A nursing home has received a fine after a resident’s leg was frequently trapped in a bed rail.
Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court heard how in November 2018, a resident at Crosfield House Limited in Rhayader was hospitalised when her leg, which kept getting stuck in between her mattress and the bed rail, became discoloured and cold to the touch. As a result of the regular entrapment her leg was amputated.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed there was insufficient training and guidance on how to carry out a bed rail assessment. The employees at the nursing home were not aware of the risks associated with bed rail entrapment and had not received sufficient training to understand how to use the bed rails safely. The investigation also discovered despite several bed rail entrapments occurring between September & November 2018, no review took place to prevent similar incidents occurring or to understand how the bed rails should be safely managed,
Crosfield House Limited of Dark Lane, Rhayader, Wales pled guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 and were issued with a fine of £25,000 and ordered to pay costs of £11,747.