Safety with transfers and lifting
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Back pain is a common complaint and it has been reported that the prevalence for adults can be as high as 80% of having back pain at some stage in their lives (Ward 2003). Anecdotally it has been reported that the statistics are even higher in parents caring for children with a disability.
Safe lifting is important to everyone. Most people lift, lower, push, pull, carry or move many things throughout the day. Injuries are usually the result of repeated strain that has happened due to poor habits over many months or years. People don’t think about their back until they are in pain, but by then it is too late, as the damage to the spinal structures has already occurred over the previous years of poor use. This risk can be reduced if people understand how to lift correctly and look after their back. Don’t wait until you have pain to do something about back care – use your back safely in all activities.
Taking care of your back involves more than just safe lifting.
This page provides a broad introduction to the topic of back care and safe lifting.
Parents, carers and staff caring for children with a disability can gain further information and training about back care and safe lifting by speaking to a physiotherapist.
Back pain and related problems are caused by many things, including:
- physically heavy work
- manual handling (lifting and shifting things by hand, rather than using lifting equipment)
- sudden, unexpected physical loads
- frequent bending and twisting
- working in a position for a long time (including sitting)
- poor posture
- low physical conditioning and fitness
- stress and lack of ‘time out’ to recharge.
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Caring for your back, whether at home or at work, is your responsibility. It is important that you find out about how to lift safely so that you can try to prevent back pain and injury. There is no completely safe and proper method for lifting and handling people, but there are general principles for lowering the risks of injury. It is important to use good lifting methods, have correct posture and take part in regular exercise. Prevention is always better than cure, especially in the case of back injuries.
Managing the risks associated with the use of your back is a very effective strategy for preventing back injury, particularly with lifting. The strategies at the top of the arrow are always more effective in preventing or minimsing the risks associated with lifting, but are not always possible – hence the other strategies may need to be used.
- Eliminate any unnecessary manual handling tasks.
- Substitute lighter objects for heavier ones. For example this can be achieved by reducing the number of items in a box.
- Engineer- Use mechanical aids wherever possible to assist with manual handling tasks such as hoists and sling.
- Administrative controls mean spreading the manual handling tasks over a larger number of people or a longer period of time to reduce the load on your body.
- The final step is to complete the required task safely. Use strong postures that protect your back and shoulder and allow you to generate the necessary force with your legs and body weight.
Who can tell me how to safely lift my child?
Novita Children's Services therapists will provide you with specific lifting training for your child. They are also happy to teach these skills to others who may be involved in caring for your child, such as carers, teachers and assistants.
Novita physiotherapists also run general back care and lifting workshops for parents and carers of children with a disability.
WorkCover guidelines state that it is the responsibility of the employer to provide information, instruction and training for their workers (for example it is the responsibility of an education service to provide training for teachers). Check out the WorkCover website for further details.
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What equipment is available to help with lifting children?
Hoists with slings
- It's a good idea to start thinking about a hoist early on, rather than waiting until you are in pain. This reduces the risk of injury to your back, enabling you to continue to care for your child for many years to come.
• Many people think that hoists are too slow and take too much time to use. Although it can be slow at first whilst you are learning how to use it, once you know how, it is very quick and easy.
- A child can be placed in the sling and lifted with the hoist from one place to another, for example, from the floor into a wheelchair or from a wheelchair to a shower chair.
- A range of hoists and slings are available on the market - different hoists and slings suit different children and home space requirements.
- Talk to an occupational therapist about what might suit you.
- A trial can then be arranged to make sure that the hoist will work where it is going to be used.
Read about Michael's new hoist
Read about Kate's bathroom
Disclaimer: General information only - you should consult with the relevant professional before applying it to a particular situation. See disclaimer details.
Equipment to change the height of furniture
- The heights of furniture such as beds and change tables can cause difficulties when lifting a child. If the heights are too low, you may be straining your back without realising it - blocks and other ways of changing the height of furniture are worth looking at.
- Contact an occupational therapist if you think this may be an issue for you.
Height adjustable beds
The heights of some beds can be controlled by either manually or by a remote control hand-piece to raise or lower the bed.
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For basic information about safe lifting and backcare view the fact sheet 
Back Care for Families and Carers of Children with Disability (PDF - 212Kb). This booklet contains more detailed information about looking after your back, and tips for safe lifting. It is essential that you consult a physiotherapist/occupational therapist about which lifts and transfers are safe for you and the child.
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What is the best way to lift my child?
Lifting your child is something that you might do many times throughout the day. It is important for the safety of all concerned that you know how to lift safely. Lifting is best shown to you in an individual way so that your needs (do you have a painful back?) and those of your child can be taken into account. Talk to a Novita physiotherapist about the best way to lift your child. A physiotherapist can also give you ideas to reduce or avoid lifting and help you with ways to keep the strain off your back as much as possible.
Do I have to lift at work?
Talk to your employer if you have any worries about lifting at work. Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines should be in place to protect your health and well-being. It is the responsibility of your employer to let you know about general safe lifting practices.
Novita physiotherapists and occupational therapists can provide a Transfer and Positioning Care Plan. This is a document written for schools and child care centres that describes the safest methods for lifting, positioning and handling a Novita client.
Read the factsheet Transfer and Positioning Care Plan (PDF - 45Kb)
Novita physiotherapists and occupational therapists can also visit these locations to educate staff about how to best lift individual clients as described in the plan. It is strongly recommended that staff responsible for lifting and positioning children attend the personal care support training run by the Department of Education and Children's Services (DECS). This provides basic training about back care and the lifting, handling and positioning of children with disabilities.
For further information
Disclaimer Detail: The above information on is of a general nature only and does not constitute advice. Novita Children's Services makes no representations, express or implied, as to the accuracy, usefulness, suitability or application of the information to a child's particular circumstances. Use of the information above is at your sole risk, and you should seek professional advice before acting or relying on the information. Novita Children's Services accepts no liability for any damages or loss that may arise from the use of, or any omission from, the information provided. In using this site, you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of Use for the site.