FOI release

Freedom of Information request on hoisting incidents (FOI 21/951)

Published 17 January 2022

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-responses-from-the-mhra-week-commencing-13-september-2021/freedom-of-information-request-on-hoisting-incidents-foi-21951

13th September 2021

FOI 21/951

Dear

Thank you for your request for information regarding hoisting incidents, received on 19th August 2021.

Please note that the incidents for 2014 – 2020 are full years, but the information for 2021 is only up to August 2021.

1.How many hoisting incident have occurred each year 2014-2021

The figures below are for all incidents to do with both hoists and slings for these time periods.

  • 2014: 114 incidents reported

  • 2015: 75 incidents reported

  • 2016 104 incidents reported

  • 2017: 97 incidents reported

  • 2018 92 incidents reported

  • 2019: 65 incidents reported

  • 2020: 52 incidents reported

  • 2021: 44 incidents reported (year to August 2021)

Figures for incidents involving sling only (Please note that these figures are for all sling types:

  • 2014: 41 incidents reported

  • 2015: 24 incidents reported

  • 2016 36 incidents reported

  • 2017: 48 incidents reported

  • 2018 29 incidents reported

  • 2019: 25 incidents reported

  • 2020: 8 incidents reported

  • 2021: 19 incidents reported (year to August 2021)

2.The causes of these hoist incidents

The causes of the incidents reported fall into a number of categories:

  • No fault found with the device
  • Use error
  • Electrical failure
  • Mechanical failure
  • Component failure
  • Manufacturing failure, including deficiencies in quality control
  • Poor Instructions for use
  • Material problem
  • Design of device
  • Interoperability Problem Identified
  • Maintenance problem

3.The types of equipment used we are very interested to see if there has been a decrease in the incidents of deaths using hygiene/toileting slings

The number incidents which involved a death are set out below, again for both hoists and slings:

  • 2014: 3 reported
  • 2015: 1 reported
  • 2016 3 reported
  • 2017: 3 reported
  • 2018 3 reported
  • 2019: 3 reported
  • 2020: 3 reported
  • 2021: 1 reported (year to August 2021)

Sling deaths, please note these figures are for all slings, figures for toileting/hygiene slings are not noted separately:

  • 2014: 2 reported
  • 2015: 0 reported
  • 2016 3 reported
  • 2017: 2 reported
  • 2018 0 reported
  • 2019: 1 reported
  • 2020: 0 reported
  • 2021: 0 reported (year to August 2021)

A separate search of the database for incidents involving toilet/hygiene slings found two incidents, but no deaths. One in 2014 conclusion: (incorrect slings used for toileting purposes) and another in 2018 (conclusion: fault with the hoist). There have been no incidents reported since.

I hope that this information answers your questions.

Kind regards,

MHRA Customer Service Centre

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