Benalla Health fined $230K after aged care resident’s chair failure

The Victorian healthcare provider has been convicted after an aged care resident was injured when her reclining chair failed.

The 93-year-old resident of Benalla Health’s 30-bed Morrie Evans Wing Nursing Home fell backwards when the back of her reclining chair detached as a staff member tried to move it following an outdoor family visit in October 2021.

A subsequent X-ray showed fractures to the woman’s rib and spine. In the following days, she developed a chest infection and died a week after the incident.

Benalla Health was sentenced in Melbourne County Court on Wednesday, 16 December, after pleading guilty to a single charge of failing to ensure persons other than employees were not exposed to health and safety risks.

WorkSafe Victoria’s investigation found Benalla Health failed to maintain a system of work for ensuring chairs used for transporting residents were regularly assessed for safe functionality, scheduled for preventative maintenance, and tagged accordingly.

WorkSafe Acting Chief of Health and Safety Barb Hill GAICD said a simple assessment system for the provider’s recliner chairs would have been enough to prevent the incident.

“When aged care residents are already vulnerable to injury and illness, every step must be taken to ensure their safety is a top priority,” she said.

“This is a reminder that healthcare providers have a duty to keep their workers, clients and patients safe and there are no excuses when equipment fails and a vulnerable person is injured.”

In a statement, a Benalla Health spokesperson said the facility extended its “heartfelt condolences” to the resident’s family.

“This was a deeply sad incident for everyone involved,” they said.

“Since this incident, we have made significant improvements to our maintenance systems and safety protocols to better protect residents and support staff in delivering safe care.”