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WHS Management for Aged Care Facilities

Control resident handling injuries, dementia-related aggression, and chronic understaffing hazards in residential aged care.

Aged care facilities have the highest manual handling injury rate of any healthcare setting because residents require assistance with daily activities including transfers, toileting, showering, and repositioning throughout every shift. Dementia-related aggression exposes workers to unpredictable physical assault that cannot be managed through rational de-escalation alone. Chronic understaffing creates compounding psychosocial and physical risks as workers perform more manual tasks without adequate assistance. The new Healthcare Code of Practice commencing February 2026 and the Fatigue Code both create specific obligations relevant to aged care, and Section 26A makes these codes legally binding from 1 July 2026.

Key Hazards

Resident manual handling during transfers, repositioning, and personal careAggression from residents with dementia and cognitive impairmentPsychosocial hazards from understaffing, emotional labour, and resident deathSlip, trip, and fall injuries from wet bathroom and laundry areasInfection control risks from incontinence management and wound careFatigue from rotating shifts and extended hours in understaffed facilities

Regulatory Requirements

HRCW Categories

Hazardous manual tasks, work involving biological hazards

Section 26A Codes (binding 1 July 2026)
Healthcare Code of Practice 2026Hazardous Manual TasksFatigue Code of Practice 2026

SWMS Required

Manual Handling Patient →Aggressive Patient →Infection Control →Chemical Disinfection →Lone Worker Healthcare →Ergonomics Healthcare →

Related Sectors

HospitalDisability ServicesMental Health Services

Need Help with Aged Care WHS?

We help aged care providers develop compliant WHS systems covering resident handling, aggression management, and fatigue controls.

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