MA H2396

Requires hospitals, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities to establish safe patient handling and mobility committees within six months of enactment, with at least half of members being non-managerial direct care staff including nurses, CNAs, and therapists

Mandates adoption of safe patient handling programs by December 1, 2025 that minimize manual lifting of patients in all cases and eliminate it when feasible, restricting manual handling to emergency or life-threatening circumstances

Requires facilities to acquire necessary patient handling equipment (mechanical lifts, lateral transfer aids, friction reducing devices, motorized beds) by December 30, 2028, with at least one readily available lift per unit

Obligates facilities to provide annual specialized training to all direct caregivers on safe patient handling techniques and equipment use, and to develop procedures allowing caregivers to refuse unsafe handling tasks without disciplinary action

Directs the Department of Public Health to ensure compliance and develop penalties for non-compliance, and requires new construction or remodeling plans to incorporate patient handling equipment within one year of passage