Of the 13,500 workplaces targeted for OSHA inspection due to high injury and illness rates, 2,615 — almost one in five — are nursing homes, says SEIU.
The union says OSHA's proposed ergo standard would make nursing homes safer by reducing back injuries caused by lifting patients without proper equipment or help. One nursing home saved hundreds of thousands in workers compensation costs by purchasing mechanical lifts to help move residents, according to SEIU.