Your guide to fully compliant anti-ligature solutions

Your guide to compliant anti-ligature solutions for specialist environments

It is important to take extra safety precautions when working in a specialist environment with vulnerable people, who may be classed as at risk.

An anti-ligature solution is a specialised product designed with staff and patient safety as a priority. These products can be installed on doors as well as furniture and equipment, such as beds and chairs.

The anti-ligature solution installed will depend on what type of environment it needs to be used in. For example, a hospital will have different requirements than a prison wing would.

For this reason a range of different anti-ligature solutions are available to help you to protect your staff and patients.

Anti-ligature solutions for specialist environments

The use of anti-ligature solutions has become increasingly common in specialist environments like mental health facilities because of their ability to prevent harm and reduce the risk to life by restricting access to objects that can be used for self-injury.

However, anti ligature solutions are not just for the psychiatric ward. They can be used in all areas of a hospital, including emergency rooms, intensive care units and operating rooms.

In addition to these areas, they might also be used in other settings where patients or staff may be at risk. This includes detox centres and prisons. In fact, anywhere there is a possibility that someone might attempt self-injury.

Benefits of anti-ligature solutions for specialist environments include:

• Patient and staff safety. The prevention of ligature related injuries is a key benefit of anti-ligature solutions, which can also help to reduce the risk to life in patients.
• Improved patient experience: This can lead to improved patient experience by reducing the amount of time spent on managing patients who are at risk, improving their mood and mental health.
• Reduced costs: A reduction of costs associated with treating ligature related injuries or death caused by attempts to life through self injury.

Anti-ligature doorsets for specialist environments

Anti-ligature doorsets are an essential part of a safe environment, and can be found in many specialist environments such as high-security psychiatric hospitals.

These door sets can help prevent ligature injuries by limiting access to areas where they are most likely to occur.

In addition to reducing the risk of ligature points, anti-ligature doorsets  provide increased patient safety by reducing the risk of cross-contamination, and are also vandal resistant to provide increased security.

A seamless, integrated door set that can be installed quickly and easily by trained engineers, our anti-ligature doorsets are a cost-effective and easy to maintain specialist door solution with all the necessary components, including integrated operating ironmongery, working together harmoniously for a secure installation and greater peace of mind for all users.

Our range of specialist, tried & tested doors include:

• Laminate & veneer doorsets
• Encapsulated / post-form doorsets
• Steel doorsets
• Specialist ensuite doorsets (Alarm alert)

Our doorsets are manufactured to the highest fire door standards, compliant to BS476 Part 22 for fire, with FSC® full chain of custody.

In addition to this, our fully qualified fire door inspection team can provide peace of mind, by offering a service which includes inspection, repair and replacement of fire doors.

Anti-ligature hardware (DHF TS001 certified)

As the specialist anti-ligature hardware and accessories market expands, we are constantly innovating to provide products that meet the needs of today’s healthcare and specialist environments.

As well as being compliant with standards for the treatment of people with mental illness (DHF TS001), our range of products are also certified to be used in environments where a high level of security is required such as prisons, clinics and universities.

Our anti-ligature range is specifically designed to ensure patient and user safety. Anti-ligature levers, electronic locksets, mechanical locksets, anti-ligature hinges, removable doorstops and concealed floor springs are just some of the products we offer that help maintain patient safety.

In addition to fulfilling essential safety and security roles, these products must also provide enough flexibility and functionality to meet specific design requirements within each project.

High security door top alarms

Door top alarms are a highly specialised security product, designed for use in hospitals, mental health facilities, prisons and other similar environments where patients need to be safeguarded and staff need to be protected from attack.

 

Connecting via mains power, with a variable alarmed delay setting between 5 and 30 seconds, and compatible with most staff attack systems, our door top alarms offer a tamper-proof system that is able to detect when weight is applied to the top of the door.

When an emergency situation occurs, the door top alarm alerts staff via an audible alarm, visible light, staff indicator panel and via the pager or main computer.

 

Anti-ligature locksets

Locksets provide vital room access – with the right lockset and handle combination keeping service users safer and enabling clinical teams to perform their roles effectively. 5-way SOS locksets are recommended for bedroom areas, while 1-way SOS locksets are for low-risk doors, staff-only doors or to provide a lock-off function.

ELECTRONIC LOCKSETS

The electronic lockset option operates on a smart platform which enables staff and caregivers to utilise remote programming where necessary and avail of real-time updates and reporting.

This system successfully combines safety and speed of access with convenience and service user empowerment, and is built specifically for mental health environments.

It is also the only electronic lockset on the market with 5-way SOS (Staff Override System), so staff can always gain access.

In lieu of mechanical keys, this lockset uses a harmless swipe card, wristband or key fob to unlock the door. The key fob can be issued to service users, emulating the home environment by giving them complete control over their living space access – restoring dignity and aiding recovery, whilst reducing demand on staff to unlock doors.

Staff can programme one card to open all relevant doors. This reduces the number of keys carried on the ward, increasing security and making key selection faster, especially in stressful situations.

Tampering is also made more difficult due to the lockset being fitted on the outside and the lack of any keyway to block. In the event of any damage or interference, staff can unscrew a safety cover and open the door with an emergency tool.

Electronic 5-way Staff Override System (SOS)
Passport Solo PR-3-02-728P

Our electronic locksets are designed specifically for mental health environments, combining service user empowerment with unrivalled safety and security.

Patients can independently lock and unlock their bedroom while staff have peace of mind with 5 emergency override methods to gain fast, reliable access. Programmed individually at each door, it is suitable for smaller wards or situations where realtime audit and updating is not required.

Passport Solo can be upgraded to operate on our smart platform as part of an electronic access control system.

 

MECHANICAL LOCKSETS

Designed to overcome barricades of any type, our patented locksets provide peace of mind and help to save lives. These mechanical locks have been used and improved in mental health units for more than a decade.

We can offer both 5-way and 1-way Staff Override Systems, according to your requirements.

5-way Staff Override System (SOS):

The most complete override locking system on an anti-ligature lockset, our 5-way SOS lockset provides five override methods to ensure you gain access – regardless of keyway damage or tampering. Ideal for master key systems, 5-way SOS locksets can be provided for use with standard euro-cylinders.

In the most common barricade scenario, the staff key dominates the internal turn/pull, ending the barricade quickly and simply. It also contains additional emergency override methods to overcome determined barricades. We hope you rarely use them, but when you do, they might just save a life.

 

1-way Staff Override System (SOS)

Suitable for low-risk doors where tampering is unlikely, these locksets provide just one override method – key override. The patented direct mechanical override means the key and turn/pull operate independently – allowing staff to unlock the door, even if a service user holds the turn/pull.

It addresses the limitations of ‘primary’ override systems, like clutch cylinders – which are susceptible to wear and tear and can malfunction, trapping service users in their rooms, and geared cylinders – which rely on a key to disengage the internal turn/pull and can be over-rotated to delay access to the room.

With two independent spindles, the lock and the internal turn/pull operate independently, so the key always dominates. It’s a direct mechanical override, so there’s no geared cylinder to disengage the turn/pull or clutch mechanism involved.

The benefits of choosing an integrated anti-ligature solution

When it comes to choosing an integrated anti-ligature solution, there are many benefits. These include:

• Cost effectiveness – An integrated solution is more cost effective than individual products as it can be installed as part of a wider refurbishment project or new build programme. This will save money on both installation and maintenance costs over the lifetime of the product.
• Easier maintenance – An integrated anti-ligature solution is easier to maintain than multiple products and can be serviced by trained staff without specialist equipment or skills. This makes them ideal for use in environments with limited budget for in-house, specialist maintenance teams.
• Meets all relevant standards – All of our products meet BS EN ISO 13709:2014+A1:2018 which defines how healthcare facilities should manage risk associated with self injury through ligatures, including how they should design their premises so that patients cannot access them easily (either deliberately or accidentally).

There are many anti ligature solutions, however not all areas of your facility have the same requirements

In order to find the right solution for your facility, you must consider various factors such as the specific spaces they will be installed in, budget and ease of use. You may also need to combine multiple products in order to ensure that all areas are adequately protected against self-injury.

COMMUNAL AREAS

Communal areas are likely to be heavy footfall areas, subject to heavy usage on a daily basis by patients and staff alike. These areas might include reception facilities, waiting rooms and outpatient clinics and for these spaces you will need a product that can withstand heavy use and provide maximum safety for patients and staff alike.

It’s important that these areas are designed with patient safety in mind. This means that there should be no sharp edges or protruding screws or bolts that could be used for self injury.

Anti-ligature paint can be applied directly onto the wall or ceiling which will prevent any potential damage from occurring due to scratching and scraping against these surfaces. Other solutions to reduce the risk of self-harm or injury in communal areas include anti-ligature TV covers, radiator covers, ventilation grilles, smoke detector protectors, continuous geared hinges, vision panels, anti-ligature levers, locksets, pull handles, bathroom sets and handrails.

BEDROOMS

In terms of anti-ligature solutions, bedrooms are perhaps the most important room in a facility, as patients should feel comfortable and secure within their own space for their recovery and rehabilitation.

Common solutions for bedrooms include anti-ligature doors with integrated anti-ligature lever, lockset and continuous gear hinge. The doors would often also feature a concealed floor spring and door top alarm for added protection and reduced ligature risk and a removable doorstop function to allow intervention by staff or carers where necessary.

Bedroom areas also require a solution that will maintain patient safety whilst also providing privacy and discretion for those who may struggle with social situations due to mental health issues or other factors such as dementia or autism. In this instance, doors would often also include a vision panel with an integrated blind for patient privacy or monitoring as required.

Depending on the facility, bedrooms might also require anti-ligature radiator, tv or ventilation grille covers, window restrictors or load-release clothes hangers.

Key requirements:

• Minimize risk of self-harm or ligature
• Minimize barricade situations
• Accommodate both privacy and monitoring
• Allow intervention by staff where necessary

ENSUITE AREAS

In addition to the anti-ligature solutions used for bedrooms, specialist anti-ligature solutions are available for use in specialist bathroom or ensuite environments.

These include safe doors – lightweight soft foam doors constructed from a durable, resilient material that is coated with an anti-microbial and stain resistant vinyl material which withstands daily usage.

Specialist safe doors work by eliminating all typical anchor points associated with doors and hardware that could pose a risk to user safety in a mental health facility and ensures that under an excess load of no more than 9kg, the door would separate from its frame, leaving no remaining points of ligature.

In lieu of traditional options, most bathrooms and ensuite areas in specialist environments such as mental health facilities would also utilise load-release accessories such as shower curtain rails, soap dishes, towel rails, shelves or paper roll holders in addition to specialist anti-ligature faucets, stoppers and shower heads.

The load release mechanism uses a spring hidden inside the anti-tamper casing. It provides a robust connection that only releases when needed – a simple concept, but one that really works to reduce the risk of self injury.

When choosing an anti ligature product for healthcare facilities, you should also ensure that they are easy to clean and maintain. This will help prevent any issues with mould or mildew growing within the unit itself which could lead directly back into your healthcare facility.

Security, peace of mind and compliance

Providing safe and secure accommodation is an important consideration for healthcare facilities, with the potential to help reduce distress and improve recovery rates.

There are many standards and regulations to which you must adhere in order to keep patients safe and to secure your premises in line with the recommendations. This is why it’s so important to choose a compliant anti-ligature solution for specialist environments.

The correct choice of product will help you meet all of your security requirements and ensure that you are complying with all relevant regulations, while ensuring that your patients are safe and comfortable at all times.

We understand that your facility has different areas with different requirements, and work closely with you to design a solution specific to each areas individual requirements.

Offering peace of mind with c integrated, compliant anti-ligature doorsets for specialist environments in addition to a wide range of anti-ligature hardware, specialist door products and related accessories designed specifically for Mental Health facilities and other areas where patient and staff safety is a priority.

We work with clients to create a solution that works for their specific needs

As specialist environments become more and more common, so does the need for secure anti-ligature doorsets, hardware and accessories.

Our expert partners have developed products that protect lives from listening to people with mental health issues, their clinicians, facility management teams and architects and gaining a deeper understanding of the requirements of all users in mental health environments.

We hope this guide has given you a better understanding of what anti-ligature solutions are available, how they can be used in your project and what benefits they offer.