Failure to Remove Damaged Mechanical Lift Sling from Service
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that the environment remained as free from accident hazards as possible for a resident who was dependent on staff for transfers. A male resident with hypotension and muscle weakness, who required two staff for transfers and had intact cognitive status, was observed being transferred using a mechanical lift. During this transfer, the mechanical lift sling used had faded loops and missing labels, indicating wear and damage. The facility did not remove this worn and damaged sling from service. Interviews with staff revealed inconsistent knowledge and practices regarding the identification and removal of unsafe slings. Some staff checked for broken hooks or loops but were unaware that faded colors also indicated wear. Others acknowledged the difficulty in identifying fading due to the variety of sling colors. The facility's policy on hydraulic lifts did not address safety checks for lift slings, and manufacturer instructions specified that slings with signs of wear or improper laundering, such as color fading, should be immediately removed from use. This deficiency placed residents at risk of injury.