Manual Tasks in Aged Care

Manual tasks are performed with different muscles and parts of the body. Manual tasks can become hazardous if they involve:

·      repetitive or sustained force

·      high or sudden force

·      repetitive movement

·      sustained or awkward posture, and/or

·      exposure to vibration.

Kineo's Manual Tasks in Aged Care course has been designed to provide people working in residential and home aged care services with an understanding of why and how musculoskeletal injuries occur, as well as some practical tips on how to perform manual tasks as safely as possible.

Musculoskeletal injuries account for more than 60% of allinjuries suffered by employees that work in aged care. Staff turnover inresidential aged care facilities is almost at 30%, and registered nurse turnover is even higher, at 35%. Replacing qualified staff can cost companies over $100,00.

It makes good business sense to keep your staff safe and prevent the risk of them suffering a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) acquired inthe workplace. These factors cause stress on the body in the short term and can accumulate over time. This stress can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs.

MSDs are a major category of injury in aged care workplaces, due to the many common tasks that staff working in residential or home care perform, such as:

·      pushing someone in a wheelchair

·      pushing a trolley

·      moving a consumer in a lifter

·      repositioning a consumer

·      attending to consumer hygiene needs, and

·      assisting consumers out of a seated position.