Handicare FGA-700 Low Base Bariatric Floor Lift

The Handicare FGA-700 Low Base Bariatric Floor Lift is a heavy-duty aluminum floor lift built by Handicare and listed in Canada by Savaria Patient Care. It is rated at 700 lb (318 kg), the boom and the base are both powered, and it carries support bars for gait and ambulation training as well as transfers. Westin Healthcare delivers and sets it up across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area.

This model adds the low base. Handicare drops the legs so they fit under a lower bed frame, and fits smaller dual-wheel castors to match, which is what improves transfer capability in a room where the standard base will not go under the bed. Handicare builds four FGA-700 model codes on one frame. What changes between them is the base height and the carry-bar attachment. This page is manufacturer code 280402. The overview of the range is on the Handicare FGA-700 page.

Who this lift is for

This is a bariatric lift for a long-term care floor, a hospital unit, a bariatric home programme, or any setting where a 700 lb (318 kg) transfer has to be routine rather than exceptional. Handicare's own framing is that the lift is lightweight and easy to manoeuvre for its class, and that the powered base can expand or contract to fit around commodes, shower chairs, recliners, and wheelchairs, or in under a bed. It is also a rehabilitation device: Handicare describes the FGA-700 as an excellent gait training apparatus to help bariatric patients improve their ability to stand and walk after illness or injury.

• Full-body transfers up to 700 lb (318 kg), between a bed, a chair, a wheelchair, and a commode
• Lower bed frames: Handicare builds the low base so the legs of the lift fit under the bed and improve transfer capability
• Picking a person up from the floor: Handicare states the lifting range allows a client to be lifted from the floor
• Gait and ambulation training on the support bars, which rotate out of the way when they are not needed
• Rooms where the base has to open around a commode or a shower chair and close again to get through a doorway
• Programmes that need lift-usage data: the control box logs usage for reporting and tracking

How it lifts

The boom raises and lowers from the hand control, and the same pendant opens and closes the powered base. The control box also carries emergency raise and emergency lower controls and an emergency stop that cuts all power until it is twisted to release. If the lift is overloaded an audible alarm sounds and lifting stops; Handicare's instruction is to stop pressing the handset rather than to keep trying.

There is a mechanical emergency lowering handle for a power failure. It turns clockwise to bring the boom down. Handicare is explicit that after a mechanical emergency lowering the lift has to be reset by a qualified technician before it is used again, so that call goes to our service department, not back into service on the floor.

The mast assembles in three different height mounting positions, two inches apart. Handicare recommends the middle hole; the lower hole buys extra height and the upper hole lowers the working range. On this code the lifting height runs 23.2-74.5 in (590-1890 mm), and at the lowest mast setting the range is 19.2-70.5 in. Maximum reach from the centre of the carry bar to the front of the mast is 27.2 in (691 mm), with reach height between 17.8 and 18.9 in.

The low base is the difference on this code. Handicare drops the top of the legs to 4.1 in (105 mm) and the bottom of the legs to 1.4 in (35 mm), against 6.1 in and 3.3 in on the standard base, and fits smaller dual-wheel castors, front 3.0 in (76 mm), rear 4.0 in (101 mm) with brake. Turning radius is 63.1 in (1605 mm). Bring us the height of the bed frame you need to clear and we will confirm which base fits the room.

Safe use, as Handicare words it

Handicare's owner's manual sets the boundaries, and they are worth reading before the first transfer. The FGA-700 is intended as a lifting aid for health-care professionals to transfer a client from one resting surface to another in the same room or area. It is not intended as a transportation device to move clients from room to room or through corridors, and with a client in the lift it should not be moved more than a few metres. Handicare also states that a thorough risk assessment must be completed to understand the abilities of the caregiver and the client, and that only trained operators should use the lift. Never expose it directly to water.

Handicare FGA-700 Low Base Bariatric Floor Lift specifications

These figures are for manufacturer code 280402. They come from the Savaria Patient Care FGA-700 card, the Handicare brochure HC-BRO-0053, the FGA-700 dimensions sheet, and Handicare owner's manual 753114 Rev E. The specification tab holds the stored values.

Handicare also prints the electrical and environmental detail: lift motor 24 VDC at 9.7 amps maximum; charger input 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz at 0.4 amps maximum with 24 VDC, 0.65 amp output; an integrated charger as standard with an optional wall-mount charger; a first charge of 4 to 5 hours before initial use; a service life of 8 years; total shipping weight in the box of 172 lb (78 kg); and normal operating conditions of +10 to +70 C, 30 to 75 per cent relative humidity, and 700 to 1060 hPa. The owner's manual states that the document conforms to EN ISO 10535 requirements.

What is in the carton

Handicare's component list for a new FGA-700 system: the lift itself, the hand control, the integrated floor-lift charger, the charger cord, the owner's manual, a multi-function wrench, and 3 mm, 4 mm, and 5 mm hex keys. The four-point QRS locking carry bar is supplied with the lift and attaches during assembly. A sling is not on the component list, so it is quoted separately and sized to the person.

The rest of the FGA-700 range

Four model codes on Handicare's models table, each its own product page here, so the code you buy is the code that ships:

• 280400: FGA-700 - Bariatric Aluminum 700 lbs. Ask us to quote it.
• 280401: FGA-700 - Bariatric Aluminum 700 lbs. w/Handicare QRS.
• 280402: FGA-700LB - Bariatric Aluminum 700 lbs. Low Base. This listing.
• 280403: FGA-700LB - Bariatric 700 lbs. Low Base w/Handicare QRS.

Low Base means the legs are built lower to fit under a lower bed. w/Handicare QRS is Handicare's quick-release carry-bar attachment; the owner's manual documents both a four-point QRS locking carry bar and a two-point QRS carry bar that mounts on the quick-release hook. Every code is 700 lb (318 kg). Call (905) 451-7743 and we will confirm the exact bar that ships on your unit before the order goes in.

Funding help for a patient lift in Ontario

Ontario's Assistive Devices Program (ADP) does not cover patient lifts or other lifting devices. Funding routes that can help when the eligibility criteria fit: ODSP, March of Dimes Canada, and hardship funding programs. Westin Healthcare's staff work with these programs every week and will point you to the right route for your situation. Visit our funding page or call (905) 451-7743 to talk it through before you buy.

Delivery and setup in Brampton and the GTA

Westin's own team delivers and sets up this lift across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area. We bring it in, assemble it, and show you the hand control before we leave.

You are welcome to visit our Brampton showroom, or Mobility Specialties, our partner store in Etobicoke, if you would rather see a lift first. For a scheduled in-home setup, call (905) 451-7743 and we will book the next date that works. Same-day delivery is offered through our patient lift rental service; purchased lifts are delivered and set up on a scheduled date.

Floor patient lifts are oversized. The Canada-wide free ground-shipping offer on smaller goods does not apply. If the lift is going outside the GTA, ask us for a freight quote. Inside Toronto and the GTA, White-Glove Delivery (bring-in, unwrap, test, take packaging away) is described on the shipping policy. Any charge is confirmed on your order.

Can I rent a patient lift before I buy?

Yes. If you only need a lift for a recovery, or you want to live with a floor lift before you buy, rent first. See current packages and rates on the rentals hub and the patient lift rentals page. Westin rents electric floor lifts across Brampton and the GTA.

Rental packages include an electric floor lift and a sling. For rentals we offer same-day delivery in Brampton, Etobicoke, Toronto, and Mississauga, and next-day delivery for other areas, with one day of notice.

If you later decide to buy, ask us about the Rental to Purchase First Month Credit program (an active Westin loyalty program). The rentals hub and rental program FAQs have the program rules.

Slings and the carry bar

The FGA-700 uses a four-point double carry bar with a quick-release attachment and spring-loaded clips that secure the sling straps, and the bar turns through 360 degrees so the caregiver keeps control of the position of the person during the lift. The transfer step in the owner's manual is to attach the straps of the sling to the hooks of the carry bar and check they are securely placed before lifting.

Handicare states that the FGA-700 is designed to be used in conjunction with Handicare accessories and slings. It does not publish a cross-brand sling list, so neither do we. The rule that matters on a bariatric lift is that the assembled system is limited by the lowest rating on it: a 700 lb (318 kg) lift with a lighter sling gives you a lighter transfer. Check the sling label, and if the number on it is below the transfer weight, that sling is not the one.

Loop slings we carry that are rated well above this lift include the Savaria Deluxe Bariatric Sling and the Savaria Bariatric In-Situ Hammock. Shop the wider range in universal slings, full-body slings, toileting slings, and divided-leg slings, and call (905) 451-7743 so our staff can match the sling style, the size, and the rating to the bar on your unit before you order.

Sit-to-stand thorax slings belong on a sit-to-stand lift such as the Handicare MiniLift, not on this bar.

Related patient lifts from Westin

If 700 lb (318 kg) is more capacity than the room needs, the Handicare Eva floor lift is the aluminum non-folding family at 450 lb and 600 lb, and the Handicare Carina 350 is the foldable steel lift at 350 lb. The SPAN F400 folds at 400 lb with a six-point bar, and Beka's CARLO is the aluminum hospital floor lift. They are all on the patient lifts hub.

If a ceiling track suits the room better than a floor lift, the Handicare C625 and the Savaria M-Series are the places to start, and the Handicare C450 covers lighter fixed installs.

Service, repairs, and warranty

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

Handicare manufacturer warranty

Handicare guarantees equipment supplied as new, including floor lifts, against failure from defects in material or workmanship for 1 year from the date of installation or 18 months from the date of manufacture, whichever is shorter. The guarantee does not cover normal wear and tear, damage by natural forces, neglect or misuse, or batteries more than 90 days after the original purchase, and it is void if the equipment is not serviced by Handicare or an authorized agent. Refurbished equipment carries three months from installation or six months from purchase, whichever is shorter. Water exposure is not covered. We register the install and handle the claim with you.

Frequently asked questions

Which FGA-700 model is this exactly?

It is manufacturer code 280402, which Handicare's models table calls "FGA-700LB - Bariatric Aluminum 700 lbs. Low Base". It is the low base build.

Does ADP cover a patient lift in Ontario?

No. Ontario's Assistive Devices Program does not cover patient lifts or other lifting devices. Other routes can help when the criteria fit. Call (905) 451-7743 and our staff will point you at the right one before you buy.

What is the safe working load?

700 lb (318 kg). The assembled system is limited by the lowest rating on it, so the sling has to carry the transfer weight as well. Handicare also notes that the maximum load of an installed lift is confirmed on the product label on the side of the machine.

What does w/Handicare QRS mean?

QRS is Handicare's quick-release system for the carry bar. Handicare lists the QRS builds as their own model codes, and the owner's manual documents attaching and detaching both a four-point QRS locking carry bar and a two-point QRS carry bar on the quick-release hook. Because the four-point QRS locking bar is also drawn on the plain builds, call (905) 451-7743 and we will confirm exactly which bar ships on your unit before the order goes in.

What is the difference between the standard base and the low base?

The low base drops the legs so they fit under a lower bed and improve transfer capability, and it uses smaller dual-wheel castors to match. Standard base: legs 6.1 in at the top and 3.3 in at the bottom, castors 4.0 in front and 5.0 in rear. Low base: 4.1 in and 1.4 in, castors 3.0 in front and 4.0 in rear. This unit is the low base build.

Can it lift someone off the floor?

Yes. Handicare states on both the Savaria card and the brochure that the lifting range enables the caregiver to lift a patient from the floor.

Can it be used for gait training?

Yes. Handicare describes the FGA-700 as an excellent gait training apparatus for bariatric patients and equips it with support bars for gait and ambulation training that rotate out of the way when they are not needed. Have a clinician set the programme.

Can one caregiver operate it?

Handicare does not print a single-caregiver claim for this lift, so we do not make one. What Handicare does print is that a thorough risk assessment must be completed to understand the abilities of the caregiver and the client, and that only trained operators should use it.

Can I push it down a corridor with someone in it?

No. Handicare states plainly that this mobile lift is not intended as a transportation device to move clients from room to room or through corridors, and that with a client in the lift it should not be moved more than a few metres.

What sling fits it?

Handicare slings on the four-point double carry bar, with the straps on the hooks and the spring-loaded clips closed. Handicare does not publish a cross-brand list. Match the sling rating to the transfer weight and call us to confirm the style and size.

Does a sling come with the lift?

No. The component list covers the lift, hand control, integrated charger, charger cord, manual, multi-function wrench, and hex keys, plus the four-point QRS locking carry bar supplied with the lift. A sling is quoted separately so it can be sized to the person.

How many lifts does a charge give?

Handicare rates it at 30 lifts at 700 lb or 60 lifts at 350 lb, on a duty cycle of 10 per cent use and 90 per cent rest. First charge is 4 to 5 hours before initial use.

What is the warranty?

1 year from installation or 18 months from manufacture, whichever is shorter, on new equipment. Batteries are covered for 90 days from the original purchase. Unauthorized service voids it.

Is this a Savaria lift or a Handicare lift?

Both names are correct. Handicare designed and builds it, and Savaria Patient Care is the brand that lists and supports it in Canada. Older dealer paperwork may still say Prism Medical, which is the legacy name on the QRS carry bar.

Can I rent a lift first?

Westin rents electric floor lifts across Brampton and the GTA, with a sling in the package. Call (905) 451-7743 and ask what the rental fleet carries at this rating before you plan around it.