Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
General product information only, not medical advice. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use and your facility’s policies for any patient transfer.
Short answer
A banana board is a curved transfer board, also sold as a curved glideboard: a smooth, semi-rigid plank that bridges the gap between two seated surfaces, such as a bed and a wheelchair. Its arched shape is meant to follow the natural sweeping motion of an assisted transfer. It is not a lift and it does not lift anyone.
Definition and scope
Phillips Safety describes its Curved Banana Transfer Board (PTB-5014C) as designed to help with patient transfer between surfaces of similar or slightly different heights, and as ideal for bed, car, wheelchair and toileting transfers. DS Medical, a UK supplier, describes its Samarit banana board as a curved glideboard suited to the seated transfer of patients, developed by a therapist.
Both makers say the board can be used for assisted transfers, and both say it can also be used independently. The board only supports a seated slide between surfaces. Devices that raise or carry a person are different products; see the CASRAI guides on patient lifts and gait belts, and on the backboards and stretchers used for supine moves.
How it is used in practice
The following is the manufacturer’s own guidance, attributed to Phillips Safety and reproduced as general information rather than as a procedure.
- Phillips describes the placement idea as “a third, a third, a third”: one third of the board on the surface being transferred from, one third on the surface being transferred to, and one third spanning the gap between.
- Its cautions include not dragging the buttocks on the board and never putting hands or fingers under the board.
- For someone with decreased upper body strength, Phillips advises working with a caregiver to help with the transfer.
- Phillips states the board has a smooth sliding surface on top, with flared ends that provide a stable transfer platform.
The DS Medical page lists anti-slip pads and easy cleaning and disinfection. For wheelchairs, see the wheelchair guide; for the bed side of a transfer, the hospital bed guide; and for toileting transfers, the bedside commode guide.
Two named curved boards side by side
Only figures stated on each manufacturer’s own page are shown. Converted values are rounded and marked as converted.
| Item | Phillips Safety PTB-5014C | DS Medical Samarit banana board |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 28 in (about 71 cm, converted) | 68 cm (about 27 in, converted) |
| Width | 10.5 in at center, 12 in at the ends (about 27 cm and 30 cm, converted) | 22 cm (about 8.7 in, converted) |
| Weight | 2.6 lb (about 1.2 kg, converted) | 1.3 kg (about 2.9 lb, converted) |
| Stated weight capacity | 250 lb (about 113 kg, converted) | Load limit 120 kg, which the page gives as 19 stone (about 265 lb, converted) |
| Material | Semi-rigid polyethylene | HDPE (high-density polyethylene) |
| Cleaning wording | Can be wiped down for cleaning and infection control | Easily cleaned and disinfected |
| Assisted and unassisted use | Both stated | Both stated |
The two pages differ in what they say. Phillips gives technique notes and cautions and states a scope of surfaces at similar or slightly different heights; the DS Medical page gives neither warnings nor a height scope. The two makers also quote capacity in different units (pounds versus kilograms and stones), so compare after converting, and always read the figure on the board you actually have.
Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions
- Units and ratings. A capacity written as 250 lb and one written as 120 kg are not the same rating. Check the unit on the label or product sheet before comparing two boards.
- Cleaning claims are wording, not a standard. The makers say the polyethylene or HDPE surface can be wiped down or disinfected. Which disinfectant is compatible is a question for the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
- Regulatory text. Under 21 CFR 890.5050 (daily activity assist device), the definition covers a modified adaptor or utensil, including a transfer aid, intended for medical purposes to assist a patient to perform a specific function. The regulation sets Class I (general controls) and exempts the device from 510(k) subject to the limits in 21 CFR 890.9. The regulation names transfer aids generically; it does not name banana boards. Checked 2026-10-30.
Common misunderstandings
It is not a lift
A banana board supports a sliding transfer between seated surfaces. Anything that raises or carries a person is a separate type of equipment, such as a patient lift.
It is not the device defined in 21 CFR 880.6785
That section defines a manual patient transfer device as a wheeled stretcher with a mechanism on which a patient can be placed and moved with minimal disturbance in a horizontal position. It is a stretcher-type device and a different product from a seated transfer board. Checked 2026-10-30.
Capacity figures from different makers are not directly comparable as printed
See the units row in the table above; convert before comparing.
FAQ
What is a banana board?
A curved transfer or glide board used as a bridge for seated transfers between surfaces such as a bed, wheelchair, car seat or toilet. The curve is what gives it the name.
Is a banana board the same as a transfer board?
It is a curved type of transfer board. Phillips describes the arched shape as allowing the natural sweeping motion of an assisted transfer, while keeping a variety of positioning options.
Can it be used without help?
Both manufacturers state it can be used for assisted and unassisted transfers. Phillips advises working with a caregiver where upper body strength is decreased. Whether a particular person should transfer unassisted is a decision for their clinician or therapist.
Sources
- Phillips Safety, Curved Banana Transfer Board PTB-5014C product information (checked 2026-10-30).
- DS Medical, Samarit banana board (checked 2026-10-30).
- eCFR, 21 CFR 890.5050 Daily activity assist device (checked 2026-10-30).
- eCFR, 21 CFR 880.6785 Manual patient transfer device (checked 2026-10-30).
