Benalla Health was sentenced in Melbourne County Court today after pleading guilty to a single charge of failing to ensure persons other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks.
In October 2021, the 93-year-old resident of the Morrie Evans Aged Care facility fell backwards when the back of her reclining chair detached as a staff member tried to move it following an outdoor family visit.
A subsequent X-ray showed fractures to the woman's rib and spine. In the following days, she developed a chest infection and died a week after the incident.
WorkSafe's investigation found Benalla Health failed to maintain a system of work for ensuring chairs used for transporting residents were regularly assessed for safe functionality, scheduled for preventative maintenance, and tagged accordingly.
WorkSafe Acting Chief of Health and Safety Barb Hill said a simple assessment system for the provider's recliner chairs would have been enough to prevent the incident.
"When aged care residents are already vulnerable to injury and illness, every step must be taken to ensure their safety is a top priority," she said.
"This is a reminder that healthcare providers have a duty to keep their workers, clients and patients safe and there are no excuses when equipment fails and a vulnerable person is injured."
Employers providing care for residents or clients requiring a wheelchair or recliner should ensure they:
- Implement a system to inspect and review the workplace and equipment to identify if equipment meets individual needs of residents or clients.
- Regularly maintain and inspect equipment, including wheelchairs and recliners (e.g. checks on fabric/structure, tyre pressure, brakes, controls, tyre wear, charging point and battery condition).
- Fix any safety issues, as soon as possible, so the worker's and client's needs are safely met.
- Develop procedures to identify the safest movement of the wheelchair and client.
- Provide workers with information, instruction and training in the use of wheelchairs and recliners with wheels, including controlling on slopes and managing small lips of ramps.
