A blog written by Contour Heating

Imagine this. You’re responsible for replacing existing radiators for a mental health environment. The ones you’re in charge of are a combination of outdated models that fail to meet the demands of the setting, they’re damaged to a point where they’ve become a hazard to service users and aren’t up to the high standards expected within these environments. So, what can be done?

Well, there are three main factors to consider when selecting radiators, all focused on ensuring the safety of service users and staff: stopping dust build up, preventing ligature points and being anti-microbial.

With these in mind, below are a list of design features to consider, all of which can be found in Contour’s extensive range of anti-ligature radiators.

#1 Size of Radiator Grille In Mental Health Settings

The size of the radiator grille is a vital factor to consider for mental health radiators. Too large and it creates an instant ligature point, too small or non-existent and it can affect the convection process, creating a higher-than-expected surface temperature.

While LSTs would be available, the size of the radiator grille would mean that a mental health service user could easily use it as a ligature, inflicting serious harm upon themselves.

Luckily, with Contour’s anti-ligature radiators, this problem is averted.

Meeting the IP3X industry standards (BS EN60529), featuring 2mm holes punched directly out of the guard at 4mm centres, Contour’s anti-ligature radiators meet and exceed the high standards expected of these facilities.

#2 Mental Health Radiators With Rounded Corners

Sharp corners aren’t to be ignored when selecting radiators for mental health environments. Their very presence could be seen by service users as a means to inflict damage; damage to both themselves and the radiator.

With sharp corners, parts of the radiator are weaker and can be easily damaged, which in turn can lead to the broken parts, the radiator itself being weaponised, or even a ligature being created. This can lead to serious harm being caused to those within the mental health environment.

With Contour’s range of mental health radiators, rounded corners prevent any of the above occurring and mean that the wellbeing of service users and staff is protected.

#3 Ease Of Regular Cleaning For Mental Health Settings

Is getting into all areas of a radiator a nightmare for your cleaning staff? The solution is simple. With drop down front access, radiators can be accessed, cleaned and safely locked up again in a matter of minutes.

With access available via a pin and hex key, available only to authorised staff members, all of Contour’s anti-ligature radiators are designed to make cleaning quick and easy, maintaining the most important thing; the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone.

Not only does this unique design make cleaning far quicker, preventing unwanted dust build up, but safely locked behind key access, there is no chance that service users can access the parts of the radiator that can cause serious harm or be used as stash points.

#4 Anti-Microbial Protected Radiators

When the health and well-being of service users and staff is the most important factor, it is important that every possible measure is taken.

With the current state of the world, the prevention of infectious of diseases is at the top of everyone’s list. The radiator and heating industry are no different.

Being the only company to incorporate BioCote into LST (low surface temperature) and anti-ligature radiators, all Contour products provide an extremely effective and long-term solution to protect against harmful bacteria including MRSA and E-Coli; bugs which can spread rapidly throughout metal health environments.

#5 Use Open Ended Shoulders To Remove Gaps

The factors mentioned above are all things that your mental health radiator should protect against; dust collection points, ligatures and bacteria spread.

With the adoption of OES (Open-Ended Shoulders) the first two can be instantly solved.

An OES allows the radiator guard to neatly hide the gap between the radiator and the corner of a room, reducing gaps from 30mm to zero.

These gaps are prime real estate for contraband and service users could easily use them to store prohibited items or even weapons. What’s more, with the introduction of OES and reduction of these unnecessary gaps, it also stops the build-up of dust in hard to clean areas, another tick in the box of health and safety.

#6 Butt Strap Detail For Added Protection

While drop-down covers enable radiators to be quickly and safely cleaned, this ingenious feature can also bring some significant, unwanted downfalls with some models having exposed butt joints.

The butt where two pieces of material join is one of the weakest parts of a radiator cover. With little persuasion, a service user could easily wedge an item in creating a ligature point. Over time, damage could be inflicted to the radiator, with sharp edges even becoming weaponised.

Step in the superhero butt strap.

With an overlapping lip, the butt strap creates a much shallower channel – 1.5mm or the thickness of the steel. This not only prevents anything being wedged into the join, but the supporting strap provides the anti-ligature radiator with much stronger joins.

Conclusion: Talk To Contour About Anti-Ligature Radiators For Mental Health Environments

So, to summarise it all up. In order to choose the correct radiators for mental health environments, you want anti-ligature models that meet all the design features discussed.

With small grilles, rounded corners, easy cleaning features, anti-microbial properties, open-ended shoulders and butt straps, Contour’s anti-ligature radiators tick all the boxes to ensure a safe mental health environment.

If you have an upcoming mental health project, why not talk to the experts at Contour today?