Common risks faced by healthcare workers
Healthcare is the fastest-growing sector of the U.S, employing over 18 million workers.
Due to the nature of their work, the compromised safety of healthcare workers is an ever present danger. In fact, employees in the healthcare and social assistance industries suffer more injuries and illnesses than workers in any industry in the US.
With new legislation and higher fines for non-compliance coming into force, protecting your healthcare teams has never been more important.
Below are the four most common risks healthcare lone workers face:
- Sprains and strains
Sprains and strains are the most common injuries to healthcare workers, especially to the lower back and the shoulders. - Slipped discs
Moving patients from one location to another, to the bathroom, or helping them sit up / lie down / get out of bed, can often result in slipped discs, or back injuries. - Violence and harassment
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in the health care and social service industries are 5 times more likely to suffer a workplace violence injury. - Falls and slips
Healthcare workers may also suffer from slipping or falling on the floor. A common reason is due to fluids or water left on the floor. Severe falls can result in broken bones or limb fractures.
A lone worker solution like StaySafe, means that if an incident or threatening situation occurs when your lone workers are out in the community, or removed from immediate colleagues, they can signal for help.
The in-built fall detection and non-movement features mean that slip, trips, and falls raise an instant alert from the app to the cloud-based hub. Your monitors can see in real-time when an impact has occurred and the GPS accuracy means responders can get to your employees quickly.
Your employees work 24/7 and so do our external monitoring partners, meaning your employees get the same high-level responses and support regardless of location or time of day.
To find out more about how StaySafe can help you to protect your healthcare workers, book a demo today and start your FREE 14-day trial.
Rachel Bridge
Rachel joined StaySafe in August 2021, during that time she has developed many resources on lone worker guidance, health and safety, as well as running sector specific campaigns for employers. Before joining StaySafe, Rachel worked in the automotive and third sectors, specialising in content marketing.
Having qualified as a youth and community worker in 2010, Rachel deeply understands the importance of lone worker safety. Outside of work, Rachel “enjoys” watching football, and dying her hair pink, which she also does for charity once a year.
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