MAO Manual

MODULE 2 – Well Being of the MAVO

Objectives:

• Understand the possible safety issues that can pose a risk to the Mobility Assistance Operator • Be familiar with the roles and responsibilities the employer and employee under 1910.1030, the Bloodborne Pathogens standard

Safety of the Mobility Assistance Operator A Mobility Assistance Operator, through the daily activities of transporting individuals who are elderly, sickly, or injured faces some possible occupational hazards: - Physical harm from a safety hazard - Biological harm from an infection the patient may transmit to the MAVO - Psychological harm from constant contact with sick or elderly individuals Physical Harm Physical harm to the MAVO may occur during the course of his or her duties. Possible sources of harm can include a motor vehicle collision, a slip-and-fall, or (most likely) a bad lift during a transport. Lifting a patient improperly can result in back pain or injury, neurological damage, and other chronic muscular-skeletal injuries. Prudent planning of lifts and adhering to proper body mechanics is critical in preventing injury to the MAVO. Some common ways to minimize the chance of injury from lifting include: Not risking heavy lifts by yourself – get help when lifting patients that are beyond your comfortable lifting ability. Plan moves before executing them – think out your lift before commiting to it. Make sure you are going about your lift the best and safest way. Using good body mechanics – use the safe lifting principles in Box 2-1 to minimize your potential for injury.

Box 2-1: SAFE LIFTING PRINCIPLES LIFT WITH YOUR LEGS, NOT WITH YOUR BACK. Your legs contain some of the strongest muscle groups in your body, and are much less prone to injury than your back. Squat down and use them to lift heavy loads instead of brending down and using your back. KEEP WEIGHT CLOSE TO YOUR BODY. Your ability to lift is much stronger near you than far away from your body. By keeping weight close you remain stronger and are less prone to muscle strain or other injury. PIVOT INSTEAD OF TWISTING. Injury often results when an MAVO carrying a load tries to twist his or her torso during a lift. Keeping your torso facing in the same direction as your legs will minimize your chances of injury. To change direction, pivot your entire body rather than twisting. Biological Harm Although an MAVO generally does not make close contact with a patient, there is some potential for an MAVO to be exposed to transmissible disease from the patient. Some illnesses an MAVO should be aware of include bloodborne illnesses such as HIV or Hepatitis B/C, and airborne illnesses such as Tuberculosis. An in-depth discussion of transmission and prevention of bloodborne illnesses is discussed in the Bloodborne Pathogens section of this module.