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Security, Privacy, and Dignity


the Primera PassPort proximity access control system, which allows residents to access their rooms without keys, and without disturbing busy unit staff. It is operated using an electronic pass-key which can be in the form of a fob, wristband, or proximity card, and is simple to use, even for those with reduced dexterity.


PREVENTING LIGATURE PassPort is also designed, tested, and proven, to prevent the attachment of ligatures. The system always allows staff to enter the room in case of emergency or clinical need. Even in a barricade situation, staff can quickly gain access by using the concealed override mechanism. In a mental healthcare setting, this can literally be a ‘life-saver’, giving staff extra confidence in their ability to protect the vulnerable. Being battery-operated, the system avoids


the expense and disruption of installing a mains supply and the potential hazards from wiring. Based on an average of 20 opening cycles per day, battery life is up to two years, and battery changing can be undertaken without entering the room. The system uses four standard, easily available, AA-sized alkaline batteries, and alerts staff when they need replacing. Importantly, in any busy environment, it is also very easy to programme. Like other Primera products, it is engineered to be tamper-proof, and there are no parts inside the room that can be damaged or disabled by the service-user, or open keyways than can be blocked with foreign bodies. The system is robust and durable: the main body is constructed from V-0 fire-rated ABS plastic, which is proven to be resistant to chemical attack, heat, and impact. Mechanical wear is reduced via an automatic deadlocking night- latch.


ESSENTIAL SAFETY FEATURES PassPort is larger than other some access control systems because it includes essential safety features that others lack. The larger format makes it perfect for retrofit applications where it is necessary to ensure adequate cover of any previous door preparation. In the Bradford case, changing all locks on the wards was achieved, with minimal disruption, within just three days. Luke Reid from the Bradford


The Primera PassPort proximity access control system, which allows residents to access their rooms without keys, is operated using an electronic pass-key in the form of a fob, wristband, or, as shown, a proximity card.


District Care Trust has been delighted with the project’s outcome. He said: “The Primera product is already proving its value, and has reduced downtime on the ward considerably. Being manufactured in the UK, we are sure that any products or spares required will arrive promptly. Primera has been responsive to our needs, and its products are of high quality, with a level of detail that empathises with the user.”


PARTICULAR VULNERABILITY The Bradford installation described was, of course, for a particular type of low secure unit, but in any mental healthcare facility there is always a risk that some individuals might try to self-harm. When someone is new to a unit they may be particularly vulnerable, and frightened, to the extent that they will try to take their own lives. We have known for years about these risks. Early strategies to prevent attachment of ligatures could result in bare, sterile environments that were more like cells than hospital facilities. Today we are using smart designs to counter some of the risks. Primera Life manufactures products designed to avoid


‘Putting residents in control reduces the frustration that could build into potential conflict and, of course, provides security and privacy’


the attachment of ligatures that are functional, aesthetically pleasing, and practical.


VARYING EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTING COMPONENTS A lot of products are labelled as ‘anti- ligature’. Some are more effective than others, and some have, no doubt, saved lives. The question remains, however, if something claims to be ‘anti-ligature’, how do you know exactly how safe or effective it is? In the absence of formally recognised


standards, the Door and Hardware Federation has drawn up a method of classifying both fixed and load release anti-ligature devices. Testing is rigorous and exacting. The resulting specification, DHF TS001:2013, has been adopted by the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers, and is used by Primera Life to test and classify all of its anti-ligature hardware.


THREE MAIN TESTS There are three main tests, and each test has four result classifications. Test A is for fixed hardware devices and fixed mounting devices tested in multiple directions: up, down, left, right, and away from the face of the mounting surface. The test load is 0.475 kg. Classifications are A1 to A4 depending on the test wire diameter, which ranges from 4 mm to 0.5 mm. Test B is for fixed hardware devices tested in a downward direction only. The test load is 0.475 kg. and classifications are B1 to B4 depending on the test wire diameter, which again ranges from 4 mm to 0.5 mm. Test C, meanwhile, is for load release hardware devices. The test wire has a diameter of 4 mm,


A Primera joiner installing a PassPort lock, and the system successfully in situ. THE NETWORK April 2015 31


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