SF 594

1st Engrossment - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 02/09/2010 02:13am

A bill for an act
relating to occupational safety and health; requiring safe patient handling plans
in clinical settings; amending Minnesota Statutes 2008, sections 182.6551;
182.6552, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 182.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 182.6551, is amended to read:

182.6551 CITATION; SAFE PATIENT HANDLING ACT.

Sections 182.6551 to deleted text begin 182.6553 deleted text end new text begin 182.6554 new text end may be cited as the "Safe Patient Handling
Act."

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 182.6552, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Clinical settings that move patients. new text end

new text begin "Clinical settings that move
patients" means physician, dental, and other outpatient care facilities, except for outpatient
surgical settings, where service requires movement of patients from point to point as part
of the scope of service.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [182.6554] SAFE PATIENT HANDLING IN CLINICAL SETTINGS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Safe patient handling plan required. new text end

new text begin (a) By July 1, 2010, every
clinical setting that moves patients in the state shall develop a written safe patient handling
plan to achieve by January 1, 2012, the goal of ensuring the safe handling of patients by
minimizing manual lifting of patients by direct patient care workers and by utilizing
safe patient handling equipment.
new text end

new text begin (b) The plan shall address:
new text end

new text begin (1) assessment of risks with regard to patient handling that considers the patient
population and environment of care;
new text end

new text begin (2) the acquisition of an adequate supply of appropriate safe patient handling
equipment;
new text end

new text begin (3) initial and ongoing training of direct patient care workers on the use of this
equipment;
new text end

new text begin (4) procedures to ensure that physical plant modifications and major construction
projects are consistent with plan goals; and
new text end

new text begin (5) periodic evaluations of the safe patient handling plan.
new text end

new text begin (c) A health care organization with more than one covered clinical setting that
moves patients may establish a plan at each clinical setting or establish one plan to serve
this function for all the clinical settings.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Facilities with existing programs. new text end

new text begin A clinical setting that moves patients
that has already adopted a safe patient handling plan that satisfies the requirements of
subdivision 1, or a clinical setting that moves patients that is covered by a safe patient
handling plan that is covered under and consistent with section 182.6553, is considered
to be in compliance with the requirements of this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Training materials. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall make training materials on
implementation of this section available at no cost to all clinical settings that move patients
as part of the training and education duties of the commissioner under section 182.673.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Enforcement. new text end

new text begin This section shall be enforced by the commissioner under
section 182.661. A violation of this section is subject to the penalties provided under
section 182.666.
new text end