Specifying multi-package healthcare solutions

Whether it be a hospital building, a treatment clinic, a specialist care facility or a residential care home, every healthcare environment requires individually tailored solutions for their entrance systems, access control measures, security management and fire safety.

Healthcare solutions must be able to accommodate visitors, staff and patients while keeping intruders out.

In healthcare facilities, automatics and access control systems are employed to help manage who is entering and exiting the building, as well as to assist in the safe and secure movement of staff, service-users, patients, and visitors in and around it.

However, healthcare organisations can struggle to find a single solution provider able to cater for all of the needs of their demanding environments. Often needing to enlist multiple companies, which can lead to unexpected problems later down the line.

Fire safety in these healthcare buildings is also a complex issue and must be assessed on an individual basis. Not all healthcare facilities are the same, so it’s important to consider the type of building and space when designing the fire safety plan.

By choosing a single source to provide integrated solutions that work across multiple buildings and locations, healthcare organisations can ensure that each area within their setting has exactly what it needs without having a multitude of different systems from multiple providers installed, and without having to worry about compatibility issues.

What makes access to healthcare buildings so challenging?

Healthcare facilities are complex, and managing the flow of people in and out of them can be a challenge because the variety of departments and areas that need access control can be vast.

Additionally, a hospital’s patient wing will have different access control requirements than its pharmacy or operating theatres. Ambulatory facilities will often rely on a higher level of security. And residential care homes will naturally look for solutions that offer a high level of comfort.

Staff offices, patient wards and treatment rooms all require different levels of security. The same goes for visitor areas, with some only allowing certain groups or individuals in, and others needing to restrict entry completely at certain times of the day.

Furthermore, different people within the healthcare setting will often have very different access requirements. For example, depending on their job function or department, employees may need different levels of security. Visitors may require different levels of access depending on whether they are attending a meeting or visiting patients in the hospital. And intruders must be kept out at all times.

Therefore automatics and access control systems installed in Healthcare environments must be able to manage multiple levels of access.

Access control systems in Healthcare buildings should also be able to manage multiple types of access: physical (e.g. swipe cards), biometric (e.g. fingerprint recognition), contactless (e.g. touch-free activation switches) and logical (e.g. PIN).

This ensures that the system can accommodate everyone who needs it without compromising security or convenience for any group within the organisation. This also helps to maintain compliance with regulations that mandate certain authentication methods due to their inherent effectiveness at protecting data assets.

Discover specialised solutions for fast, reliable and secure access to healthcare environments.

At KCC we draw on our vast knowledge and experience of healthcare solutions to provide you with an effective, sustainable access strategy. Rather than dealing with each individual element our starting point is an overall view of your actual access needs. We then apply the best products and solutions to deliver that strategy, including door automation, access control, key control and architectural hardware. This ensures a fully compliant, integrated solution where all components compliment each other.

Key management for healthcare facilities

Giving staff access to specific areas of the building and limiting access elsewhere is vitally important but managing it in a large building with multiple-access requirements can become a real nightmare.

We can provide you with a tailor-made Master Key suite, specific to your requirements to maximise the security of your building, and to minimize the number of keys required.

The security and safety of your building, patients and staff are crucial to providing optimum patient care at healthcare facilities. In addition to providing you with an access control strategy to manage the flow and movements of staff, patients and visitors in your establishment, we can also integrate a key management system to ensure that sensitive keys or assets do not leave site, or be allowed on to site, depending on your requirements.

We can provide specially designed “key cabinets” to control, manage and audit your keys and assets so that downtime is reduced, staff are held accountable and restricted access can be preserved by assigning each individual user, selected access rights.

Architectural hardware for healthcare facilities

Our team will be able to advise you on the best hardware solution to suit your needs in terms of usage, aesthetics and function.

Our range includes door levers, pull handles, signage, door closers, hinges, locks, cylinders and master key locking systems, in different materials and finishes, depending on your requirements.

All of our hardware is fully compliant with industry standards and we provide all of the appropriate performance, fire test evidence and certification for your peace of mind.

We also offer anti-ligature hardware including handles, locksets, window restrictors, window handles and load release fittings, anti-barricade doors, and anti-microbial door furniture which offers decomposition of infectious bacteria and micro-organisms as well as a high degree of durability

To protect doors, walls & surfaces from damage through wear and tear in busy healthcare environments, we offer a range of impact protection and antibacterial solutions.

KCC Group hardware solutions include:

• Closing Devices
• Cylinder Locks
• Door Furniture
• Locks & Latches
• Panic Exit Devices
• Hinges
• Accessories
• Antimicrobial Protection
• Anti-Ligature Solutions

Safe door hardware for healthcare environments

Emergency escape doors & hardware for healthcare buildings

Our steel doors can provide safe, secure entrance and exit in healthcare buildings. They can be easily incorporated into a new design or retro-fitted into an existing building to enhance and improve performance.

They can be integrated with a wide range of door hardware and automation systems to meet appropriate requirements and can be fire-rated and insulated up to four
hours to protect personnel & property from the spread of flames & smoke.

The range has been tested to BS 476 Parts 20 & 22, and BS EN 1634. We offer fully CE marked external door solutions.

Panic hardware is designed to provide high security from the outside but permanent, safe mechanical escape from the inside. Our range includes fully mechanical as well as electronic solutions that integrate with access control but always conform with the BS EN1125 Standard. The range covers solutions for timber, aluminium and steel door systems.

Fire rated doors and glazing for healthcare buildings

Containing and controlling the spread of fire is crucial to providing building users and occupants with a safe and effective passage to escape.

Glazed fire screens and doors help to contain the spread of fire, improve visibility, and allow for the flow of natural light through a building.

Our glazed fire screens and doors are available with integrity-only (E) or integrity & insulation (EI) fire protection ratings, depending on your specific requirements.

We offer height capabilities of up to 3 metres, slim profiles, maximum glazed elements, integrated hardware and access control and manual or automatic operation, depending on the intended use.

We also provide both fire and non-fire rated internal and external curtain walling systems and viewing panels.

The choice of system is determined by several factors including your fire resistance requirements, e.g. 30, 60, 90, or 120-minute fire protection, sound insulation requirements, door functionality, e.g. push/pull vs. mechanical “lever” function, budget, aesthetics, location within your building, intended frequency of use and compliance with building regulations and BS EN1634-1 / BS476 Part 22

KCC Group fires rated door and glazing solutions include:

• FD30 Fire Doors
• FD60 Fire Doors
• Automatic Fire Doors
• Internal / Interior Fire Doors
• Swing Fire Doors
• Fire Rated Glass Doors
• Glazed Fire Screens

Smoke & heat ventilation for healthcare environments

In any healthcare setting, having a good flow of natural air throughout the building is of paramount importance to maintaining the health of patients, staff, and visitors.

We can design, supply, install and maintain natural heat and smoke ventilation systems through manual and automatic window actuation systems and concealed automatic opening vents that can be linked into the Building Management System (BMS). This allows fresh air to flow into the building even through difficult-to-reach windows, allowing for natural ventilation.

Additionally these systems offer a carefully designed escape route for smoke in the event of a fire emergency, being linked into the buildings BMS and fire alarm.

Fire strategy for healthcare facilities

An effective and compliant fire strategy is paramount in any public-occupied building.

We assist you in ensuring your staff, patients and visitors will have a carefully planned-out escape route, that is protected from smoke, fire and heat, and is fully compliant with industry standards and legislation.

Our in-house advisors can work with your design consultants and facilities teams to ensure compliance with the fire strategy, incorporating fire doors and screens, riser doors, fire shutters and curtains, emergency escape exit systems, smoke and heat ventilation systems and even fire door inspections.

Fire door inspections for healthcare buildings

A Fire Door is a life safety device and therefore needs the same consideration as a fire extinguisher or fire alarm testing. The recommended frequency for fire door inspection is bi-annually.

Responsibility for Fire Safety lies with the building manager, ie. whoever has day-to-day control of the building itself. This designated ‘Responsible Person’ is expected to take steps to protect occupants in your business or premises from the risk of fire.

Our Fire Door Inspection service means that we will assess the door, report our findings and where necessary, correct any issues. Legislation (Fire Services Act 1981 / 2003 / Fire Safety Regulations NI 2010) covering Ireland and Northern Ireland applies to all public buildings.

When we have completed your inspection, we will generate a comprehensive report, detailing the condition of each door and listing any area of non-compliance. Our software creates a
database and asset register for future on-going inspections. As part of our post-inspection service, we can also facilitate any remedial works required to ensure that your doors are compliant.

In addition to inspecting and reporting on the Fire Doors in your building, we will also provide advice on future Inspection dates, any maintenance required, any replacement components required, whether or not replacement doors are necessary, quote for a ‘supply only’ or ‘supply & fit’ service for any maintenance or replacement parts detailed in the report.

KCC Group fire door inspection solutions include:

• Inspections
• Report
• Repair

Movable walls & partitions for healthcare buildings

Movable walls and partitions allow for a better, more flexible use of space within a building.

Our movable walls solutions will satisfy even the most stringent user requirements. Our most popular options offer excellent acoustical properties and insulation values, ideal for creating multiple private rooms within one large ward for example.

The system runs smoothly along a track by means of ball-bearing trolleys, making it very easy for staff and maintenance officers to operate. The systems have been designed to eliminate the need
for floor guides.

They are made up from various different panels which can be finished in a variety of different styles.

Due to a metal self-supporting frame, a height of more than 15 metres can easily be reached, allowing you to design a wall that meets your requirements entirely, both technically and
aesthetically.

Our walls can meet the highest fire safety requirements. We work with Parthos who are one of the few manufacturers in Europe who have developed a wall able to withstand flames for longer
than 60 minutes.

We also supply walls with a fire resistance rating of 30 minutes and fire retarding walls.

Riser doors for healthcare buildings

A necessity in most buildings, traditional riser doors often create an unwelcome eyesore in public areas.

KCC riser door systems are elegant, frameless riser doors which allow you to create a flush seamless finish. The high performance folded steel frames with an integral perforated plasterbead allow the plaster or tape and jointing compound to be applied up to the edge concealing the door frame and all fixings.

Extensive testing has been carried out to cover for all fire and acoustic needs. As such, this range of concealed riser doors is the most extensive and versatile range on the market to date.

• Aesthetically clean and discreet
• Concealed frame
• Concealed hinge
• Remarkably quick and simple to install
• Fire tested up to 2 hours
• Acoustically and air leakage tested
• Textured or primed finish to allow same finish as walls

Surface protection for healthcare buildings

We use specialist products to protect surfaces that can be damaged over time through wear and tear and excessive use, such as doors and walls, in healthcare environments.

These protection methods and products can not only extend the life of interior decor, therefore reducing maintenance costs, they can also enhance the aesthetic appearance and hygiene control of healthcare environments.

We select the most appropriate product solution to suit your requirements, whether that is aluminium or PVC-u door edge guards, frame guards, antibacterial impact protection sheets, clad beading, door and wall bumpers, full mortice hinges capable of withstanding high impact and heavy usage, finger safety hinges, vision panels for patient monitoring, access ramps, thresholds for protection against sound, draught and weather, handrails, wall guards and more.

Patient protection for healthcare buildings

When planning the construction or refurbishment of a bedroom or bathroom for patients affected by mental illness, it is imperative from the initial design stage to consider and eliminate all points where a cord, rope, or bed sheet could be looped or tied to a fixture creating a point of ligature, which could result in self-harm or in extreme cases, loss of life.

Unfortunately, many items that would be considered standard for a healthcare environment bedroom or a bathroom create ligature risks and therefore alternative products must be used.

Combined with these anti-ligature solutions, other specialised products such as door top alarms are used to alert staff to potential ligature attempts. Other patient protection solutions include full mortice hinges and finger protection hinges to minimise the risk to life of patients in your care. Additionally, the use of door vision panels allows for both patient monitoring and privacy, as and when required.

KCC Group patient protection solutions include:

• Anti-ligature handles
• Anti-ligature locksets
• Anti-ligature window restrictors
• Anti-ligature window handles
• Load release anti-ligature
• Fixed anti-ligature
• Vision Panels
• Door top alarms
• Finger protection hinges
• Full mortice hinges

• Maintenance support includes
• All forms of automatic doors
• Access Control systems
• Master Key suites
• Ironmongery – locks, levers, handles, cylinders
• Movable walls
• Emergency escape door hardware
• Door, wall & surface protection
• Door operators, closers & motors
• Fire Door Inspection & repair