What is involved in ceiling track hoist training?

Anyone using a ceiling track hoist should have first received training, so they really know how to use the equipment. Not only will this extend the life of the equipment installed, but it will also help carers provide the best quality care for residents and patients.

But what is involved in ceiling track hoist training? And what do you need to know?

Jump Straight To –

• Who can give me ceiling track hoist training?
• How long does the training take and who should attend?
• Do you offer ‘train the trainer’ sessions?
• What sort of ceiling track do you have?
• Hoist track components
• Patient lifting hoist unit training
• Choice of slings

Please note

Please be aware that this post covers the training and practices for using our own Airglide360 hoist track and AirRise hoist units. If you are using a hoist system from a different manufacturer, we recommend that you contact them directly for training.

Who can give me ceiling track hoist training?

If you have an Innova hoist system, then only a trained Innova team member should be training you on how to use our equipment. This could be any member of our team who is trained in our specific ceiling track hoist systems.

Your hoist training will usually take place during the handover process at the end of the installation. If it’s a multi-user environment and it’s not possible to have all applicable staff there for training, then you should make sure to let everyone who uses the system know how it works.

How long does the hoist training take and who should attend?

Your overhead hoist system training will only take about 15 or 20 minutes to go through. However, if there are multiple groups of people needing training, it could take 15 minutes a session.

We try and encourage whoever will be using the hoist to attend the training. This could be a carer, care home manager, and even the maintenance staff.

Do you offer ‘train the trainer’ hoist training sessions?

When it comes to Innova hoists, we always offer train the trainer sessions because it means that your staff can then advise others on how to use our systems.

We’re always happy to offer extra training sessions free of charge, but if you’re wanting training sessions on a monthly or bi-monthly basis, then we may need to charge a fee.

What sort of ceiling track do you have?

The first thing we’ll look at is the type of hoist system you have, and we’ll run through how it will work for you. Whether it’s a fixed monorail track or a X-Y system, our trainer will run through how they’re different and why they’ll benefit you.

If you’re still trying to decide which sort of hoist system you need, have a read of Monorail vs X-Y Hoisting Systems: Which is best?.

Hoist track components

The trainer will also walk you through the different components included in your hoist system. This can include hoist gates, turntables, or track switches.

Hoist gates (also referred to as transit couplings) are probably the most popular component we include in our systems. Getting trained on using these is particularly important as it’s a five-step process, and misuse of the gate systems can result in servicing fees and engineer callouts.

Similarly, track switches and turntables can be difficult to repair if they’re misused, so make sure you’re trained and confident in using all the track components before you jump into it.

Patient lifting hoist unit training

You will also be trained on how to use the hoist unit itself. This could be either one of our AirRise hoist units or a Robin hoist (that’s fitted with two lifting belts).

These hoist units are particularly straightforward to use thanks to the easy-to-understand handsets. All AirRise hoist units (200, 260, 350, and 500) use the same handset.

If the hoist unit hasn’t been used in the last 15 minutes, it will automatically turn off to preserve battery life. Simply use the on button to turn it back on (you can also see that it’s on thanks to a LED light in the remote control).

You also use the hand control to lift and lower the hoist tape and alter the positioning of the patient.

The hoist unit is charged through the handset; just place it in the wall-mounted charger station to ensure that power is being supplied to the hoist.

Every hoist unit will be fitted with an emergency stop and lowering function. This is usually triggered using a red rope hanging from the unit; we’ll talk you through when to use it and how to reset it.

If you have a detachable hoist unit, the trainer will also walk you through how you can take it off of the track.

Choice of slings

We can cover how you would go about prescribing the right lifting sling as well if necessary.

Summary

These are the main topics covered in ceiling track hoist training that will give you a good, comprehensive overview of how to use a hoist system. Any carers or people using the system should ensure that they have had some sort of training before carrying out any transfers to ensure that both the person they are lifting and themselves are safe.