Equipment for moving and handling people potx

191
section 7
Contents
• Usingequipmentformovingandhandlingpeople
• Typesofequipment
• Examplesofmovingandhandlingequipment
– Slidesheets
– Transferbelts
– Transferboards
– Air‑assistedtransferdevices
– Electricprofilingbeds
– Mobilehoists
– Standinghoists
– Ceilinghoists
– Gantryhoists
– Fixedwallhoists
– Slings
– Stretchers
– Wheelchairs
– Standingandpivotingaids
(non‑electric)
– Showerandbathequipment
– Emergencyequipment
– Othertypesofequipment
andaids
• Referencesandresources.
Note:Allimagesandotherreferencestoequipmentshowninthissectionare
providedforillustrativepurposesonly.Theyarenot,andshouldnotbetakenas,
endorsementsofspecificequipmentorsuppliers.
Equipment for moving and handling people
192

7.1 Using equipment for moving and handling people
Thissectiondescribesthemaintypesandfunctionsofequipmentformovingand
handlingpeople.Section8oftheGuidelines,‘Equipmentmanagement’,covers
equipmentprocurementsystems,maintaininganequipmentregisterandequipment
storage,maintenanceandreplacement.
Equipmentisacorecomponentineffectivemovingandhandlingprogrammes,
togetherwithriskassessments,theuseofcorrecttechniques,stafftrainingand
appropriatefacilitydesign.Thesupplyofequipmentbyitselfwillnotleadtoreduced
ratesofinjuryunlessequipmentuseispartofacomprehensivemovingandhandling
programme.Successfulprogrammesprovidebothequipmentandtraininginhowto
usespecificitemsofequipmentforlifting,transferringandrepositioningclients.
Theproperuseofequipmentisessentialforthesafetyofbothclientsandcarersand
improvesthequalityofclientcare.Equipmentcanalsofacilitateclientrehabilitation,
decreasemorbidityandpreservethedignityofclients.Comparedwithtechniques
thatinvolvemanualtransfersofclientswithoutequipment,theuseofequipment
lessenstheforcesrequiredformovingandhandlingclientsandcanreducetherisks.
Movingandhandlingequipmentalsoimprovesclientoutcomes,suchasreducing
theirlengthofstayandtheriskofcomplicationssuchasdeepveinthrombosis,chest
infections,urinarytractinfections,pressureulcers,skintearsandfalls.
Having‘fit‑for‑purpose’equipmentisoneofthemostimportantaspectsofmoving
andhandlingprogrammes.Newmovingandhandlingequipmentisconstantly
beingdeveloped.Withtheincreasingcomplexityofequipmentandtechnological
developments,informationaboutspecificequipmentcanbecomeoutdated.
Managersresponsibleforpurchasingequipment,andpeopleprovidingtraining
inequipmentuse,needtokeepuptodatewithdevelopmentsinequipmentfor
movingandhandlingpeople.Theprimaryfocusofthissectionisondescriptionsof
equipmentandspecificfeatures.Specificproceduresforusingequipment,suchas
slidesheets,slingsandhoists,aredescribedinSection4Techniquesformovingand
handlingpeople.
193

Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
7.2 Types of equipment
Table7.1showsthemaintypesofequipmentusedformovingpeople,andexamples
ofcommonuses.Sometypesofequipmentareknownbyseveralnames,asshown.
Detaileddescriptionsofeachtypeofequipmentareprovidedlaterinthissection.
Forsomecategoriesofequipment,thereareseveralrelatedtypes,whichmayhave
differentnames.
Table 7.1 Common types of equipment
Type of equipment
(and alternative names) Description and common uses
Slide sheet
(slidingsheet,slipperysam)
Asheetmadeoflow‑frictionmaterialandusedunderaclient
toalloweasyrepositioninginbed,slingattachmentand
lateraltransfers
Transfer belt
(handlingbelt,gaitbelt,
walkingbelt)
Abeltplacedaroundaclient’swaistduringseveraltypesof
transferandforassistedwalkingforrehabilitation.Thereare
multipletypesofbelt
Transfer board
(PATslide,slideboard,
bananaboard)
Afull‑body‑lengthboardmadefromwoodorplastic,usedto
bridgegapsforclienttransfersfromonesurfacetoanother,
suchasfromastretcherorwheelchairtoabed.Smallertransfer
boardscanalsobeusedforlateral,seated‑to‑seatedtransfers
Air‑assisted transfer device
Thereareseveraltypes:inflatablemattressesforlateral

(bed‑to‑bed)transfersandair‑assistedliftingdevicesor‘jacks’
Electric profiling bed
(electricbed)
Anelectricallyoperatedbedthathasamattressplatformsplit
intotwo,threeorfoursections,whichallowsadjustmentusing
acontrolhandsetorpanel
Mobile hoist
(floorhoist,floorlift,mechanical
lift,portablehoist)
Ahoistwithwheelsthatcanbemovedalongthefloor–used
forliftingaclientinsideaslingoronastretcherdesignedforuse
withhoists
Standing hoist
(sittostandhoist,standinglift,
stand‑aidhoist)
Aspecifictypeofmobilehoistdesignedtoassistpeoplebetween
sittingandstandingpositions.Standinghoistsaredesignedto
fitunderandaroundchairs
Ceiling hoist
(overheadhoist,ceilinglift,
mechanicallift,gantryhoist)
Ahoistattachedtopermanentlymountedceilingtrackthat
movesaclientinsideasling.Gantryhoistshaveoverheadtracks
mountedonwheeledframes
Sling
Afabricsupportusedforcarryingaclientwhilebeingmoved
withahoist–therearemultipletypesofsling
Stretcher
Arigidframeusedtocarryaclientinalyingorsupineposition.
Oftenmadeoflightweightmaterialandcommonlyusedin

ambulancesandbyemergencyservices.Wheeledstretchersare
usedinhospitalsfortransportingclientsbetweenlocations,and
shouldbeelectric
Wheelchair
Amobilechairusedfortransportingaclientinasittingor
uprightposition.Bariatricwheelchairsmustbepoweredor
movedwithbedpushers
194
Themaintypesofequipmentthatarecommonlyusedcanbesummarisedwithinthe
fourmaingroupsofclientmovingandhandlingtasks.Thesegroupsoftasksare:
• Sitting,standingandwalking
• Bedmobility
• Lateraltransfers
• Hoisting.
Table7.2providesasummaryofthecommontypesofequipmentusedforthese
handlingtasks.Therecommendedtechniquesforeachoftasksinthetablebeloware
describedinSection5oftheGuidelines.
Table 7.2 Handling tasks for which equipment may be used
Type of task
Examples of specific
movements
Examples of equipment that could
beused
Sitting,standingand
walking
Sittingtostandingfrom
achair
Transferbelt,standinghoist,mobilehoist,
chair‑lifter
Standingtosittingonabed Transferbelt

Assistedwalking Transferbelt,walker,gutterframe,hoist
withwalkingharness
Bedmobility Turninginbed Slidesheets,electricbedwith
turningfunction
Slidingclientupinbed Slidesheets,electricbed
Sittingpersonupontoedge
ofbed
Slidesheets,electricbed,bedaccessories
Lateraltransfers Lateraltransferfrombed
tostretcher
Slidesheets,transferboard,airmattress,
standinghoist
Transferringfromchair
tocommode
Ceilinghoist,mobilehoist,seatedtransfer
board,standinghoist
Transferringtotoilet Ceilinghoist,mobilehoist
Hoisting Fittingaslingtoclientinbed Sling
Hoistingfrombedtochair Ceilinghoist,mobilehoist,standinghoist
Hoistingclientfromfloor Ceilinghoist,mobilehoist,airjack
Transferringtotoilet Ceilinghoist,mobilehoist,standinghoist
195
Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
7.3 Examples of moving and handling equipment
Thenextpartofthissectionprovidesexamplesofthemorecommonlyusedtypesof
equipmentforclienthandling.Furtherinformationaboutspecifictypesandfunctions
ofequipmentcanbeobtainedfromthewebsitesshownattheendofthissection,
andfromcompaniessupplyinghealthcareequipmentinNewZealandandAustralia.
Traininginproperuseisessentialforalltypesofequipment.
Slide sheets

Slidesheetsareoneofthemostcommonly
usedtypesofequipmentinhealthcare
services.Theyareusedtomoveclients
horizontallyonbeds,trolleysandchairs
withoutlifting.Slidesheetsarerelatively
lowcost,havemanyusesandarerelatively
simpletouse.Theyavoidtheneedtolift
clients,butdespitetheirsimplicitytheydo
requiretrainingintheirproperuse.
Itisimportantthattheuseofslidesheets
isconsistentwithcurrentbestpractice,
asdescribedinSection4Techniquesformovingandhandlingpeople.Trainingis
necessaryinthecorrectapplicationanduseofslidesheets.Incorrectusecancause
injurytobothcarersandclients.Slidesheetsaremadefromlightweightfabricand
havelow‑frictionsurfacesthatbecomeveryslipperywhenplacedtogether.They
comeindifferentconfigurations:thefabricmaybesewntogethertomakeadouble
sheet,ortheymaycomeassinglesheetsthatthecarerfoldsovertoformadouble
layer.Twosheetscanalsobeusedtogether.Theymayormaynothavehandlesfor
hangingup.Twosinglesheetsarepreferableastheyaremultidirectionalandallow
optimalmovement.
Thereareseveralhandlingtechniquesthatuseslidesheets(seeSection4Techniques
formovingandhandlingpeople).Usingthemunderneathapersonallowsan
independentorassistedslidingmovementonabed.Theycanbeusedformanytasks
involvinglateraltransfersandrepositioning,suchas:
• Movingaclientinbed
• Turningaclientontotheirsideinbed
• Transferringaclientfromabedtoabedwithatransferboard
• Foraclientwhohasfallenintoaconfinedspace;slidesheetscanbeusedto
movetheclientalongthefloortoalocationwhereahoistcanbeused
• Facilitatingindependentbedmobility.

Slidesheetscomeindifferentsizesandtheymaybepaddedorunpadded.Slide
sheetswithloopscanbestoredonhooksbesideclients’beds.
Slide sheets
figure 7.1
196
Points to note about slide sheets
• Alwaysconductariskassessmentpriortomovingaclient
• Mostslidesheettransfersrequiretwocarers
• Theriskassessmentshouldincludeskinintegrity,pressureareas,wounds,
attachmentsandsensitivities
• Assesspainmanagement
• Encouragemobilitywherepossible
• Whenmovinglargeclients,ensurethereisasufficientnumberofcorrectly
sizedslidesheetsandenoughstaffforthetransfer
• Infectioncontrolconsiderationsrequireslidesheetusewithoneclientonly
beforebeinglaundered
• Slidesheetsshouldbeaccessible
besidethebedoftheclientforwhom
theyarerequired–asuitablestorage
facilityisneeded,suchasahook,
containerorfabricholdingbag
• Whenaclientisdischargedormoved
toanotherlocation,orthesheets
becomesoiled,theslidesheets
shouldbesentforlaundering
• Bed‑to‑bedtransfersshouldalways
usebothslidesheetsandatransferboard
• Mosttypesofslidesheetaredesignedtobelaundered(seeSection8,
Table8.2).Theusualslidesheetlifespanisaround80washes,dependingon
thequality

• Slidesheetsmustbeinspectedfortearsandotherdamagebeforeuse.
Slidesheetscanbeusedmultipletimesonthesameclientandrequirelaundering
whensoiled,orbeforeusingwithadifferentclient.Organisationsneedtohavea
systemforlaunderingslidesheetsseparatelyfromregularlaundry,asahotwash
destroysthefabric,reducingthelifespanoftheslidesheet.Slidesheetcareshouldbe
outlinedintheorganisation’smovingandhandlingpolicy.Therearealsodisposable
slidesheetsforsingleclientuseonly,whicharediscardedwhennolongerneededfor
thatclient.
Transfer belts
Transferbeltsarefastenedaroundclients’waistsortrunksduringtransfersandfor
assistedwalking.Theyareprimarilyforclientswhoaremobile.Themainfunctionof
transferbeltsistoassistalmostindependentclientsinmobilising.Theycanalso
Store slide sheets beside bed
figure 7.2
197
Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
assistwithclientswhomightbedifficulttohold,eitherbecauseofsize,ordiscomfort
(malewalkingfemale)orbecausetheclientisuncomfortablewithbeingassisted.The
beltscanprovideanextralayerbetweencarersandclients.Beltsdesignedspecifically
toassistclientswhenwalkingaresometimesreferredtoas‘gaitbelts’.
Transferbeltsareusedtoassistthe
developmentofmobilityandrehabilitation
forclientswhoareminimallydependent,
haveweight‑bearingcapacityand
arecooperative.Typesofuseinclude
bed‑to‑chair,chair‑to‑chairandchair‑to‑car
transfers,repositioningclientsinchairs,and
supportingclientswhilewalking.
Therearemultipletypesofbelt.Mostbelts
aremadeoffabricorcushionedmaterial

andhavemultipleloopsorhandholds.
Thebeltsaresecuredaroundclients’waistsandadjusteduntiltheyarefirm,not
tight.Transferbeltsshouldonlybewornbyclients,neverbycarers.
Points to note about transfer belts
Therearesomerisksforcarersassociatedwithusingtransferbelts.Forthisreason,
somemovingandhandlingcoordinatorsrecommendthattransferbeltsnotbeused
forclienttransfers.Ifused,thecarershouldholdontothehandlesfromtheoutside,
andneverputtheirthumbsinsideorthroughtheloops(incasetheclientfallsand
thecarercannotdisengagetheirhands).Transferbeltsshouldneverbeusedto
liftclients.
Transfer boards
Therearemultipletypesoftransfer
boardandrelatedassistivedevices.
Full‑body‑lengthtransferboards
(sometimeslabelledasPATslidesor
TransglidesinNewZealand)areusedto
bridgegapsforclientswhoarelyingdown
whenslidingbetweentwoadjacentsurfaces
atsimilarlevels,suchasfromabedtoa
stretcher.Theyareusuallymadeofplastic
andshouldbeusedinconjunctionwithslide
sheets.Smallertransferboardscanbeused
forseat‑to‑seattransfers,suchasbetweenacarseatandawheelchair.
Inthepast,rollerboardshavebeenusedaslying‑to‑lyingtransferdevices.These
boardshavealoosevinylcoveringthatisdifficulttocleanandpotentiallyaninfection
Transfer belt
figure 7.3
Full‑length transfer board
figure 7.4
198

controlrisk.Theseboardscreaterisksforcarerswhenreachingandrisksforclients
withskinshear.Itisrecommendedthatrollerboardsbereplacedwithfull‑length
transferboards.
Sitting‑to‑sitting transfers
Forsitting‑to‑sittinglateraltransfers,a
smallertransferboardorslideboardcanbe
usedtobridgegapsbetweenadjacentseats.
Theseboardscanbestraightorcurvedlike
aboomerang(anexampleistheyellow
‘bananaboard’).Smalltransferorslide
boardscanbeusedforlateraltransferssuch
asthosebetweena:
• Chairandwheelchair
• Bedandwheelchair
• Wheelchairandtoilet
• Wheelchairandcar.
Curvedtransferboardsmakeiteasiertotransferaroundfixedarmrests.Theboards
areusuallyprescribedbytherapists.Notethatclientsshouldhavesittingbalanceto
usetheseboardsandbothcarersandclientsrequiretrainingintheiruse.Iffeasible,
arrangetohavethesurfacetowhichtheclientisbeingtransferredslightlylowerthan
thesurfacefromwhichtheyarebeingtransferred.Thismakesiteasierfortheclient
tomove.
Air‑assisted transfer devices
Thereareanumberofair‑assistedtransfer
devicesavailable.Therearetwogeneral
types:inflatablemattressesforlateral
(e.g.bedtobed)transfersandair‑assisted
liftingdevices,or‘jacks’.Thesedevices
aregenerallyversatileandcosteffective,
especiallyforsmallfacilities.

Inflatable mattresses
Forlateraltransferswhilelyingdown:the
clientliesonthemattresswhiletheclient
andmattressaretransferredbetweentwoadjacentsurfaces,andair‑assistedlifting
devices.Alateraltransferairmattresscanbeusedasanalternativetoatransfer
boardandslidesheets.Themattressesareeffectiveforreducingfriction,andthusthe
loadoncarersduringlateraltransfers.
Sitting transfer board
figure 7.5
Air‑assisted mattress
figure 7.6
199
Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
Air jacks
Air‑assistedliftingdevices,or‘jacks’,canbeusedtoraiseclientsfromthefloorto
bedorstretcherlevelbypumpingairintoanairmattresswithmultiplelayers,which
expandverticallyasmoreairispumpedin.Thejackscanbeveryusefulforlifting
fallenclientsfromthefloor.Figure7.7showsanexampleofanairjackthatliftsclients
inasittingposition.Figure7.8showsa‘Hoverjack’thatliftsclientsinalyingposition
fromthefloortobedheight.Alltypesofair‑assisteddevicerequirecarerstosteady
theclient,andanairpump.
figure 7.7
Air‑assisted jack
figure 7.8
Air‑assisted ‘Hoverjack’
Electric profiling beds
Anelectricprofilingbedhasamattress
platformcomprisingtwo,threeorfour
separatesections,eachofwhichcan
beadjustedusingacontrolhandsetor

panel.Heightadjustmentallowsthebed
toberaisedorloweredquicklyforclient
movementsandclinicalservices.
Someelectricbedshaveonemovable
sectioninwhichonlytheheadorbackrest
sectioncanberaised,allowingaclienttosit
upinbed.Withthesebeds,clientsaremore
likelytoslidedownthebedsandmayneedfrequenthelpfromcarers.
Example of an electric bed
figure 7.9
200
Figure 7.10
Electric bed showing profile positions
Thegeneralbenefitsofelectricbedsare:
• Promotionofclientmobilityandindependence
• Reducedworkloadforstaff
• Reductioninmanualhandlingrisksandinjuriestostaff
• Reducedincidenceofpressuresoresinclients.
Withelectricbeds,staffcanadjusttheheightmoreaccuratelytosuitindividualclient
andcarerneeds.Beingabletostandbackandobserveaclientwhileoperatingabed
allowsstafftoobservetheclientmovingintodifferentpositions.Improvedclient
comfortismorelikelyasadjustmentsofthebedsareusuallysmootherthanwithbeds
requiringahydraulicpumpingaction.
Allclinicalareasandclientsbenefitfromthebedheightadjustmentthatallowslow
bedheights.Electricbedsalsofacilitateclientsgettingoutofbedbyraisingthem
closertoastandingposition.Stafftimecanbesavedbythereducedneedformanual
handlingofclientsandtheremovalofhydraulicpumpingonnon‑electricbeds.
Points to note about electric beds
• Mattress compatibility:
Someelectricbedsmay

requirespecialsectioned
mattresses.Bedsrequiring
specialmattressesmay
meanreplacingbedsas
acombinedbedand
mattressprocurement
• Size:Electricbedscan
belarge.Bedswitha
longer‑than‑averagelength
mayleadtoreducedspace
inareassuchasmulti‑bed
units.Theycanbedifficult
Box 7.1
Compatibility of electric beds and
mobilehoists
A common problem I have come across is the
incompatibility of some cheaper electric beds
with mobile hoists. The beds do not allow
clear access underneath for the hoist legs to
go under. Staff have to push and pull resulting
in jerky movements for the resident. There was
an incident where electric bed wires under the
bed caused an accident when the hoist was
pulled over the wires and the patient fell out
of the sling. Manufacturers need to provide a
way of hooking up the wires out of the way.
Source: Manual handling trainer
201
Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
tomanoeuvreintightcornersandnarrowcorridorsandthroughdoorwaysand

hospitallifts
• Compatibility with other equipment:Mobilehoistsusuallyneed
positioningunderbeds.Canthesuppliedmobilehoistsfitunderthebedatits
lowestsetting?
• Weight and portability:Theportabilityofelectricbedsisaconsideration
forcommunityuseowingtotheneedtotransportthebedsandassemble
theminclients’homesandotherresidentialsettings.Inhospitals,bedsmay
needtobemovedfromwardtoward.Beingabletomoveandsteerbedsmay
beaconsideration.Theheavyweightofmanyelectricbedsmaybeanissue
whenbedsareusedtotransportclientsthroughcarpetedareasorupsloping
corridors.Amechanicalbedpushercanbeusedtoassistwithmobilityof
thebeds
• Installing new beds:Whenevernewequipmentispurchased,planforall
relevantcarerstobetrainedinitsuse.Bedsarebecomingmorecomplexand
allpracticablestepsshouldbetakentoensuretheirsafeuse.
Specific features
Electricbedscomeinmanyshapesandsizes.Theycanincludemanyfeaturesthatare
notapparentonabriefinspection.Somepotentiallyusefulfeaturesaredescribed
below.
1
Whenpurchasingelectricbeds,theassessmentandprocurementprocedures
needtotakeintoaccountthetypesofclientthatwillbeusingthebedsandthebed
featuresthatwillmostoftenbeusedbycarers.
• Minimum height:Somemodels
ofbedarequitehighwhenintheir
lowestpositionsforsmallclients.
Shortclientscanfinditdifficultto
placetheirfeetonthefloorwhen
transferringoffandontothebed
edge,reducingtheirindependence.

Asimilarproblemcanoccurwith
theuseofpressure‑reducingoverlay
mattresses,astheheightincrease
cancausetransferdifficultiesfor
someclients.Someelectricbedsare
designedtogodownclosetofloorlevel(sometimesreferredtoas‘floorline’
beds)andcanbeusedinfallsmanagement
• Number of sections:Bedswithfoursectionsaremostversatileforpositioning
clients.However,bedswithtwoorthreesectionsareavailable
1. SomeofthepointsinthissectionarefromthereportbyMHRA,2003.
Example of an electric bed that can
lower close to floor level
figure 7.11
202
• Bed‑to‑seat or bed‑to‑stand profiling:Somemodelsofelectricbedallowthe
profileofthebedtoconverttoaseatortoastandingpositionwhiletheclient
isinthebed.Thisavoidstheneedforcarerstofitslingsonclientswhoare
lyingdown,ormanuallyrepositioningclientsfromlyingtosittingandsittingto
standing
• Side rails:Railsatthesideofthe
bedthatcanberaisedorlowered
preventclientsrollingoutofbed.
Theminimumheighttowhichbeds
canbeloweredmaybecompromised
bytheuseofsiderails,particularly
drop‑downrailsandthosethatfold
underneaththebed.Siderailsneed
tobeadjustabletoallowtransfers
betweenbedandstretcher.Siderails
arearecognisedformofrestraint,

andifbeingusedforrestraintneedtobenotedintherestraintregister,
consistentwithorganisationpolicy.Splitrailsarepreferableandseenlessas
arestraint
• Turning function:Somebedshaveturningfunctionsthatallowclientstobe
turnedontheirsides.Dependingonthetypeofbed,turningcanbeactivated
bytheclientinbedorbyacarer,orthebedcanbeprogrammedtoturnatset
intervals.Cautionmustbeusedwithturningfunctionsasthereisthepotential
forlimbstobetrapped,particularlywithclientswhohavedecreasedsensation
orcommunicationdifficulties.Mechanicalturningdoesnotreplacetheother
functionsofcarer‑providedturningofaclient,suchascheckingbreathingand
skinandprovidinghumancontact
• Battery backup:Beingabletooperatebedsonbackupbatteriesmaybe
neededwhereclientsaremovedbetweenlocationsinbed,orwhereaccessto
electricalsocketsislimited
• Manual operation:Isthereprovisionformanualoperationincaseofbattery
orelectricalfailure?Themanualleversneedtobeidentifiedeasilybystaff
• Cleaning and infection control:Thecomponentareaoftheelectricbedframe
andanyattachmentsshouldbeaccessibleforcleaning.Easeofcleaningisbest
assessedwhentriallingabed
• Preventing client moving down the bed:Clientsoftenmovedowntheir
bedswhenmovedfromlyingtosittingpositions.Onelectricbeds,thismay
occurasthebedsareprofiledtoliftupclients’heads.Thiscanbeavoided
ifthebedsincludeafeaturecalled‘auto‑regression’ofthebackrestsinthe
bedspecification
Side rails on a bed
figure 7.12
203
Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
• Lockout facility:Afacilitytolocktheadjustmentstopreventbedsbeing
profiledortiltedmaybeimportantinclinicalareaswhereitisnecessaryto

preventkneeflexionorothermovementsinclientswhoneedtobenursedflat.
Thelock‑outfeaturemayalsobeusefulduringvisitingtimestoavoidmishaps
associatedwithvisitors
• Wheel locks:Locksonbedwheels
areusedtopreventbedsbeing
moved.Theseareimportant
forsometypesoftransfer,such
asbed‑to‑bedtransfersusing
transferboards
• Handsets:Twofeaturesofthe
controlhandsetstoassessare
therobustnessofthehandsets
andcontrolpanels,andtheirease
ofoperation
• Other features:Thereareanumberofotherspecialistoperationsand
functionsavailableonsomeelectricbeds.Theseincludeweighingscalesbuilt
intothebeds,motorisedbedsthatassistmovementalongcorridors,and
anti‑fallalarms.
Bed accessories
Therearemultipleaccessories,oradd‑ons,forbedsthatcanbeusefulforsometypes
ofclientandsetting,especiallyincommunitysettingswhereelectricbedsarenot
available.Theseinclude:
• Bed ladders:Smallladdersorstepsplacedatthesidesorendsofbedsthat
allowpartiallymobileclientstogetinandoutofbed
• Bed or hand blocks:Handblockshavewidebasesandhandholds.Theyare
usedinpairsbyclientswhoaresittinginbed
• Bed levers:Abedleverisagrabrailthataclientcanusetohelpthemsitup
orturnoverinbed.Therearevarioustypesandtheycanbefixedtothewall,
bedorfloor.Somemayobstructpartofthebedside,makingitdifficultforthe
clienttogetinandoutofbed,whileothersareadjustableandcanbemoved

awayfromthebed.Bed‑fixedleversmustbesecurelypositionedandfittedto
besafeforuse.Somebed‑fixedlevershaveplatformsorrailsthatgounderthe
mattresses,sotheyaresecuredinpositionbytheclients’bodyweight
• Rope ladders:Aropeladderhelpstheclienttopullthemselvesupinbedfrom
alyingpositiontoasittingposition.Ithasplasticorwoodenrungslinked
togetherwithropetoformaladder.Theladderattachestothefootorbaseof
thebed.Ropeladdersareunstabletopulluponandoftenneedpracticeto
master.Clientsneedtohavestrongupperlimbsandabdominalmuscles.Itis
Wheel locks on a bed
figure 7.13
204
essentialthattheropeladderissecurelyfixedtothebedandtheclientcan
reachthefirstrungwhentheyarelyingonthebed.Ropeladderswithplastic
rungsmaybeslipperytohold
• Overhead poles:Overheador
liftingpoles(sometimescalled
‘monkeypoles’)areusedbyclients
tomoveinbed,suchasupand
downthebedandinandoutof
thebed.Theycanalsobeusedby
clientstoliftthemselvessothat
bedpanscanbeplacedunderthem.
Mostoverheadpolesusefloor‑or
bed‑mountedcantilevergantries,
withhandleshangingfromthem
onheight‑adjustablestraps.Thegantryframesmustbesecuredtostop
themtipping.Allpolesshouldhavesafeworkingloads(SWLs)clearlymarked
onthem
• Bed lifters:Theseareusedtoliftbedstosuitableworkingheightssothat
carersdonothavetostoop.Theyaresuitablefornon‑electricbeds,suchasin

homeswheretheyallowclientstocontinueusingtheirownbeds.Theydonot
provideprofilingactions,andtheyrequiresufficientspacetogetunder
thebeds
• Bed movers:Thesebattery‑operated
devices(seeFigure7.15)attachunder
thefootendsofbedsandallow
operatorstotransportbedsand
clientstootherlocations.Theyhave
controlsthatallowmanoeuvringin
confinedspacesandsteeringalong
corridors.Theirpositioningallows
theoperatorstoseetheclients
duringuse.Bedmoversreducestrain
onstaffwhoregularlymovebeds
duringtheirworkshifts.However,theyincreasetheoveralllengthofthebeds
andmaynotfitinlifts.Bedmoversrequireadditionalstorageanditmaybe
difficulttohavemoverskeptwhereneeded.
Overhead pole
figure 7.14
Bed mover
figure 7.15
205
Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
Hoists
Therearethreegeneralcategoriesofhoist:mobilefloorhoists,standinghoistsand
ceilinghoists(sometimescalledoverheadhoists).Insomecountrieshoistsarecalled
liftsormechanicallifts.Allhoistsuseslingstoholdclients,andsomehoistscan
liftclientsinspeciallydesignedstretchers.Allhoistsshouldbecompliantwiththe
StandardsNewZealandrequirementsinAS/NZS3551:2004Technicalmanagement
programsformedicaldevices.Thisstandardcoversprocurement,acceptanceprocess,

safetyandperformancetestinganddisposal.
Thetypesofslingusedwithhoistsaredescribedlaterinthissection.Allhoists,slings
andceilingtrackingshouldbeclearlylabelledwiththeirSWLs.
Allcarersusinghoistsshouldbetrainedinfittingslingsandintheproperuseofhoists
priortousingthem.Carersalsoneedtobefamiliarwiththespecificfunctionsof
particulartypesormodelsofhoist.Likeothermovingandhandlingequipment,hoist
designsandfeaturesarecontinuallyevolving.
Mobile hoists
Mobilehoists(sometimescalledmobilefloorhoists)areusedtotransferclients
whoarenotmobilebetweenlocations,suchasfromabedtoachairorabathroom.
Theycanalsoassistwithambulation,gaittrainingandotherspecialisedfunctions.
Theclientissupportedinahoistsling,whichshouldbesingle‑clientassignedfor
infectioncontrol.
Mobilehoistscanbeverycosteffective,astheycanbemovedtodifferentlocations
inafacility.Onehoistcanbeusedforavarietyoftasks.Normallytwocarersare
requiredwhenhoistingaclientwithamobilehoist.
2

2. ProceduresforusingmobilehoistsforspecificmovingandhandlingtasksaredescribedinSection4‘Techniquesformovingand
handlingpeople’.
206
Box 7.2
Parts of a mobile hoist
• Boom (goes up and down)
• Sling bar, spreader bar or yoke
• Legs (move in and out)
• Mast – upright part of hoist
• Handles – for manoeuvring thehoist
• Brakes – only to be used for storage. Do
not use brakes when hoist is in use as

the hoist needs to find its own centre of
gravity, otherwise it may tip over
• Emergency stop button (if hoist is not
working, check it is not pushed in)
• Emergency lower buttons (you may
need extra pressure to come down on
older hoists)
• Weight limit (SWL)
• Maintenance alert – do not use if out
ofdate.
figure 7.16
Example of a mobile hoist
Mobilehoistscomeinmultiple
designs.Allhavecentrallifting
frameswithboomsandslingbars
(alsoknownasspreaderbarsor
yokes)towhichtheslingsare
attachedusingthehooksorclips
onthebars.Thebasesorlegs
havewheelsthatallowthehoists
tomovealongthefloor.Some
havebasesthatcanexpandor
contractinwidthtofitaround
orundercommodes,shower
chairs,recliners,wheelchairs
andbeds.Somehoistsarefoldableorcollapsible.Somemobilehoistshavevertical
liftmovementsandsomehavearcmovements.Verticalliftmovementsgenerally
provideahigherliftandcanusuallybeusedforassistedwalkingwithwalkingslings.
Nearlyallmobilehoistsarebatterypowered,soaroutinebattery‑chargingsystem
isrequired.

Box 7.3
Using a mobile hoist without training
I was a nurse aide in this rest home. One day
the manager wheeled in a hoist and told me
to use it to lift the patient who was sitting
on a commode and left me to it. So I hoisted
a patient complete with commode and all.
I didn’t have any training on how to use
thehoist.
Source: Patient handling trainer
207
Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
Mobilehoistscanhavesomedisadvantages.Carersmayneedalotofstrengthto
movemobilehoists,inareaswithcarpet(especiallyifthehoistshavesmallwheels),
throughdoorwaysandinslopingcorridors.Thereneedstobeenoughspaceinthe
roomtouseamobilehoistandsometimesfurniturecanrestrictmovement.When
usingmobilehoistsoverbeds,somecannotlifthighenoughtoallowtheclientsto
clearthebeds,especiallybedswithpressure‑caremattresses.Somebedsmaynot
haveenoughspacebeneathtoallowthehoistbasetogetunderneath.
Points to note about mobile hoists
Whilemobilehoistscanbeversatile,usersshouldnotethefollowingspecificfeatures
andpotentiallimitations.
• Mobilehoistsneedadequatestoragespaceclosetolocationswheretheyare
used.Theyrequiremorestoragespacethanceilinghoists
• Mostmobilehoistsarepoweredbybatteriesthatneedregularcharging.They
needasystemforroutinechargingofbatteries.Ifbatteriesaredetachable,itis
desirabletohavetwobatteriesforeachhoistsothatonebatteryisalways
beingcharged
• Allmobilehoistsshouldhaveastickerorcertificatewithdatesforroutine
checkingandservicing.Ahoistshouldnotbeusediftheexpirydateonthe

stickerhaspassed
• Allhoistsshouldbelabelled
withaSWL.Aspartof
riskassessment,aclient’s
weightshouldbechecked
toensureitislessthan
theSWLofthehoist,prior
tolifting
• Wheelbrakesarefitted
onmostmodelsofmobile
hoist.Thebrakesshouldnot
beappliedwhilehoisting
aclient.Mobilehoistsare
designedtomovewhile
hoistingclientssothatthe
slingbarisoverthecentre
ofgravityoftheload
• Itcanbeunsafetousea
mobilehoistonaslopingfloororsurfacewherethereisariskthatthehoist
cantipover
• Notallmobilehoistscanliftclientssafelyfromthefloor.Todothis,thefeetor
baseofthemobilehoistmustbedesignedtoallowafloorlift.Ifthisfeatureis
needed,checkthatthemodelbeingconsideredcandothissafely
Box 7.4
Lifting equipment reduces assaults on
carers
Assaults by residents on caregivers in
a residential care facility reduced after
equipment to lift and transfer residents was
introduced and carers were trained how to use

the equipment. Residents felt caregivers could
be trusted to move them comfortably and
safely. Also, the physical separation between
the caregiver and the resident through use
of the lift, particularly patients with a known
history of violence, is likely to have reduced
assaults on caregivers when using lifts.
Source: Collins et al, 2004
208
• Liftingheight–notallmobilehoistscanliftclientshighenoughtoclearbeds,
especiallyifthebedshavepressuremattresses
• Somehoistsallowforinterchangeablespreaderbars;othersrequirethatonly
themanufacturers’spreaderbarscanbeused
• Somehoistsallowdifferenttypesofslingtobeused,whileothersrequirethat
onlythemanufacturer’sslingforeachmodelofhoistcanbeused.Ifseveral
modelsofmobilehoistareusedinafacility,theinterchangeablyofspreader
barsandslingsshouldbeconsidered.
Mobile hoist features and accessories
Thefollowingaccessoriesandfeaturesareavailableonsomehoists,orcanbe
purchasedasoptionalaccessories.
• Ahand‑heldcontrolpaneltooperate
thehoist–itneedstobeabletoclip
ontotheuprightframeofthehoist
• Awalkingslingallowsamobile
hoisttobeusedformobilityand
rehabilitation(seeFigure7.17)
• Scalestoweighclientsareavailable
onsomehoists.Whenfittedasan
additionalattachmentabovethe
slingbar,scalesmayreducethe

liftingheight
• Allelectrichoistsmusthaveemergencystopbuttonsandmanualrelease
mechanismstoallowclientsheldbythehoiststobeloweredwithout
batterypower
• Alow‑battery‑levelindicatororwarninglightisdesirable
• Thelengthoftheboomtowhichthespreaderbarisattachedneedstobe
consideredwhenhoistingatallorlargeclient.Alongerboomprovidesmore
legroombetweentheslingandtheuprightframe.However,withashorter
boomtheclientcansitwithbothkneesononesideoftheframe,which
reducestheriskoftheirkneesknockingagainsttheframe
• Gaittrainingbarsassistwith
mobility(Figure7.17)andareuseful
forturninghoists
• Stretcherattachments(Figure
7.18)enabletheimmobilisationof
potentialspinalcordinjuryclients
andareusefulinanytraumaor
suspectedinjuriesafterfalls.They
canalsoenabletheweighingof
theseclientsiftheyhaveweigh
scaleaccessories.
Example of a mobile hoist with
walking sling and gait training bars
figure 7.17
Example of a mobile hoist with a
stretcher attachment
figure 7.18
209
Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
Standing hoists

Amobilestandinghoist(alsocalledasitto
standhoistandstandinglifter)isaspecific
typeofmobilehoistusedtomoveaclient
fromoneseatedsurfacetoanother,suchas
fromachairtoatoilet.Thehoisthasa
platformorfootrestonwhichtheclient
stands.Theclientissupportedbyasling
fittedaroundtheirtrunk(aspecialsling
knownasa‘standaidsling’)andbyaleg
braceorkneeblockthathasstrappingto
holdtheclient’slegsinplace.Standing
hoistsaresuitableforclientswhoare
partiallyweightbearingandcansupport
mostoftheirownweightwhilestanding.
Standinghoistsareusefulastheyallow
moreaccesstoclients’clothingthansling
hoists.Forthisreason,theyareusefulfor
movingclientsfromoneseatedposition
toanotherandcanassistwithtoileting
partiallymobileclients.Theyalsohavea
therapeuticbenefitforclientsinproviding
anopportunitytoincreaseweight‑bearing
tolerance.Theyshouldonlybeusedfortransportingclientsforshortdistances,
suchaswithinaroomortoanadjacentbathroom,notforlongerdistancessuch
ascorridors.
Points to note about standing hoists
• Itmaybeeasiertouseastandinghoistratherthanamobileoroverheadhoist
fortoiletingaslongastheclienthassufficientweight‑bearingcapacity
• Extracareneedstobetakenwithclientswithspecificclinicalconditions,such
aslowmuscletone,osteoporosis,spinalmetastasisanddifficultystanding

withtheirfeetflat
• Standinghoistsshouldhaveadjustablelegstogounderandaroundchairs
andtoilets.
Example of standing hoist
figure 7.19
Example of standaid sling
figure 7.20
210
Ceiling hoists
Ceilinghoistsorceilingliftshavetracking
fastenedalongtheceilingandaregenerally
apermanentfeaturebuiltintoeithera
singleroomormultiplelocationsinaunit
orfacility.Someversionsofceilingtracking
aredesignedtoberelativelyportable;the
trackingcanberemovedwhennolonger
needed.Gantryhoistshavethetracking
mountedonamobileframeandcanprovide
ahoistforasingleroomwhere,forexample,
themainuseisfortransferstoandfrom
abed.
Ceilinghoistshavefourmajoradvantagesoverothertypesofhoist:
• Theyrequirelessforcetomove
• Becauseoftheirimmediateavailability,thereisahigherlikelihoodofuse
whenneeded
• Floorcoveringsandunevensurfacesdonotaffectuse
• Theyhaveminimalstoragespacerequirements.
However,therearesomedisadvantages:theuseofceilinghoistsislimitedtoareas
withtrackinginstalled;andhoistswithfixedceilingtrackingmayinitiallybemore
expensivetoinstallthanprovidinggantryhoistsormobilehoists.

Ceilingtrack(andgantryhoist)systemscanusuallyliftoveragreaterheightrange
fromceilingtofloorthanmobilehoists.Ceilingtrackandgantryhoistsystems
requirelessspacetooperatethanmobilehoistsandshouldbeconsideredifspace
isrestricted.
Thehoistmayhaveaportablehoistunitormotorthatcanbeliftedoffthetrack,ora
fixedhoistunitthatispermanentlyattachedtothetrack.Table7.3outlinessomeof
theadvantagesanddisadvantagesoffixedandportableceilinghoistunits.Electricity
torunthehoistunitcanbesuppliedthroughthetrack,orbyabatteryfittedintothe
hoistunit.Someunitsareonlymotorisedforliftingclientsinslingsandnotformoving
clientsalongthetrack.Theseunitsrequirecarerstopushclientsalongthetrack.
Otherunitshavemotorfunctionsforbothliftingclientsandmovingclientsalongthe
track,operatedbyaremotecontrol.
Example of a ceiling hoist with a
fixed unit
figure 7.21
211
Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
Table 7.3 Portable and fixed hoists for ceiling hoist systems
Portable hoist unit Fixed hoist unit
Chargingfacilityforhoistunitisusuallyoffthe
track;maybelessaccessible
Optionofwall‑mounteddockingunitor
on‑trackcharging
Manualhandlingrequiredtoattachunittotrack Nomanualhandlingofhoistunitrequired
Canbemovedtoothertrackswhenneededor
storedwhennotneeded
Canonlybeusedontrackwherefitted
Requiresadditionaltimeandefforttoattach
thehoisttotracking.Thisislikelytobea
disincentiveforstaffusingthehoist

Staffmorelikelytousethehoistifitis
permanentlyattachedtotracking
Ceiling track systems
Forceilinghoists,therearemultipletracksystemsavailable.Thetypeofceilingtrack
systemselectedwilldependonthetypesofuseintended.Forsinglerooms,straight
trackingmaybetheeasiesttoinstall.However,itsmajorlimitationisthatitonly
allowstheliftingandmovingofclientsinastraightline.Addingcurvedsectionsof
trackingallowsincreasedcoverage,especiallyinbathrooms(seeFigure7.22).
Figure 7.22
Examples of ceiling tracking into a toilet
Themostversatiletrackingsystemisaparalleltrackingpatterncalledthe‘XY’
system,whichprovidesfullroomcoverage.Withthissystemaclientcanbemoved
anywhereintheroom.TheXYsystemhastwostraightsectionsoftrackoneachside
oftheroom,paralleltoeachother,withanothertrackjoiningthetwo.Thejoining
trackcanslidealongthetwoparalleltracks.
Morecomplextracksystemsareavailableforhealthcarefacilitieswheretransfers
betweenrooms,suchasbedroomtotoilet,arerequired.Forexample,‘gates’(for
transitbetweentwoadjacenttracksystems)and‘turntables’(whichallowmovement
fromonetracktoanotherattrackjunctions)canalsobefittedtoincreasethe
versatilityofceilingtrackingsystems.Moreinformationabouttheinstallationof
ceilingtracksystemsisprovidedinSection9Facilitydesignandupgrading.
212
Points to note about ceiling hoists
• Ceilinghoistsareusuallypermanentfixtures,sothebuildingstructuremustbe
suitable.Somestructuralconsiderationscouldbewhetherceilingjoistsneed
tobereinforced,andwhetherdoorwaysneedtobealteredtoaccommodate
tracking
• Retrofittingispossibleformosttypesofstructureandceiling
• Ceilingtrackingcanbemostcosteffectivewhenincorporatedintoanew
buildingorinstalledduringplannedrenovations

• Allelectrichoistsmusthaveanemergencystopbuttonandmanualrelease
mechanismtoallowclientsonthehoiststobeloweredwithoutbatterypower/
electricitysupply
• Allceilinghoistunitsshouldhaveastickerorcertificatewithdatesforroutine
checkingandservicing.Hoistsshouldnotbeusedaftertheexpirydateson
thestickers
• AllhoistsandceilingtrackingshouldbelabelledwiththeSWL.Aspartofrisk
assessmentpriortolifting,aclient’sweightmustbecheckedtoensureitis
lessthantheSWLofthehoistandtrack.
Ceiling hoist features and accessories
Thefollowingaccessoriesandfeaturesareavailableonsomeceilinghoistsorcanbe
purchasedasoptionalaccessories:
• Scalestomeasureaclient’sweightareavailableonsomehoists
• Alow‑battery‑levelindicatororwarninglightisdesirable
• Awalkingslingallowsaceilinghoisttobeusedformobilityandrehabilitation.
Gantry hoists
Agantryhoistmaybeapreferredoption
wherefittingceilingtrackingistoo
expensiveorwherealarge‑capacityhoistis
onlyrequiredforalimitedtime.Thetransfer
rangeofgantryhoistsystemsislimitedby
thelengthofthetrack.Someversionsof
gantryhoistaresemi‑portableandcanbe
disassembledandtransportedbyvehicle.
Gantry hoist
figure 7.23
213
Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
Fixed wall hoists
Afixedwallhoistisapermanentfixturebesideaclient’sbedorinabathroom(itis

sometimescalledabathinghoist),andswingstoallowtheclienttobemovedfrom
wheelchairtobath.Itcanonlybeusedforshorttransfers,forinstancefromabedto
abedsidecommodechair.Thebracketsfortheswinginghoistframecanbefixedin
variouslocationsinahospitalorfacilitysothattheportablehoistcanbeattached
whenneeded.Fixedwallhoistscanbelocatedinsmallroomswherethereisnot
enoughroomtousemobilehoists.Theyalsoprovideanalternativeifthebuilding
structuredoesnotallowoverheadtrackstobeinstalled.
Fixedwallhoistscanbeusefulinnursingandresidentialhomeswherehoistuseis
variable.Bracketscanbeinstalledinmultipleroomsandthehoistsmovedaroundas
needed.However,fixedhoistsdohavesomedisadvantages.Theyareusuallymore
expensivethanmobilehoists.Asthebracketsarepermanentlymounted,positioning
mustbecarefullyplannedtosuittheroomlayoutandtransferneeds.Oncethehoist
bracketshavebeenfitted,theclient’sbedandothernearbyfurnitureusuallyneedto
stayinthesamelocationinordertousethehoist.
Slings
Slingsareusedtosupportclientsbeingmovedwithhoists.Theslingisattachedto
hooksorclipsonthehoistspreaderbaroryoketoprovidesupportfortheclientwhile
theyarebeingmoved.Thereareseveraltypesofslingavailablethataremadefrom
variousmaterials.Becomingfamiliarwiththemultipletypesofslingisanessential
partofusinghoists.Trainingprogrammestypicallyspendsometimeonteaching
thecorrectuseofslings.Accidentsthatoccurduringtheuseofhoistsofteninvolve
incorrectslinguse.Table7.4summarisessomeofthekeyfeaturesofslings.
Choosingtherightslingandfittingitcorrectlyimprovecomfort,dignityandsafety
fortheclient.Havingacomfortableandsecureexperiencecanhelptoovercomea
reluctancetouseahoist,whichsomeclientshave.Generally,themoremateriala
slinghasthegreaterthecomfortandsupportitprovides.
214
Table 7.4 Sling features and functions
Sling feature Sling type Functions
Fabricormaterial Synthetic Mostcommontypeofslingforgeneralpurposeuse

Mesh Usedforbathing
Sheepskinor
quiltlined
Forclientswithfragileskinorincreasedpainwhen
beinghoisted
Singleormultiple
clientuse
Disposable Forusewithoneclientonly.Usuallyhasa‘Donot
use’tagthatbecomesvisiblewhenwashed
Washable Canbeusedandlaunderedmultipletimes
Shapesand
functions
Dividedlegsling Mostcommontypeforgenerallifting
Hammocksling Usedforliftingclientswhorequireadditionalsupport
Toiletingor
accesssling
Designedfortoiletuseortoallowaccesstoclothing;
haslessfabricforsupport
Walkingsling Supportsaclientwhenwalking
Points to note about slings
• Compatibility of slings with hoists:Somehoistsaredesignedtobeusedwith
onlyaspecifictypeofsling.Otherhoistscanusemultipletypesofsling.This
pointshouldbecheckedinthehoistinstructionmanualorwiththesupplier.
Whenorderingnewslingsorhoistsitisimportanttoknowwhetherthenew
versionswillbecompatibleorinterchangeablewithanyexistingslingsor
hoists.Iftheyarenotcompatible,moreworkwillberequiredtomaintainand
servicedifferentslingandhoistsystems.Itispossibletousemultiplebrands
ofslingonsomehoists,butthisrequiresasuitablyqualifiedpersonto
documentcompatibility,preferablywithagreementfromthesuppliers.
• Reusable and disposable slings:

Mostfacilitieshavereusableslings
thatarewashedbeforeusewith
anotherclient.However,ifheavy
soilingislikelyorinfectionriskis
high,disposableslingsmaybe
preferred.Disposableslingsarefor
one‑clientuseonlyandshouldbe
disposedofwhensoiledornolonger
neededfortheclient.Theymustnot
bewashedorcleanedthenreused.
• Laundry services:Thereareseveralwaystolaunderslingsandeachfacility
needstohaveasysteminplace.Thesesystemsinclude:thefacilityownsthe
slingsandtheyarecleanedbyitsownlaundry;thefacilityownstheslings
anditslaundrycontractorcleansthemasanaddedservice;andthecontract
laundryserviceprovidestheslingsinagreement(e.g.types,numbers)withthe
Example of labels
figure 7.24
215
Section 7: equipment for moving and handling people
facilityandcleansthem.Notethatsomeexternallaunderingservicesprovide
specificbrandsofslingonly.
• Standard labelling:Eachslingshouldbelabelledwiththefollowingdetails:
– Thenameoftheslingoritsmodelnumber
– Thenamesortypesofhoistforwhichtheslingisdesigned
– Thesizeofthesling
– TheSWLofthesling
– Anyspecialwashing,dryingandsterilisationinstructions
– Themanufacturer’snameorlogo,orregisteredtradename.
• Checking slings:Allslingsshouldbecheckedbeforetheyareused:
– Checkallloopsatconnectionpointsforsignsoffrayingand

loosestitching
– Checkentireslingbodyforloosestitching,rips,holesandbleachstaining
– Checkforsignsoffabricweakening,suchasheatdamage,distortedfabric
andstaining
– Checkallbuckles
– Size,shapeandfittingofslings.
Standard slings
Fitting of sling so lower loops cross
between client’s legs
figure 7.25 figure 7.26
Slingsareavailableinmultiplesizestosuittheweightsandbodysizesofclients.
Slingsizescanrangefromverysmalltoextralarge.Theslingsizewillbeshownon
alabelattachedtothesling.Mostslingsarenowcolourcoded;thesizeindicatedby
eachcolourshouldbeshownonastickerattachedtothehoistthatwillbeusedwith
thesling.Notallmanufacturersusethesamecolourstoindicateslingsizes,sothis
shouldbenotedifusingslingswithdifferenthoists.Slingsizesmayvarybetween
manufacturers,socarersneedtomeasuretheslingforeachclienttoensurethe
correctsizeisused.Whenorderingslings,ensureeachslingislabelledwithitssize
andSWL,whichshouldbeinkilogramsforuseinNewZealand.Iftheslingistoo
large,thereisariskoftheclientslippingoutofthesling.Aslingthatistoosmallcan