By Healthcare Facilities Today

Assa Abloy presents a new line of door hardware to address the specific needs of high-, medium- and low-risk behavioral health environments. The Behavioral Health Series is offered by Corbin Russwin and Sargent.

High-risk areas are where patients are difficult to manage or might find themselves unsupervised or alone. These include patient bedrooms, bathrooms and seclusion rooms. In medium-risk areas, patient access is controlled or there is constant supervision, such as living rooms, dining rooms or rooms where groups of patients gather. Low-risk areas are places that are constantly supervised or not used by patients at all, like medication rooms, offices or utility rooms. Once the risk level is determined, the appropriate locks and hardware can be chosen.

In high-risk areas it’s particularly important to choose a product that offers minimum opportunity for a patient to harm himself. Therefore, locks with protruding lever handles are not appropriate, and hardware must be ligature- and tamper-resistant with flush-mounted set screws.

For these environments, Assa Abloy offers Sargent’s BHW Trim and Corbin Russwin’s BHSS Trim. These two products feature contoured surfaces, an integrated lever and escutcheon and other features that provide maximum patient safety.

The Sargent BHL and Corbin Russwin BLSS Lever trim, as well as the Sargent BHD and Corbin Russwin HSS Detention Knob for medium-risk areas feature sloping surfaces and overlapping rose construction. The Sargent BHW Trim and Corbin Russwin BHSS Trim are also appropriate for use in medium-risk areas.

In low-risk areas the Sargent ALP Push Pull Trim and Corbin Russwin HPSK Push Pull Trim can be used. The large, rounded push/pull paddles are easy to grasp and also provide hands-free operation. Each can be mounted horizontally or vertically and like all Behavioral Health Series products are available in bright or brushed stainless steel.

All Sargent Behavioral Health Series products can be used with the Sargent 8200 ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 mortise lock while Corbin Russwin products use the Corbin Russwin ML2000 mortise lock. In addition, the Sargent BHD knob can be used on the 9200 high security mortise lock that has met specific requirements for detention facilities. Behavioral Health Series trim is available with Assa Abloy’s MicroShield antimicrobial coating, which inhibits the growth of bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms.

There are no universal mandated standards for behavioral health hardware, but Behavioral Health Series meets requirements of the State of New York Office of Mental Health’s Patient Safety Standards Guidelines as well as the building design criteria published by the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems. These guidelines are widely referenced by institutions in North America.

For more information, visit http://www.assaabloy.com/en/com/