Posted By Martin Ffitch Coloured cable ties

Posted By Saracen11 Hi Bill, all the slings used for lifting/moving/handling people that I have come across in the past have been colour coded for the very reasons that you describe. The problem comes though when you switch suppliers and the red, green and blue indicating s/m/l that your workers are used to, now becomes something completely different! Colour coding on slings are also used for specific designs e.g. those used by paraplegics and quadriplegics (but these types are usually well labelled as such). It’s a bit of a minefield but one that can be walked though; carry out a RA to help you decide which hoists and slings are compatible and suitable for the persons being manoeuvred, provide training (which I’m sure you already do), and all the other bits… and stay with that supplier. In my experience this system has worked quite well. I’m sure you already know this but for others that don’t… the structural integrity of a patient sling can and will be affected by the laundering process i.e. certain detergents and fabric softeners will cause the stitching to deteriorate, the manufacturer usually supplies washing instructions. Hope this helps. Regards