces above 230 N are required for most of the operation time, while with esense drive, the required push force remains below 120 N.

Esense makes the difference

In conclusion, the physical strain that the healthcare professionals encountered while manoeuvring the esense patient lift strongly decreased. The forces that are used to transfer the client are quite low, thanks to the drive wheel. Therefore, the risk of physical overload is also low.