Contour: Why Do You Need Anti-Ligature Radiators For PICUs?

9 Jun 2021

Behaviour within a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) can be unpredictable. This can affect the facilities you specify and could make the difference between an unsafe PICU and a correctional facility that promotes rehabilitation and reformation. Here, Contour explain why you’ll need anti-ligature radiators for PICUs…

Changes To High-Secure Health Hospitals

Over the past few years, changes to high-secure mental health facilities now see many offer more freedom to Service Users. This means patients have more access to their personal belongings and more control over their comforts.

Whilst this added freedom may increase morale in such a facility, it does create more opportunities for users to carry out acts of vandalism and self-harm.

Managing Behaviour In High Secure Mental Health Units

In PICUs, it’s essential that institutions push positive reinforcement because this can impact the behaviour that’s exhibited by patients.

Contour’s anti-ligature solutions deliver several benefits that enable PICU staff to positively manage patient behaviours.

Meeting the demands within PICUs

When vandalism occurs, users can destruct a heating solution – or any fixture – until there are sharp objects or exposed ligatures. This can then cause a significant risk to staff and Service Users alike.

Therefore, specifiers should consider a radiator that offers the durability and ligature mitigation to withstand the demands of these environments.

Anti-Ligature Radiators In PICUs

To protect all service users, you should search for an anti-ligature radiator that is made from 1.5-2mm Zintec steel, and for maximum defence, you can search for a 3mm Zintec steel solution.

It’s important to consider that the addition of strengthening struts can increase durability too.

It’s important to consider that not all suicide risk comes from ligature points above head-height. Studies have found suicides can occur when ligature points are below the head or even at waist height.

Therefore, it’s necessary to select a radiator that’s anti-ligature to keep all individuals secure and comfortable.

To assure that all ligature risks are lessened, you should search for an anti-ligature radiator that follows these certain characteristics:

– Small grilles (IP3X rated grilles are the recommendation)
– (If wall secured) No large gaps between product and wall
– Minimal gaps or joints
– No sharp edges
– Bullnose, rounded corners
– Security locks and fixings

As service users gather their belongings, risks increase in storing contraband in stash points. With anti-ligature radiators, the risk of stash points will be significantly reduced to further protect all users.

Conclusion

As a specifier or architect, you must search for an anti-ligature radiator that is built to withstand vandalism and has reduced ligature risks.

For safety, Contour anti-ligature radiators are made in Zintec protected steel in various gauges from 1.5mm-3mm to offer a strong, durable heating solution.

If your environment is a PICU that needs extra strength, Contour can provide a strengthening strut to provide additional depth and protection.

For anti-ligature features, Contour’s radiators can be anti-ligature with safe edges and IP3x grilles to reduce injuries.

To ensure peace of mind, all radiators come with a 5-year warranty against defects in workmanship and materials for five years from the purchase date.

Contour can be contacted at;
The Mansions
43 Broadway
Shifnal
TF11 8BB
Tel: 01952 290 498
Email: sales@contourheating.co.uk

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