Health and safety guidelines define the level of protection for working conditions. Approximately one third of absence in the health care sector is related to physical overload. Moving patients and equipment is one of the sources of such overload. Multiple studies show the relationship between the high forces needed to move loads manually and the development of musculoskeletal disorders, such as back, neck, and shoulder complaints. In order to prevent physical overload in the healthcare sector, health and safety guidelines regarding working conditions have been drawn up. These working conditions state that employees may not apply more than 20 kg of force when pushing or pulling by hand.
‘The internationally accepted technical report ISO/TR 12296 provides guidance for assessing the problems and risks associated with manual patient handling in the healthcare sector.’
However, the challenge lies in practice, to bring and keep physical loads in daily work situations within the guidelines set out in the ISO report.
How do you work within these guidelines?
But how do you check whether these guidelines are being properly followed? Besides: how do you know how much force is actually exerted? Or if a work situation is simply too demanding?
The esense Ergometer measures pushing and pulling forces exerted on the device while moving it. The Ergometer can be easily attached to any device, without changing the usual working practices. With this device, physical load can be easily measured in the actual work situation.
As a result, the measurement report provides insight into physical load per employee, and indicates how often health and safety guidelines are exceeded, in one clear overview. Awareness is the first step to find the right solution. The esense Ergometer alerts you to any risk of physical overload injuries.
“The days we needed our full body weight to move the patient are history. Now we control the lift with just a finger.”
Joanne Pauelsen
Healthcare worker, Liberein
