5. Manual handling in birthing pools
There are manual handling risks to midwives and auxiliary staff who assist with births in pools from the routine tasks they carry out.
The manual handling risks are likely to result from:
- the position of the mother in the pool
- the position of the midwife while carrying out tasks at the birthing pool, and when actively supporting a mother's entry or exit into the pool or the mother using the midwife as a support while entering or exiting the pool
What HSE research has shown
An HSE research report on risks to midwives associated with birthing pools showed the majority of incident data reviewed were manual handling related.
The research identified a range of measures that may help in reducing manual handling risks, including:
- design of the birthing pool – this should allow the midwife to get as close as possible to the mother and minimise bending and reaching over
- the environment – this should be designed to reduce slip, trip and manual handling risks and enable safe access to the pool
- equipment – you should determine what equipment is required for routine and emergency moving and handling. Involving midwives in the specification and selection of equipment helps to ensure equipment is suitable and is used appropriately
- individual factors – these include:
- midwives' fitness and health
- their physical capability
- what you must do if they are pregnant
- their working time
- fatigue
- other tasks – you should consider other tasks carried out associated with the birthing pool such as filling, emptying, cleaning and maintaining the pool, as well as emergency evacuation
- training – workers should have instruction, information and training to enable them to safely carry out the tasks they carry out and to use the equipment provided
The research also identified appropriate procedures – that should be in place for dealing with emergency evacuation from the pool. These include:
- identifying what emergency situations could arise
- the degree to which the mother may or may not be able to participate
- how to get the mother out of the pool
- the number of staff or helpers required
- how to call for additional help
Equipment to help in emergency evacuation might include:
- an evacuation net
- floatation aids
- a slide sheet
- a pre-positioned height-adjustable bed or trolley
- suitable hoist and slings