In behavioral health environments safety is not a feature, it is a requirement. As we design these challenging environments, we often use the term anti-ligature. But do we always know what we mean by it?
So what is anti-ligature furniture? Simply put anti-ligature furniture is any product or area within a facility, that has been designed and manufactured to prevent individuals from being able to create ligature points. In effect this means, the removal of opportunity for a person to tie cord, rope, or fabric around fixtures and objects, using them as a point to which to ligature.
Be smart – take out anything that could be used for self harm.
Why Anti-Ligature Design Matters
Whether designing a psychiatric unit, behavioral health hospital, or correctional setting, the challenge is the same: to create functional spaces that are safe for staff and patients alike.
With traditional TV fixtures on the rise, safeguarding your TV has become a top priority as it is often left unattended and can be subject to misuse through small gaps, edges or protrusions.
This risk can be minimised by using purpose built anti ligature tv enclosures to ensure patients are unable to use the tv for self harm, whilst at the same time being able to enjoy all the normal functions of a television including watching favourite programmes and viewing important patient information.
What Makes Something Anti-Ligature?
Not all “safe” products are truly anti-ligature. The difference is in the detail.
A properly designed solution will:
- Remove sharp edges and exposed corners
- Eliminate gaps where materials can be tied
- Use sloped or curved surfaces
- Be securely fixed with no removable parts
You’ll notice a few changes to how the game is laid out and how card play works. These changes aren’t just for looks, but are intentional and have been playtested for risk reduction. See The Joint Commission standards.
Where Anti-Ligature Design Is Used
You’ll typically see anti-ligature products in:
- Behavioral health units
- Psychiatric hospitals
- Crisis stabilization centers
- Correctional facilities
- Veterans’ healthcare environments
All of these locations require a balance between safety, durability and usability.
Why TVs Need Special Protection
A wall-mounted TV in a typical environment provides little in the way of safety assurance. While it certainly looks impressive, the brackets, cables and visible edges pose a significant risk of injury.
In some cases television sets are positioned in a manner that makes full screening of video images not possible. However ligature resistant tv enclosures can be used to contain both the patient and the tv screen.
Final Thought
Anti-ligature furniture design removes the idea that comfort must be sacrificed for safety in order to create a secure environment and setting, ensuring a suicide safe environment.
With proper installation, it becomes almost invisible to the casual observer, the point at which you know its there, but you don’t really think about it anymore.