Failure to Conduct Required Monthly Inspections of Mechanical Lifts
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to conduct required monthly inspections of all seven facility-owned Hoyer (mechanical) lifts, as well as personal mechanical lifts owned by two residents. According to the facility's policy and the manufacturer's manual, monthly inspections and maintenance logs are required to ensure the safety and functionality of these lifts. The Maintenance Director admitted that inspections were not performed as frequently as required and that no maintenance logs were kept. The Administrator confirmed that there was no documentation of maintenance or inspection for any of the lifts. One resident, who was cognitively intact and dependent on staff for transfers, experienced an incident where her personal mechanical lift tipped over during a transfer, though she was not injured. There was no documentation in her care plan or physician orders regarding the use of her personal lift, nor any record of monthly inspections. The resident stated that the facility did not inspect her lift, and the Maintenance Director confirmed no inspections were performed on it. A second resident, who was severely cognitively impaired and also dependent on staff for transfers, had a personal mechanical lift in his room. There was no physician order or care plan documentation for the use of this lift, and no evidence of monthly inspections. The Maintenance Director confirmed that he had not inspected this lift either. The Administrator acknowledged that neither resident's personal lift had been assessed for safety and that the facility lacked documentation of required inspections.