Handicare StretcherBar, 10 Point

The Handicare StretcherBar, 10 Point is Handicare's SystemRoMedic sling bar for horizontal lifting, manufacturer code 70200006, rated 300 kg (660 lb). It carries ten suspension points, five on each side of the user, and it is used with a stretcher sling to lift someone lying flat rather than seated. Westin Healthcare ships it across Canada and our technicians can fit it on a service visit across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area.

This is a horizontal lifting bar, not a seated one. A two-point SlingBar picks a person up in a seated posture. The StretcherBar keeps them supine, which is what you need when sitting is contraindicated, when someone has to be moved between two flat surfaces, or when the transfer is part of care that has to happen lying down.

What it does

Handicare's description is plain: StretcherBar is a sling bar used together with StretcherSling for horizontal lifting with stationary or mobile lifts. The bar features ten suspension points, five on each side of the user, which provide uniform support under the entire body.

Ten points is the design decision worth understanding. A four-point bar puts the whole load into four places on the sling, which is fine for a seated transfer where the body is folded and supported by its own geometry. Lying flat, a body has no such geometry: it needs support along its whole length or it sags in the middle. Five hooks per side spread the load down the sling so the person stays flat and supported rather than hammocked.

The bar adjusts to the person as well as the sling. Handicare states that the width of the sling is easily adjusted by pulling out or pushing in the suspension hooks, so a narrow person and a broad person can be carried on the same bar and the same sling without the sling bunching or pulling.

• Bed to trolley and back, without sitting the person up
• Users for whom a seated posture is contraindicated, where a hammock sling is the wrong tool
• Care that has to be delivered lying down, where the lift holds the person clear of the surface

Which lifts and slings it works with

Lifts. Handicare states that the StretcherBar can be used together with all Handicare mobile lifts and stationary ceiling lift units. It is printed in the accessory list of the Eva series user manual and in the accessory table of the Carina350 product folder. The Handicare floor lifts we sell are the Eva600EE, the Eva450EE with low legs, the Carina350EE and the Carina350EM.

Slings. The bar Handicare pairs it with is the StretcherSling, article 46502007, which the Eva series user manual names alongside the StretcherBar for lifting in a supine position. We list the Savaria stretcher sling and the Medcare stretcher sling, and the range sits under specialty slings. A horizontal sling has to match the person's length as well as their weight, so ask our staff to confirm the model and size before you order.

Handicare's rule governs the whole assembly: different products on the same lift system, and Handicare names the lift unit, the sling bar, the sling, scales and other lifting accessories, may have different allowable safe working loads, and the lowest one always determines the safe working load of the assembled system. Check every part before use.

Handicare StretcherBar, 10 Point specifications

Handicare does not publish a length, a width, a weight or a material for the StretcherBar, so none is claimed here. What is published is the rating, the ten suspension points, the width adjustment, the sling it pairs with, the CE marking and the fitment, and that is what the table above carries. If you need a dimension for a storage plan or a facility record, ask us and we will request it from the manufacturer.

Fitting and swapping

The StretcherBar hangs from the link on the lift arm in place of the usual sling bar, so a lift set up for seated transfers becomes a horizontal lift and back again. If one lift has to do both jobs on a shift, ask us about SwiftHook (70200008), Handicare's quick coupling listed for SlingBar S, M and L and for the StretcherBar, which Handicare says makes changing sling bars or connecting a scale very easy.

Our technicians can fit it on a service visit across Brampton and the GTA, set the hook spacing with your team, and check the lift and the sling while they are there. Book through service and repairs or call (905) 451-7743.

Related sling bars and parts

For seated transfers the bar is the SlingBar, in S at 35 cm, M at 45 cm and L at 60 cm, all rated 300 kg (660 lb). To open a seated sling out further there are the SlingBarSpreader M side bars. If the floor weighs residents on the lift, the Charder MHS2500 lift scale hangs in the load path.

Other spare parts and lift hardware sit on the lift parts shelf, and every lift we stock is on the patient lifts hub.

Delivery in Brampton and the GTA

Westin Healthcare ships this sling bar across Canada and delivers it across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area. Shipping terms are on the shipping policy, and any charge is confirmed on your order.

If our technicians already service your equipment, ask us to bring it on the next visit and fit it while we are there. Call (905) 451-7743 or book through service and repairs. You are also welcome to pick it up at our Brampton showroom.

Service, repairs, and warranty

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

Handicare inspection and warranty position

Handicare asks for regular checks of the condition and function of its lifting accessories, with the product discarded if there are signs of wear, and for a periodic inspection at the timestamps the manufacturer states. On the lift itself Handicare requires a thorough inspection at least once per year, performed by authorized personnel and in accordance with the Handicare service manual, with repairs and maintenance done only by authorized personnel using original spare parts.

No year count is printed for the StretcherBar. Ask us for the terms that ship with your order and we will handle a claim with you.

Clean with warm water or rubbing alcohol when necessary, and avoid cleaning agents containing phenol or chlorine, which Handicare warns can damage the material.

Frequently asked questions

What is a StretcherBar for?

Lifting someone lying down. Handicare describes it as a sling bar used together with StretcherSling for horizontal lifting with stationary or mobile lifts. Where a two-point SlingBar picks a person up seated, the StretcherBar keeps them flat, which is what you need when sitting is contraindicated or simply not possible.

Why ten suspension points?

To spread the load. Handicare states that the StretcherBar features ten suspension points, five on each side of the user, which provide uniform support under the entire body. A four-point bar concentrates the load in four places; ten spread it along the whole length of the sling.

Can I adjust it to the person?

Yes. Handicare states that the width of the sling is easily adjusted by pulling out or pushing in the suspension hooks. That lets you set the sling to a narrow or a broad person without changing slings.

What sling does it take?

The StretcherSling, Handicare's article 46502007, which the Eva series user manual names alongside the StretcherBar for lifting in a supine position. We also list stretcher slings from Savaria and Medcare. Ask our staff to confirm the sling and size before you order, because a horizontal sling has to match the person's length, not just their weight.

Which lifts does it fit?

Handicare states that the StretcherBar can be used together with all Handicare mobile lifts and stationary ceiling lift units. It is printed in the accessory tables of the Eva series user manual and the Carina350 product folder, which are the Handicare floor lifts we stock.

Does it change what the lift can carry?

The bar itself is rated 300 kg (660 lb). What governs the transfer is the lowest rating in the assembly: Handicare states that different products on the same lift system may have different allowable safe working loads and that the lowest one determines the rating of the whole system. Check the lift, the bar and the sling every time.

How many people does a horizontal transfer need?

That is a clinical decision for your facility, not a specification. What the manufacturer does say is that the user must not be left unattended during a transfer, and that the manuals for every assistive device used in the transfer should be read first. Talk to us and we will go through the setup with your team.

Can I swap between a StretcherBar and a SlingBar quickly?

Handicare makes a quick coupling for exactly that. SwiftHook (70200008) is listed for SlingBar S, M and L and for the StretcherBar, and Handicare says it makes changing sling bars or connecting a scale very easy. Worth asking about if one lift has to do both jobs.

How do I clean it?

Follow the same rule Handicare gives for its sling bars: clean with warm water or rubbing alcohol when necessary, and avoid cleaning agents containing phenol or chlorine, which can damage the material.

How is it stored?

Off the lift and off the floor. It is a long bar with ten hooks and it is easy to damage a hook by standing it in a corner. Ask us about wall storage when we fit it.