What does a personal support worker do? A personal support worker (PSW) is a healthcare professional who supports the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of clients who require personal assistance with activities of daily living.
A personal support worker (PSW) is a healthcare professional who supports the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of clients who require personal assistance with activities of daily living. PSWs can work in various environments, such as:
The duties of a PSW can vary depending on the client’s specific needs, but their responsibilities typically include:
duty Community and home care
duty Long-term care
duty Retirement homes
duty Hospitals
duty Group homes and supportive housing
duty Adult day programs and mental health programs
duty Helping with personal care
duty Planning and preparing meals according to specific dietary requirements
duty Assisting with client mobility and transfers
duty Monitoring and reminding clients to take medication at appropriate times
duty Providing client support for emotions and companionship
duty Simple home maintenance and housekeeping
duty Escorting clients to appointments and social outings
There are several potential health and safety hazards that personal support workers can encounter across their various working environments. Some of the hazards include:
biological bodily secretions (e.g., blood, urine, saliva, and feces)
biological exposure to infectious diseases (e.g., COVID-19) when working in close contact with infected individuals or in areas where infected individuals live or visit
safety exposure to needles or other sharps following client use or disposal of injectable medications
general pests (e.g., mice)
biological mould due to indoor air quality concerns
general Biological hazards can cause illnesses or diseases. These hazards include:
chemical Allergens (e.g., latex, chemical products, animal fur, etc.)
chemical Exposure to chemicals when using cleaning products (e.g., bleach)
chemical Compressed gases
chemical Manual work that involves force, repetition, awkward postures and prolonged activities that can lead to musculoskeletal disorders
psychosocial verbal abuse (i.e., threats of violence)
psychosocial Workplace violence, such as:
chemical Distressing events such as the loss of a client, leading to psychological stress
psychosocial Working alone with patients and working alone without much professional connection to other colleagues and supervisors
safety Exposure to sharp objects (e.g., knives) when preparing client meals
general Damage to the skin is a possible consequence of frequent hand washing and skin conditions such as dermatitis may occur
safety Slip, trip or fall hazards
chemical Driving hazards leading to motor vehicle incidents during the commute to or between clients
psychosocial Fatigue and other health concerns due to a demanding workload, shift work or long hours of work
Some preventive measures include:
requirement Proper hand hygiene before and after all care is essential to reduce infections and viruses. Be sure to use hand moisturizers and other precautions to prevent your skin from drying out and developing dermatitis
requirement Implement and follow a safe patient handling program – Use safe body mechanics and assistive devices
administrative Institute a "no-lift" policy, where possible
requirement Review your employer's violence and harassment program. If such a program is not present, encourage the employer to develop one (required in many jurisdictions)
requirement Know emergency contact numbers and keep them immediately available
requirement Conduct a psychological health and safety assessment to identify the psychosocial hazards to help implement proactive control measures where possible
requirement Consider offering debriefing or counselling through an employee assistance program after a critical event to help reduce the psychological impact on staff members
administrative If work involves providing support for clients receiving oxygen therapy, staff should be given appropriate training on working with compressed gases
requirement If working alone, use a cellular phone or have another way to stay in regular contact with the workplace
requirement Follow a recommended shift work pattern and be aware of the hazards associated with it
administrative Practice safe driving by staying informed of road rules, exercising extra caution during the winter season, and following your organization’s established driving policies and procedures
ppe Always use the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) or other barriers for the task. In some cases, latex gloves will not be appropriate (e.g., cleaning with certain chemicals)
requirement Be aware that developing a latex allergy is possible
ppe Wear appropriate footwear (for walking and standing, as well as protection from slipping hazards and dropped objects)
A personal support worker should know:
requirement Good hygiene practices
ppe Proper selection, use, maintenance and storage of PPE, where appropriate
administrative Current WHMIS education, workplace chemicals specific training and how to use the information on safety data sheets (SDS)
requirement Manual material handling (lifting) techniques
requirement Information about shift work
requirement Information about fatigue
administrative Workplace violence and harassment, and how to report disrespectful, threatening, abusive, or violent behaviour
administrative Good housekeeping procedures
requirement What to do when working alone (general information) and working alone with patients
ppe How to select proper footwear and respiratory protection
requirement Fact sheet first published: 2026-05-05
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Chemicals
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