MO SB39

Requires each hospital to establish a safe patient handling committee by January 1, 2012, with at least half of members being frontline nonmanagerial employees providing direct patient care.

Mandates each hospital implement a safe patient handling program by July 1, 2012, including hazard assessments, equipment policies, annual performance evaluations, and architectural considerations for new construction.

Requires hospitals to acquire lifting equipment by January 1, 2015, choosing between one lift per acute care unit, one lift per ten patient beds, or equipment for lift teams, with annual staff training mandatory.

Protects hospital employees from disciplinary action when they refuse in good faith to perform patient handling tasks they believe will expose patients or themselves to unacceptable injury risk.

Directs the division of workers' compensation to develop rules by January 1, 2014, providing reduced workers' compensation premiums for hospitals implementing safe patient handling programs, with evaluations due December 1, 2016 and 2018.