36 CFR Part 1195 Standards for Accessible Medical Diagnostic Equipment - Preamble

M302.2.5 Unobstructed Transfer (Section-by-Section Analysis)

In the MDE NPRM the Access Board proposed that each transfer side provide unobstructed access to the transfer surface, with an exception to permit temporary obstructions as long as they could be repositioned during transfer. This requirement is identical to the unobstructed transfer requirement in M301.2.4, and this provision is discussed in the Section V.C.2.d. (Section-by-Section Analysis – M301.2.4). The final rule retains the requirement for unobstructed transfer, but has been reworded to specify that each transfer surface must provide two unobstructed sides for the patient to transfer.

Additionally, as discussed above in the Section IV.B.1.d. (Significant Changes – Unobstructed Transfer), the final rule includes a second exception to the unobstructed transfer provision which permits obstructions of no more than three inches to extend beyond the transfer side of the transfer surface, provided that such obstructions do not protrude above the top of the transfer surface.