Provincial Workplace Safety & Health Working Group

Safe Work Procedures (SWPs) have been updated effective April 2026. A summary of the changes is available here.

The Provincial Workplace Safety & Health working group’s objectives are to:

Facilitate and support consistency and collaboration of Workplace Safety and Health programming and practices across the Manitoba healthcare sector.
Provide a structure that identifies, encourages and facilitates Workplace Safety and Health initiatives which assist in the achievement of provincial priorities and goals.
Create a vehicle for the development of provincially standardized policies, procedures, training, and resources.
Identify strategic projects and priorities that will further the achievement of provincial priorities and goals.

Safe Work Procedures – Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention

Repositioning

Safe Work Procedure	Video
Inserting and removing sliders	Slider Sheets – Insertion & Removal video
Bed repositioning with bed sheet slider system	Bed Sheet Slider System – Bed Repositioning & Turning video
Bed repositioning with full length sliders	Slider Sheets – Bed Repositioning & Turning video
Turn with bed sheet slider system	Bed Sheet Slider System – Bed Repositioning & Turning video
Turn with full length sliders
Repositioning sling with overhead lift	Module 6: Overhead Lift – Repositioning Sling
Two person assist repositioning sling insertion/removal in lying	Module 6 – Sling Insertions
Log roll for spinal precautions on bed or stretcher	N/A
One person assist lie to sit / sit to lie	Module 5: Lie to Sit
Two person assist lie to sit / sit to lie	Module 5: Lie to Sit
Repositioning in chair	Module 3: Chair Repositioning & Assisted Fall From Sitting

Transfers

Safe Work Procedure	Video
Pre-Transfer Screen	Modules 3: ACES Screen
1 or 2 minimal assist with transfer belt	Module 3: Transfer Belt 1 and 2 person Assist
Assist with stand assist frame (e.g. Sara Stedy)	Module 5: Stand Assist Frame
Two assist mechanical sit to stand transfer	Mechanical Sit to Stand Transfer video
Two assist floor lift transfer	Mechanical Total Floor Lift Transfer video
Floor lift transfer (side approach)	N/A
2 assist overhead lift transfer	Overhead Lift Transfer – Transfer Sling video
Two person seated sling insertion/removal chair	Module 6: Sling Insertion
Two Person Assist Sling Insertion/Removal in Lying	Module 6: Sling Insertion
Portable ceiling lift set up / room to room transfer	Overhead Lift Transfer – Transfer Sling video
Minimal assist car to wheelchair	N/A

Lateral Transfers

Safe Work Procedure	Video
Lateral transfer with full length slider sheets	Module 4 : Lateral Transfers – Sliders and Rollerboard
Lateral transfer with rollerboard	Module 4 : Lateral Transfers – Sliders and Rollerboard
Air assisted device lateral transfer	Lateral Transfers: Air Assisted Device HoverMatt®
Lateral transfers with hardboard and full length sliders	Module 4 : Lateral Transfers – Sliders and Rollerboard

Falls Management

Safe Work Procedure	Video
Supervised recovery from floor	Supervised Recovery From Floor video
Fall recovery from floor – total mechanical assist, no injury	Module 3: Fall Recovery – Total Assist
Full manual assist recovery from fall to floor, significant injury sustained	N/A
Recovery from floor – air-assisted device	N/A
Assisting a falling patient from standing	Module 3: Assisted Fall from Standing

Emergency Situations

Safe Work Procedure	Video
Transfer chair to floor	Module 3: Chair Repositioning & Assisted Fall From Sitting
Emergency evacuation – transfer bed to floor	N/A
Emergency descent downstairs with Evac Chair	N/A
Vehicle transfer for seated non-ambulatory patient using spine board	N/A

Bathing

Safe Work Procedures & Guidelines	Video
Bathing equipment algorithm	N/A
Bathing equipment definitions	N/A
Lift bath trolley	N/A
Lift hygiene chair	N/A
Guidelines for safe bathing for a sling bath	N/A
Guidelines for safe bathing with the use of a bath seat, transfer bench or board	N/A
Guidelines for safe bathing with the use of bathtub chair inserts	N/A
Guidelines for safe bathing with the use of a shower cabinet	N/A
Guidelines for safe bathing with the use of a shower commode or tilt shower chairs	N/A
Guidelines for safe bathing with the use of a shower trolley	N/A

Toileting

Safe Work Procedures & Guidelines	Video
2 assist mechanical lift using hygiene sling	N/A
Algorithm – toileting	N/A

Wound Care

Safe Work Procedure	Video
Wound care pannus/abdomen	N/A
Wound care leg/foot	N/A

Other/Department Specific

Safe Work Procedure	Video
X-Ray Plate Insertion	N/A
Endo Vaginal Cushion Insertion	N/A
Patient blood draw from bassinette	N/A
Patient blood draw – skin to skin	N/A
Women’s labour and delivery positioning for cases of shoulder dystocia	N/A

Safe Work Procedure	Video
Filling, Transporting and Transferring Infant Tub with Water for Bathing	N/A
Filling, Transporting and Transferring Infant Tub with Water for Bathing	N/A
Assembling/Disassembling Nx Stage™ Home Hemodialysis Unit	N/A
Unloading laundry bag from Care Fusion Pyxis Dirty Scrub Station	N/A
Cleaning of Sleigh Beds	N/A
Disinfecting the Internal Water Circuit and Hoses for Altrix precision temperature management system	N/A
Manual Materials Handling – Gripping	N/A
Manual Materials Handling – Lifting	N/A
Loading scrubs into ScrubEx Large Volume Dispenser	N/A
Loading scrubs into Non-Rotating Care Fusion Pyxis Scrub Station	N/A
Packing/Unpacking Nx Stage™ Home Hemodialysis Unit	N/A
Manual Materials Handling – Pushing/Pulling	N/A
Replacing Bottles Water Jugs for Water Dispenser	N/A
ScrubEx Medium Volume Dispenser Receiver	N/A
Unloading scrubs from the ScrubEx Large Volume Receiver	N/A
Use of Addressograph	N/A
Manual Materials Handling – Working Heights	N/A
Wheelchair Folding/Unfolding	N/A

For more information, please email [email protected].