We take for granted that nurses and other health care workers routinely lift patients. They move patients from beds to wheelchairs, from stationary beds to wheeled hospital gurneys, from lying prone on a bed to sitting up.

Many of us don’t think about the amount of weight involved in such lifting and the risk of injury to health care workers as well as to patients. But studies have shown that health care workers in hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities suffer some of the highest rates of injuries of any workers, greater than the rate for construction workers and nearly tied with that for workers who move material, stock and freight.

In federal labor statistics from 2005, 59 percent of injuries to health care workers were strains and sprains and 48 percent were due to overexertion. Many health care workers incur disabling injuries to the back, neck or hip from lifting patients that can require surgery and prolonged periods off the job to recover.

For years both nationally and in New York State, advocates for nurses including the UFT and our state affiliate NYSUT have fought for health care facilities to adopt methods for moving patients that are safer for both caregivers and patients themselves. It involves buying special equipment to help in safely repositioning and lifting patients.

The advocacy has paid off with New York passing the Safe Patient Handling Act in the state budget this year.

The law requires the formation of a work group by Jan. 1, 2015 that will include state officials and representatives of nurses. By July 1 of next year, the work group must submit a report identifying safe patient-handling practices and by 2017, all hospitals and other health care facilities covered by the law must have policies to ensure that safe patient-handling methods are used.

Any investment by health care facilities in buying appropriate equipment and ensuring strong safety standards will pay off in lower costs associated with worker injuries. More importantly, nurses and other health care workers will be able to care for their patients without harming themselves.