Healthcare and social assistance

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Working with dry ice

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Nurses and midwives

Hazards

Hazard 1
Lifting and assisting patients
Eliminate manual lifting of patients, except in life-threatening situations.

Encourage patients to assist in their own transfers.

Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment, and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Develop a patient care plan that includes information about recommended mechanical aids and equipment, plus safe handling methods (including how many people should assist with transfer). Review the plan regularly.

Train employees on safe handling methods and how to safely use any appropriate mechanical aids and equipment.

9 per cent of the injuries were to a persons knee.

16 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.

29 per cent of the injuries were to a persons back.

6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons forearm / wrist.

5 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand / fingers.
Hazard 2
Pushing and pulling equipment (eg trollies and wheelchairs)
Ensure building layout / design limits the need to push or pull equipment (eg good path design, floor surfaces are appropriate for trolleys and wheelchairs, pathways are clear of obstructions).

Provide appropriate mechanical aids and equipment (eg height adjustable trolleys) and ensure they are used properly and maintained in accordance with manufacturer specifications.

Ensure equipment is light, adjustable, easy to use and maintain, and suited to the person and the task.

Minimise pushing / pulling distance (eg arrange for patients to be dropped off at closest entrance to their accommodation).

Train employees on safe handling methods (eg work is done between shoulder and mid-thigh height and with the elbows close to the body) and how to safely use any mechanical aids and equipment.

9 per cent of the injuries were to a persons knee.

16 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.

29 per cent of the injuries were to a persons back.

6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons forearm / wrist.

5 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand / fingers.
Hazard 3
Slips trips and falls
Keep rooms tidy and remove unnecessary items and clutter (eg by providing sufficient storage and ensuring things are put away).

Ensure floor or ground surfaces in work areas, car parks and entrances are clean, well lit, clear of obstacles and in good condition.

Ensure that floors throughout work areas are level.

Ensure all steps and stairs have appropriate handrails.

Develop policies on how to safely carry objects (eg no unstable or unbalanced loads), particularly on stairs.

9 per cent of the injuries were to a persons knee.

6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons forearm / wrist.

5 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand / fingers.
Hazard 4
Work-related stress bullying and harassment
Develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures for workplace bullying and harassment.

Encourage a positive workplace culture, including reporting of bullying and harassment.

Ensure all employees understand what bullying and harassment is, and the procedures for reporting incidents (eg policies and procedures should be promoted during employee induction and workplace bullying prevention or training).

Provide access and encourage employees to use employee counselling / support services, where possible.

Encourage employees to report any workplace stress factors (eg work demand, low control, poor support, lack of role clarity, organisational culture) and control appropriately.

13 per cent of the injuries were to a persons psychological system.
Hazard 5
Work-related violence
Develop and implement appropriate policies and procedures (eg exchange of information between shifts and offices, incident notification).

Encourage employees to report all incidents and provide appropriate incident response and feedback.

Provide appropriate personal protection, including methods to obtain assistance (eg duress alarms, mobile phones).

Ensure appropriate security measures are in place (eg toughened glass, no blind spots, access/egress control, barriers).

Provide security and/or call police to assist with occupational violence, when required.

13 per cent of the injuries were to a persons psychological system.

16 per cent of the injuries were to a persons shoulder.

6 per cent of the injuries were to a persons forearm / wrist.

5 per cent of the injuries were to a persons hand / fingers.

'If you are injured at work' poster

Employers must display an 'if you are injured at work' poster in every workplace. You can download and print a poster in English as well as Arabic, Chinese simplified, Chinese traditional, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.

Download a poster

Latest updates

Friday 12 June 2026

WorkSafe is issuing a reminder to employers about the requirements for the transport, storage and handling of dry ice.

Thursday 11 June 2026

WorkSafe is issuing a reminder about the requirement to provide induction, information, training and supervision to all persons involved in the storage and handling of dangerous goods at healthcare facilities.

Friday 22 May 2026

WorkSafe has charged a regional healthcare provider after a nurse was seriously assaulted by a patient with a history of violence and aggression at a Traralgon hospital in November 2024.

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Healthcare and social assistance

Safety alert

Provider information

OHS responsibilities and duties

Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) in healthcare

Consultation

You might also need

Insurance, claims and recovery

Psychological health

Employer obligations

Workplace resources

Understand WorkSafe

Injury hotspots

Nurses and midwives

Hazards

Lifting and assisting patients

Pushing and pulling equipment (eg trollies and wheelchairs)

Slips trips and falls

Work-related stress bullying and harassment

Work-related violence

'If you are injured at work' poster

Don't cross

the line

Latest updates

Working with dry ice

Dangerous goods training in healthcare facilities

Health provider charged after patient assaults nurse

Subscribe to HSR Healthcare News

Information

Services

About WorkSafe

Contact

Healthcare and social assistance

Safety alert

Provider information

OHS responsibilities and duties

Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) in healthcare

Consultation

You might also need

Insurance, claims and recovery

Psychological health

Employer obligations

Workplace resources

Understand WorkSafe

﻿﻿﻿Injury hotspots

Nurses and midwives

Hazards

Lifting and assisting patients

Pushing and pulling equipment (eg trollies and wheelchairs)

Slips trips and falls

Work-related stress bullying and harassment

Work-related violence

'If you are injured at work' poster

Don't cross

the line

Latest updates

Working with dry ice

Dangerous goods training in healthcare facilities

Health provider charged after patient assaults nurse

Subscribe to HSR Healthcare News

Injury hotspots