Overcoming Tampering Challenges at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust provides a wide range of mental health services, including inpatient, community, and specialist care. During a recent refurbishment, the Trust faced ongoing issues with tampering and barricading, threatening staff’s ability to access critical spaces during emergencies.
Care provider: Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust
Project type: Refurbishment
Mental Health discipline: Inpatient, community and specialist Mental Health services
Products supplied:
- Combining 5-way SOS with our Lifeline closed keyway system PRODUCT LINKS
The Challenge
The Trust required a locking solution that addressed critical challenges:
Keyway Tampering: Staff were frequently unable to access rooms because foreign objects, such as chewing gum and paper, were inserted into the lockset.
Barricade Risks: The facility needed a robust system to overcome determined barricade scenarios quickly.
Emergency Override Requirements: Multiple methods for reliable access during emergencies were essential.
Durability Under Stress: The locksets had to withstand rigorous daily use and intentional misuse in a demanding mental health setting.
The Solution
Safehinge Primera’s design team worked closely with the Trust to adapt the 5-way SOS lockset by integrating the Lifeline closed keyway system, creating a solution tailored to their unique challenges.
Combining 5-Way SOS with Lifeline Closed Keyway System
The enhanced lockset delivered on every requirement:
Tamper-Resistant Locks: The Lifeline closed keyway system was engineered to eject foreign objects, such as chewing gum, paper, and even mixtures of hair gel and hairspray.
Comprehensive Override Functionality: The 5-way SOS lockset retained its five override methods, ensuring staff could always gain access, even during the most determined barricade scenarios.
Durable Locking Solutions: Designed to withstand daily wear and intentional misuse, these locksets maintain reliable performance over time in high-demand environments.
Rigorous Testing Proves the Solution
To demonstrate the system’s reliability, Trust staff subjected the locksets to rigorous testing, intentionally jamming them with various foreign objects:
Performance Under Pressure: The Lifeline keyway successfully ejected materials like toothpaste and hair gel mixtures, proving its resilience.
Staff Confidence: Impressed by the results, the Trust ordered 400 integrated locksets and adopted the solution as their standard specification for future refurbishments.
The Impact
Safehinge Primera’s tamper-resistant locks and durable locking solutions transformed access and safety at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust.
Key Results:
Improved Tamper Resistance: Lifeline keyway systems eliminated issues caused by blocked keyways, ensuring staff could always gain access.
Enhanced Safety: The 5-way SOS lockset’s multiple override methods addressed barricade risks effectively.
Standardised Solution: The Trust’s decision to specify Shoal’s locksets as standard reflects their confidence in the system’s durability and performance.
Increased Staff Confidence: Reliable access in critical situations enabled staff to focus on providing care without concerns over failed entry attempts.
Let’s Build Safer Spaces Together
Safehinge Primera’s anti-ligature locksets are designed to meet the challenges of modern mental health environments. Discover how our 5-way SOS lockset LINK with Lifeline closed keyway system LINK can transform safety and access in your facilities.