Our range of YewdaleKestrel® anti-ligature products help mental health trusts reduce the risk of self-harm and suicide. We have designed fail-safe products that are trusted by mental health professionals around the world. Our anti-ligature blinds are just one example of how our anti-ligature products make high-risk settings safer.
Risk assessment
In mental health settings and other high-risk areas such as prisons, there is a constant risk of suicide via the creation of a ligature. A ligature point is any item that can be used to tie some form of material (ligature) to with the intention of using it for self-harm. Dental floss, bed sheets, shoelaces and clothing are examples of common ligatures.
We manufacture life-saving anti-ligature products that replace common ligature points like traditional blinds, ensuite doors and towel rails. Our systems prevent service users from creating a ligature point because the system will fall if an abnormal weight is applied.
How anti-ligature blinds work
Providing the same smooth operation as our commercial blinds, our anti-ligature blinds incorporate added protection against self-harm. Our load-release blinds utilise discreet magnetic brackets which hold the blind in place. Can you see our load-release brackets in the image below? If a downward force is exerted, the magnetic force will break and the blind will fall to the floor, preventing the creation of a ligature.
We manufacture an anti-ligature vertical blind and three anti-ligature roller blinds, providing a selection of operating mechanisms: crank, spring, wand and sidewinder. You can learn more about our anti-ligature roller blinds by clicking the links below:
Our anti-ligature vertical blind is stylish amd great for ceiling-to-floor windows. It features enclosed louvre weights and proven defence against tampering, ensuring there are no loose parts. The wand controls both the draw of the blind and the tilt of the louvres, providing simple, smooth operation.
Why buy anti-ligature blinds from Yewdale?
A wide range of mental health trusts and detention centres use our load-release blinds because they have a proven track record for successfully saving lives. Our anti-ligature products are thoroughly tested before they are launched to the market and are subjected to annual tests once installed.
Our magnetic load-release products cannot be jammed like other systems on the market. This is extremely important because product tampering is so common in high-risk settings.
Our wall-fix magnetic brackets, like the one shown below, are sloped with chamfered edges. We designed these brackets this way to ensure no known ligature point is left on the wall when the blind detaches from the brackets. To prevent any potential weapons risk, the brackets cannot be removed from the wall without specialised tools.
Due to the magnets, our blinds can quickly be reattached to the brackets in seconds, saving time. Our magnets will not lose their strength, meaning they will last a lifetime without any decline in performance.
We designed both wall-fix and top-fix brackets, giving you more choice regarding the installation. The image below shows our top fix brackets, which are great for window recesses.
The load-release magnets help to minimise any damage caused to the blind or the wall that the blind is fixed to. A traditional blind that’s not designed to prevent ligature might snap under excess weight. There is also a risk that a traditional blind could be pulled out of the wall and damage the fixing point. As a result, our anti-ligature blinds can help mental health trusts reduce costs since repairs are less likely to be required.
Our anti-ligature vertical blind and anti-ligature roller blinds are made-to-measure by experts in our UK production factory. You can choose from a variety of flame-retardant fabrics including anti-microbial fabrics for enhanced infection control.
Summary
We hope you have learnt how anti-ligature blinds work and why they are important in high-risk settings. Our anti-ligature blinds are quick and easy to install and require minimal maintenance, which means they are well-suited to common areas and private rooms in high-risk settings.
Please get in touch now to speak to an expert about our anti-ligature products.
To ensure that the functionality of an anti-ligature system is not compromised, annual testing is required for all YewdaleKestrel® systems – learn more here.
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