If you are looking for commercial locks for the protection of detention centres, psychiatric institutes and similar buildings in which the detainee’s safety is the priority, you must select anti-ligature locks. This is because these locks have been designed to be safe and very effective. These locks can’t be used to harm oneself. Hence, they are the perfect door hardware at such buildings.
The meaning of anti-ligature:
To explain it in simple words, ‘ligature’ is usually in reference to binding or tying something like a cord or a lace. In the aforementioned buildings, there is always the risk of inflicting pain upon oneself and this is why you have to be sure that the lock does not serve as a tool to do so. Normal locks can easily be used by the detainees to tie anything and harm themselves through asphyxiation which is a very common method of suicide using ligature. This is because the normal locks come with protrusions and notches using which lines or cords can easily be attached and used. All these life threatening actions can be easily prevented using anti-ligature locks.
The design of this lock:
In detention centres and other such buildings, safety is a big issue. The detainees as well as the staff are always facing a threat and this is the reason why anti-ligature locks have been designed so that they do not allow ligature in any way. The lever and the knob types have both been fashioned so they have a grip-easy handle. The advantage is that though using the handle is easy, attaching any kind of cord or wire is extremely difficult. The recession seen in the handle further heightens the difficulty. These locks are also very durable and strong with stainless steel reliability. This is why they can withstand a high level of abuse without getting damaged. If you go for high quality anti-ligature locks, you will see that they have a special blocking plate. This plate is present for added protection in case the handle is displaced by a detainee and used to harm himself. Thus, if safety is very important and the risk of suicide and self-harm is high, anti-ligature locks are almost a must.
The various types:
Every anti-ligature lock is heavy duty i.e. grade 1. Depending on the application, there are mainly two types and they are mortise and cylindrical. The handles may also be of two different types: knob and lever. Depending on whether you want to use them for classrooms, storerooms, the office, for privacy, for the bathroom or for the passage, you can make your pick. Among the cylindrical anti-ligature clocks, you can find interchangeable locks or the standard keyed cylinders from Schlage. Because of their functionality, these locks are becoming very popular. There are many manufacturers of these locks today such as Schlage, Stanley-Best, Corbin Russwin, Sargent, Townsteel and Marks to name a few.
If you would like to know more about our anti-ligature devices please visit our website at www.bembuiders.co.uk