CAL OSHA has approved the regulations governing AB1136 – The new California Safe Patient Handling Law.   Here is a copy of the draft regulations.  Hospitals now face a deadline of October 1st, 2014 to be in full compliance with these regulations.  Some hospitals have commented that even though they thought they had a program, they are not even close to being fully prepared for compliance.    All patient care areas attached to a General Acute Care Hospital are covered by the new addition to California’s Labor Code: GENERAL INDUSTRY SAFETY ORDERS, Division 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter 7, Article 106, Section 5120.  This includes areas that have often gone unaddressed such as the Emergency Department, OR, Radiology/Imaging areas, and Outpatient Areas.

CAL OSHA Draft Regulations_April 16 2014

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Hospitals are scrambling to address the pending regulations that will govern the new Safe Patient Handling legislation in California, known as AB 1136. These new regulations are predicted to go into effect as of October 1st, 2014.  Here are just a few of the many key issues have been raised in the proposed modifications that may affect a hospital’s readiness for compliance:

• Each hospital unit should have it’s own plan to address manual patient handling tasks to prevent injuries to patients and staff.
• Hazard assessments need to be performed on each patient care unit.
• A validated patient assessment tool is needed!  A proposed modification to to state that the procedures followed by the designated registered nurse to assess patient mobility needs will be based on the nurse’s professional judgment and involve the use of the listed methods. The subsection has also been modified to clarify that other licensed staff can provide input regarding the patient mobility assessment and instructions.
• At least every 12 months, designated health care workers, designated registered nurses and their supervisors shall also receive refresher training.   Training conducted more than one year prior to the new regulations taking effect may not meet compliance.
• Is there enough equipment?  A modification is proposed to subsection (c)(5)(A) to state that equipment must be available and accessible at all times.

Visit www.sphmedical.com or contact us to learn more about how you can be prepared to be in compliance with AB1136/LC5120.

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