MO SB866

Requires each hospital to establish a safe patient handling committee by January 1, 2011, with at least half of members being frontline nonmanagerial employees who provide direct patient care.

Mandates hospitals implement a safe patient handling program by July 1, 2011, including patient handling hazard assessments, performance evaluations, and consideration of equipment needs in architectural planning.

Requires hospitals to acquire lifting equipment by January 1, 2014, choosing between one lift per acute care unit, one lift per ten acute care beds, or equipment for lift teams, with annual staff training required.

Allows hospital employees to refuse patient handling tasks they believe in good faith pose unacceptable injury risk without fear of disciplinary action.

Directs the division of workers' compensation to develop rules by January 1, 2012, providing reduced workers' compensation premiums for hospitals implementing safe patient handling programs and report results by December 1, 2015 and 2017.