Moving patients new focus for reducing health worker injuries

The Workers Compensation Board of P.E.I. is starting the second phase of work on an initiative with Health PEI to try to reduce the number of claims coming from the health-care industry.

Health care continues to be the sector with the largest percentage of WCB claims at 27 per cent, according to 2017 statistics.

"A lot of cases relate to lifting-type injuries, transfers and moving patients," said Kate Marshall, director of workplace services for the WCB.

"We're actually going into Phase 2 of our work with Health PEI, and that's one of the things that we've identified as a priority."

One of the goals, said Marshall, will be to set a target on how much to try to reduce the number of health-care related claims, with a particular focus on lift injuries.

WCB and Health PEI will try to address the problem through education campaigns and possibly investing in new equipment.

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