Electric Shock Risk from Hospital Bed Power Cords: A Safety Alert Care Providers Should Know

Electric profiling beds support safer, more comfortable care, but their power cords can become a serious hazard when they are allowed to trail near wheels and other moving equipment.

A safety alert published by WorkSafe Victoria describes an incident in which a hospital employee received a severe electric shock from the power cord of an electric bed. The incident happened outside the UK, but the practical lesson is relevant wherever powered beds are used, including hospitals, care homes and supported-living settings.

What happened?

According to the safety alert, the bed's power cord had been left trailing on the floor while a patient was transferred. A bed wheel damaged the cord's protective outer insulation, exposing the electrical wires inside.

The employee did not see the damage. When they plugged the bed into a power outlet, they received a severe electric shock and required immediate medical treatment.

WorkSafe Victoria also noted that similar incidents had been reported in aged care, disability and residential care facilities where electric beds are commonly used.

Why this incident matters

A damaged bed cable may not always be obvious. Damage can occur when a cord is:

• Run over or trapped beneath a bed wheel.
• Caught during a bed movement or patient transfer.
• Left where a hoist or other equipment can pass over it.
• Pulled, crushed or repeatedly bent close to the plug or bed connection.

This can create several problems at once: a risk of electric shock, avoidable damage to expensive equipment, disruption while a bed is taken out of service, and additional manual handling for staff dealing with cables around the bed.

Controls recommended in the safety alert

WorkSafe Victoria advised duty holders to consider a combination of safe working practices, checks and equipment controls. Its recommendations included:

• Stowing power cords while patients are being transferred.
• Visually inspecting electric bed power cords before moving a bed.
• Using beds with cords that are elevated, coiled or retractable.
• Retrofitting suitable cable-management clips beneath bed frames so cords can be lifted clear while beds are transported.
• Introducing regular electrical testing and tagging arrangements.
• Reviewing power-outlet positions so cords are less likely to lie close to bed wheels.

No single check should be treated as a substitute for a suitable risk assessment, staff training or electrical inspection. If a cable appears damaged, the equipment should be taken out of use and handled in line with the organisation's safety procedures by a competent person.

A useful lesson for UK care settings

The alert refers to occupational health and safety law in the Australian state of Victoria, not UK legislation. UK care providers must follow the requirements and guidance that apply to their own setting.

The prevention principle, however, travels well: identify foreseeable hazards, reduce the chance of a cord being damaged, and make it easy for staff to notice and report a problem before the bed is used again.

A practical review could ask:

1. Where do power and handset cables sit when each bed is raised, lowered or moved?
2. Can wheels, hoists or other equipment reach those cables?
3. Are cables inspected before movement and as part of routine equipment checks?
4. Do staff know what to do when they find damage?
5. Could a suitable cable management system keep cords in a safer position during normal use?

Prevention is better than reacting to an incident

The most important point from this case is that a trailing power cord is not merely untidy. If it reaches the path of a wheel and its insulation is damaged, the consequences can be severe.

Carlble was developed for care and healthcare environments to help manage profiling-bed cables and keep them clear of common under-bed hazards. It should form part of a wider approach that includes risk assessment, routine inspection, staff training and appropriate electrical maintenance.

Care providers do not need to wait for a damaged cord, equipment failure or injury before reviewing the space around their electric beds. A short inspection today can reveal where cables are exposed and where safer controls may be needed.

Source: WorkSafe Victoria, “Electric shocks from hospital bed power cords”, published 3 October 2019: https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/safety-alerts/electric-shocks-hospital-bed-power-cords. The incident and recommendations above are summarised from that alert. The legal duties described by the original source apply in Victoria, Australia; UK organisations should follow applicable UK law, manufacturer instructions and local procedures.