Workers come together to help SARATOGA SPRINGS — An unfortunate irony of 10 The Work Force December 2015 providing health care services is that it can lead to back sprains, knee pain, shoulder injuries, pulls and tears for workers. Over the past several years, CSEA members and other health care providers have pulled together, joining a common cause to reduce worker and patient injuries by pushing for new regulations that will require care facilities to implement safe patient lifting practices. Under the state’s Safe Patient Handling Law, workers are not only closer to finding relief from the often-painful work tasks, but they are playing a key role in making it happen. “This legislation represents a big step toward workers having a voice in what is implemented in their facilities,” said CSEA President Danny Donohue. “Workers are the ones using the equipment, and this law is helping them be a part of solution to safer patient handling for them and the patients.” Spreading the word More than 100 CSEA members participated in the recent Safe Patient Handling Conference in Saratoga Springs. Conference attendees, which included many direct-care staff from across the state, were buzzing with talk of the legislation, the possibility of new equipment to help reduce injuries and most importantly, having a say in their workplace safety plan. “If this legislation was around when I started working at a nursing home 30 years ago, I wouldn’t have the physical ailments I have right now,” said Michele Martin, a hospital patient services clerk 2 in the Physical Medicine and Rehab Department at SUNY Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. “We need these devices to protect ourselves. Our bodies are not designed for all this lifting, pulling and maneuvering.” Outdated equipment is usually more of a hindrance than help, and needs to be replaced. “Some of the equipment is so heavy and clunky,” said Ali Rajpattie a certified nursing assistant at St. Albans Veterans Home in Queens. “When people are out because of injuries, there is more work for the rest of us,” said Allyson Baptiste, a licensed practical nurse at St. Albans. Rajpattie and Baptiste attended the conference with four co-workers, all of whom will serve on St. Albans’ safety committee. Michele Martin tests out a ceiling lift and repositioning sheet from a vendor, Emerald Resources, at Baptiste said she was happy to have had the the Safe Patient Handling Conference.
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