SYSTEMROMEDIC ROLLERSLIDE TRANSFER BOARD

The SystemRoMedic RollerSlide is a padded roller board for supine lateral transfers: moving a person who is lying on their back from one surface to another without lifting them. A sliding cover made from ULF (Ultra Low Friction) travels around the board as the transfer happens, so the person moves across the gap while the board stays put under them. Westin Healthcare supplies, delivers and supports it across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area.

It is used between a bed and an x-ray or operating table, a shower trolley, an ambulance stretcher or a similar surface. Two caregivers work on either side of the person, pushing and pulling from a walking stance, and the board bridges the gap between the two surfaces so nobody takes the person's weight.

What a RollerSlide is for, and what it is not for

This is a transfer aid for a person who is lying down and not participating in the move. In the SystemRoMedic range that is the Transfer category: devices for manual transfers of a person between two locations.

It is not a support belt and it has no role in helping somebody stand or walk. If the person you are moving is on their feet, or is being brought from sitting to standing, you want a support belt around their waist instead, not a board. Our SystemRoMedic FlexiBelt is that product. Using a slide board where a walking belt belongs, or a walking belt where a lateral transfer belongs, is how caregivers and patients get hurt, so it is worth being blunt about the line between them.

• Bed to stretcher, bed to x-ray or operating table, bed to shower trolley
• A person who is passive, sedated, injured or very sensitive to pain
• Rooms where the two surfaces sit at slightly different heights
• Teams who want the move done by sliding rather than by lifting

If the person can take weight through their legs and only needs steadying, look at a support belt. If they cannot be slid at all, look at our patient lifts and slings. If the job is repositioning somebody within the same bed rather than moving them off it, the SystemRoMedic EasyGlide, the OneWaySlide and the ErgoSafe ErgoSlide are the aids built for that.

Choosing between the two models on this page

Both models on this page are the long 175 x 50 cm (68.9 x 19.7 in) board. They differ in three ways that all matter, and you pick from the picker above.

• RollerSlide Light, article 9120. The lighter board at 2.0 kg (4.41 lb). Direct Healthcare Group states that RollerSlide Light can be left under the user during x-raying, so it does not have to come out between the transfer and the exposure. Rated 120 to 150 kg (265 to 331 lb) depending on the gap.
• RollerSlide Flexi, article 9148. The higher-rated board at 3.9 kg (8.6 lb). Direct Healthcare Group states that RollerSlide must always be removed before x-raying. Rated 150 to 200 kg (331 to 441 lb) depending on the gap.

In short: choose the Light when the board has to stay under the person for imaging or when a lighter board is easier for the team to handle, and choose the Flexi when you need the higher load rating. Both take the same covers, so a department running both stocks one set of spares.

Safe working load and the gap between surfaces

The load rating of a RollerSlide is not a single number. It falls as the gap between the two surfaces widens, because a wider gap puts more of the person's weight on an unsupported span of board. Direct Healthcare Group publishes the rating against the gap, and these are the figures for the exact article numbers on this page.

There is also a hard limit that applies whatever the person weighs: the distance between the underlying surfaces must not exceed 20 cm (7.9 in). Measure the gap you actually work with before you choose a model, because the gap is what decides which rating applies to you. If you are not sure, call us with the two surface heights and the gap and we will confirm the right article number with you.

How it is used

Lean the person to one side and guide the RollerSlide in under one third of the body. Bring them back down onto it. Caregivers stand on either side and push and pull from a walking stance while the cover rolls around the board and carries the person across. To remove it, lean the person to one side again and pull the board out. It can also be used where there is a minor difference in height between the two surfaces. Do not leave the person unattended during a transfer.

Always read the manufacturer instructions for use before the first transfer, and read the instructions for every other aid involved in the same move. We will send you the current manual with your order.

SystemRoMedic RollerSlide specifications

Every figure below is confirmed for the article numbers on this page and for no other RollerSlide. The manufacturer range includes wider and shorter boards with different ratings; do not read those onto this page.

Covers and compatible accessories

The sliding cover is the working surface and it is replaceable, so a worn cover does not mean a new board. Both article numbers on this page take the same spares.

• 9136 replacement sliding cover, the reusable ULF cover, fits 9120 and 9148.
• 9138 disposable cover, long model, fits 9120 and 9148, supplied two rolls of fifty. Useful where infection control would rather not send covers to the laundry between people.
• 1085 WallRack, wall storage for sliding mats and disposable covers, shared with the EasySlide range.

Ask us for any of these on the same order and we will confirm current availability.

Cleaning and laundering

The board and the cover are cleaned differently, and that catches people out.

• The board is cleaned with disinfectant. It is not laundered.
• The sliding cover can be machine laundered. Do not use fabric softener. Hang dry, or tumble dry on low heat, for maximum material life.

Direct Healthcare Group publishes one care standard across its SystemRoMedic textile manual aids: wash in 60 to 80 C (140 to 176 F) water and tumble dry at low temperature, where low means 45 to 50 C (104 to 120 F). Where disinfection is called for, the same guidance names 70 per cent ethanol or 45 per cent isopropanol. Always read the label on your own product before the first wash, and always inspect the cover after laundering for damaged seams or worn and faded fabric. If there are signs of wear, the product must be discarded.

Delivery in Brampton and the GTA

Westin Healthcare's own team delivers across Brampton and the Greater Toronto Area. This board ships flat and needs no assembly, so we can hand it over ready to use and walk your team through the technique on the spot if that helps.

We have three stores in the Brampton and Toronto area if you would rather handle one before you order. Call (905) 451-7743 or use our contact page. Outside the GTA, ask us for a shipping quote; the terms are set out on our shipping policy page.

Service, support, and warranty

Westin Healthcare has a service and repairs department and our technicians work across the GTA. For this product the practical support is spares and replacement covers rather than repairs, and we keep the relationship for both.

Manufacturer warranty

Ask us for the current Direct Healthcare Group terms that ship with your order. Unauthorized changes and non-approved covers can affect a claim. We handle the claim with you.

Frequently asked questions

What is a RollerSlide used for?

Supine lateral transfers: moving a person who is lying on their back from one surface to another, for example a bed to an x-ray or operating table, a shower trolley or an ambulance stretcher. The board bridges the gap and moves with the person so the team slides rather than lifts.

How much weight can a RollerSlide take?

It depends on the model and on the gap between the two surfaces. The Light, article 9120, is rated 150 kg (331 lb) at a 10 cm gap and 120 kg (265 lb) at a 20 cm gap. The Flexi, article 9148, is rated 200 kg (441 lb) at a 10 cm gap and 150 kg (331 lb) at a 20 cm gap. Measure your gap and read the rating for that gap.

How big a gap can it bridge?

The distance between the underlying surfaces must not exceed 20 cm (7.9 in). That limit applies regardless of how much the person weighs.

Can the board stay under the person for an x-ray?

For the Light, article 9120, yes: Direct Healthcare Group states that RollerSlide Light can be left under the user during x-raying. For the Flexi, article 9148, no: the manufacturer states that RollerSlide must always be removed before x-raying. If imaging is part of your routine, that is usually the deciding factor between the two.

Is a RollerSlide the same thing as a transfer belt?

No, and the difference matters. A RollerSlide moves somebody who is lying down and passive. A transfer or walking belt goes around the waist of somebody who is upright and taking weight through their legs, to steady them during a sit-to-stand or while walking. They are not interchangeable in either direction.

How do you clean it?

Wipe the board with disinfectant. Machine launder the sliding cover without fabric softener, then hang dry or tumble dry on low heat. Direct Healthcare Group's range care guidance sets 60 to 80 C (140 to 176 F) for its textile manual aids. Check the cover after every wash and discard it if the seams or fabric show wear.

Can I replace just the cover?

Yes. The reusable sliding cover is article 9136 and it fits both models on this page. Disposable covers are article 9138. Ask us to add either to your order.

How many caregivers does it take?

Two. The manufacturer technique has a caregiver on each side of the person, pushing and pulling from a walking stance. Do not leave the person unattended during the transfer.

How long does a RollerSlide last?

Direct Healthcare Group gives an expected lifetime of up to 10 years of normal use. That assumes the visual inspection is actually done: check the seams and the material regularly and after every wash, and discard the product when it shows wear.