Transfer boards: moving a rider between a wheelchair and a seat without lifting

What a transfer board is

A transfer board is a flat board, wood or plastic, that bridges the gap between two seats so a rider can slide from one to the other while staying seated. OSHA’s Guidelines for Nursing Homes (OSHA 3182-3R, 2009) list boards for sliding transfers between level surfaces, such as bed to wheelchair or wheelchair to car seat or toilet. Some boards have a movable seat that glides along the board, which OSHA says adds comfort and cuts down on skin damage during the move.

Medicare’s coding list gives the category its own line: E0705, a transfer device of any type. The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center says everyone needs transfer training fitted to them by a physical therapist, so ask the rider how they were taught to do it. Our guide to safe passenger transfers covers the other methods a crew might use.

Who can use a transfer board?

A board fits a rider who cannot bear weight on their legs but can sit steadily and push with their arms. The Veterans Health Administration’s transfer algorithm for bed, chair, toilet, and car moves, reprinted in NIOSH’s 2009 safe patient handling curriculum, sends that rider to a seated transfer aid. It adds that a gait belt may be used until the patient can do the transfer alone, and that the chair needs arms that recess or come off. A rider without arm strength goes to a full-body sling lift instead.

OSHA describes the right rider in similar terms: good sitting balance and cooperative. The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center tells wheelchair users who cannot make a transfer in one smooth movement to move in several small steps, use a board, or both. A rider’s weight-bearing order decides whether a standing pivot is even on the table, as weight-bearing status explains.

Setting up a board transfer at the van

Most of the safety comes from the setup before anyone slides. Using OSHA’s points and the Model Systems transfer guidance:

1. Get the wheelchair close to the vehicle seat and lock its wheels.
2. Clear the side of the move. Take off the armrest and swing the footrest away on that side.
3. Check the heights. OSHA wants the two surfaces at the same level. The Model Systems factsheet says sliding downhill is easier, and at a modest height safer, than sliding uphill.
4. Protect the skin. Keep clothing between the rider and the board, or put a pad or towel on it where bare skin will touch.
5. Add a gait belt if the rider needs a steadying hand. OSHA says boards are usually used with gait belts for safety, depending on the resident.
6. Slide in short moves. The rider clears obstacles rather than bumping or rubbing past them, which the Model Systems guidance says avoids shear.
7. Stow the board before driving. Loose gear becomes a projectile in a crash, and Ride Safe’s advice is to fasten medical and other equipment to the chair or the vehicle.

OSHA’s points for transfer boards also say more than one caregiver is needed to perform the transfer. So if a rider needs hands-on help with the board, plan a two-person assist and note it on the trip before the van is assigned.

Weight limits and larger riders

Check the board’s rated weight against the rider. NIOSH notes that standard patient handling equipment is generally limited to 250 to 350 pounds. Its bariatric transfer algorithm still allows a sliding board for a heavier patient who cooperates and has arm strength, with at least two caregivers until the patient can do it alone. OSHA adds that boards need tapered ends, rounded edges, and the right weight capacity, and that they can be uncomfortable for larger residents.

Settle these before the pickup

1. Does the rider use a board at home, and will they bring it?
2. Can they do the transfer alone, or how much help do they need?
3. Which side do they move toward, and does their wheelchair have removable arms?
4. What do they weigh, and what is the board rated for?
5. Does your program or broker allow your driver to assist with transfers?

HealthRide keeps each rider’s mobility need on the trip, so a rider who needs a wheelchair van is matched to one, and the driver app shows the driver the trip before they arrive.