Handicare FGA-700 Four Point Carry Bar

The Handicare FGA-700 Four Point Carry Bar is the spreader bar for Handicare's FGA-700 bariatric floor lift, manufacturer code 280226. It is a four-point double carry bar with a quick-release attachment, spring-loaded clips that secure the sling straps, and a full 360 degree turn. Westin Healthcare stocks lift parts in Brampton and ships them across the Greater Toronto Area.

This is the part that connects the sling to the lift, which makes it the one part on an FGA-700 that is always taking the whole load. It is a wear item and an inspection item, and it is worth replacing rather than nursing.

What Handicare says the bar does

Handicare's own brochure gives this bar a section of its own, and the reasoning in it is worth reading before you order a replacement:

To handle all its specialized capabilities, the Handicare FGA-700 comes equipped with a unique four-point double carry bar. Featuring a quick release attachment with spring loaded clips to secure sling straps, the carry bar also has a 360 degree turn capability to deliver the most caregiver control for patient lifting or positioning.

Three separate ideas are packed into that, and each one is a reason the FGA-700 does not take a generic bar.

• Four points, double bar. Four attachment points spread a bariatric load across four straps instead of two, and the double bar keeps the person's shoulders and hips supported independently rather than folding them together. That is what makes the FGA-700 usable for positioning work and for gait and ambulation training rather than only for a lift and a pivot.
• Quick release. The bar comes off the lift without tools. On a machine that also runs a two-point bar for different tasks, that is the difference between changing bars in a minute and taking the lift out of service.
• Spring-loaded clips. The clips close over the hooks once the straps are on. A strap cannot walk off a loaded hook, and a caregiver can see at a glance whether every clip is shut.

How it goes on and comes off

Handicare's owner's manual documents the sequence for this bar directly. Fitting it is a two-handed job and it takes under a minute:

1. Tilt the carry bar to almost 90 degrees and push the latch onto the swivel mount holder bolt on the lift arm.
2. Check that the swivel mount of the carry bar is correctly seated on the swivel mount holder bolt. Handicare illustrates the correct seating, because a bar that is hooked but not seated is the failure mode this step exists to prevent.
3. To remove it, push the latch down with a finger, hold it down, tilt the bar to roughly 90 degrees and lift it away.

The same detach procedure works on the legacy Prism QRS carry bar, which is what you will find on an older machine that has been in service since before the Handicare rebrand.

Using it safely

Handicare's transfer procedure for the FGA-700 puts the check in the caregiver's hands and does not soften it. Attach the straps of the sling to the hooks of the carry bar. The straps on each side of the sling generally go on the corresponding side of the bar. Double check that the straps are properly attached and that the person is properly positioned in the sling before lifting. And before every use, check that the carry bar has no cuts, dents or sharp edges that could damage a sling.

Two more rules from the same manual apply to any bar you fit:

• The FGA-700 is designed to be used with Handicare accessories and slings. Handicare publishes no cross-brand compatibility list, so this page makes no cross-brand claim.
• The maximum load of the installed lift is confirmed on the product label on the side of the machine, and the rating of the whole assembly is the lowest rating on it, counting the lift, the bar and the sling.

Handicare FGA-700 Four Point Carry Bar specifications

Handicare publishes no width, span, mass or independent safe working load for this carry bar code. The FGA-700 documentation describes the bar in words and drawings and rates the machine, not the bar, so no bar-level numbers are printed here. If you need a span figure to check a sling against, ask us and we will get it from Savaria in writing.

The other thing not to guess at: Handicare lists two of its four FGA-700 model codes as "w/Handicare QRS" builds, and its owner's manual documents both a four-point QRS locking carry bar and a two-point QRS carry bar on the quick-release hook, without ever saying what the QRS codes add over the plain ones. The four-point locking bar is drawn on the plain builds too. Call us with the code off your lift before ordering and we will confirm with Savaria which bar is on your machine rather than have you match a photograph.

Which lifts this bar fits

Handicare builds the FGA-700 in four order codes and the four-point bar is documented across the family. All four are rated 700 lb (318 kg).

It is not a universal bar. It does not fit an Eva, a Carina, a Carlo, a MiniLift or a Span America floor lift, all of which use their own suspension. If you are not sure which machine you are looking at, the model code is on the product label on the side of the lift, and a photograph of that label sent to us settles it in one call.

Related FGA-700 parts and machines

• The Handicare BAJ1 battery box, code 280449, which is the battery that slides onto the FGA-700 control box bracket.
• The FGA-700 itself in all four builds, listed above, if you are replacing a machine rather than a bar.
• Our lift parts shelf carries spreader bars, cradles, batteries, chargers and scales for the other lift families we support.

If the FGA-700 is not the right machine any more, the Span F600B bariatric full body lift is the other heavy-duty floor lift we stock, and everything sits on the patient lifts hub.

Slings are quoted separately and sized to the person. Handicare states that the FGA-700 is designed to be used with Handicare accessories and slings, so tell us the sling you are running when you order a bar and we will check the pair together rather than each on its own.

Delivery and setup in Brampton and the GTA

Small parts ship on our standard service. Westin's own team delivers across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area, and you are welcome to visit our Brampton showroom, or Mobility Specialties, our partner store in Etobicoke, if you would rather match the part to your lift in person.

Call (905) 451-7743 with the model and serial number off your lift and we will confirm the fit before the order goes out. Shipping terms are on the shipping policy page, and any charge is confirmed on your order.

Service, repairs, and warranty

When something on the lift needs work, you call the shop that set it up, not an overseas parts desk. Westin Healthcare has a service and repairs department, and our technicians come to the home or workplace.

Handicare warranty and the inspection schedule

The FGA-700 owner's manual carries Handicare's warranty in full and states that the document conforms to EN ISO 10535 requirements. It prints no separate warranty term for a carry bar bought as a spare, so ask us for the current terms that ship with your order and we will handle a claim with you.

Handicare's annual inspection schedule names this part directly: all bolts in connection with the carry bar must be inspected, greased and tightened, and all defective or worn components must be replaced. The same annual check includes a working load test of one lifting cycle at maximum load, in accordance with the periodic inspection requirements of ISO 10535. Handicare gives the FGA-700 a service life of 8 years. We can quote the annual inspection with the part, and our technicians fit and test the bar on site.

Frequently asked questions

What is a four-point double carry bar?

It is the spreader bar on the FGA-700. Four attachment points instead of two, on a double bar, so a bariatric load is spread across four straps and the shoulders and hips are supported independently. Handicare designed it that way so the lift can do positioning and gait work, not just a lift and a pivot.

Will it fit my lift?

It fits the Handicare FGA-700 family: codes 280400, 280401, 280402 and 280403, standard base and low base. It does not fit an Eva, a Carina, a Carlo, a MiniLift or a Span America floor lift. Read the code off the label on the side of your lift and call (905) 451-7743 if it is not clear.

What does QRS mean, and does it change which bar I need?

QRS is Handicare's quick-release system for the carry bar. Handicare lists the QRS builds as their own model codes but never says what they add, and the four-point QRS locking bar is drawn on the plain builds as well. Because of that, call us with your lift code before ordering and we will confirm with Savaria which bar is actually on your machine.

How do I fit it?

Tilt the bar to almost 90 degrees, push the latch onto the swivel mount holder bolt, and check that the swivel mount is correctly seated. To remove it, push the latch down with a finger, keep it down, tilt the bar and lift it off. No tools. Our technicians will do the first fit and function-test the lift if you would rather not.

Does the bar have its own weight rating?

Handicare publishes none for this code. The lift is rated 700 lb (318 kg) and the maximum load of your installed lift is confirmed on the product label on the side of the machine. The rating of the whole assembly is always the lowest rating on it, counting the lift, the bar and the sling.

Does a sling come with it?

No. Slings are quoted separately so they can be sized to the person and matched to the task. Tell us which sling you run and we will check it against the bar.

When should a carry bar be replaced rather than serviced?

Handicare's own answer is in the pre-use check: a carry bar with cuts, dents or sharp edges must not be used, because those are what cut a sling. The annual inspection adds that all defective or worn components must be replaced. A bar is a load-bearing part with no user-serviceable interior, so when it fails an inspection it gets replaced.

Can I use a two-point bar on the same lift?

Handicare's owner's manual documents a two-point QRS carry bar that mounts on the quick-release hook, alongside this four-point locking bar. Both are covered in the manual. Which one suits depends on the transfer and the sling, and it is worth a conversation rather than a swap. Call (905) 451-7743.

Is this the same as a Prism carry bar?

Not the same part, but the same machine. Handicare acquired Prism Medical, and paperwork from before the change still says Prism Medical FGA-700. Handicare's current manual documents detaching a legacy Prism QRS carry bar from the same lift, so an older machine can carry a bar with the older name on it. If yours does, send us a photograph and we will confirm the replacement.