A switching arrangement for a patient hoist - for example, a ceiling-mounted hoist for lifting and transporting patients with mobility impairments - includes a switching member which descends from the hoist such that it is reachable by an operator standing on the floor adjacent to the patient. The switch can be actuated by the operator to disable the hoist by moving the switch member with a first type of motion, e.g., by pulling the switch member along an axis. The hoist member can thereafter be re- enabled by the switch member only when the switch member is moved with a second type of motion different from the first type, e.g., by rotating the switch member along the axis. The use of different disabling and enabling motions helps to deter accidental re-enablement once the hoist is disabled, which is particularly useful where disablement is done for emergency purposes.