Supplying doorsets for challenging Mental Health environments involves working with numerous stakeholders, balancing complex needs, gathering accurate information, and developing a solution which balances safety and recovery.
Successful installations require collaboration between multiple groups. Manufacturers like Safehinge can help this process by providing appropriate test evidence and designing for the real-world. It is through a methodical design, testing, prototyping, and planning process that means manufacturers like us can make the specification and installation of our doorsets easier.
In terms of testing, we put all of our products through 12 different tests, while current industry guidance picks up on just two or three. This is an extremely thorough test process carried out in house and videoed so any claims can be proven.
Our in house tests include vertical load, static torsion, heavy body impact and slam shut tests. We also carry out kick testing, leg press testing and all standard Department of Health regimes and TS001 anti-ligature trials.
Jeremy Young, one of our product designers, takes the lead on much of our testing. He says “It’s important to us that our products are comprehensively tested in this way so we don’t have any issues on site. To further iron out problems with installation, we soft launch our products by carrying out a handful of installs in various locations, using various installers to get feedback.”
Indeed, testing is an area we feel so passionately about this that, as a member of the Design in Mental Health Network board, our co-founder, Philip Ross, is currently taking the lead on testing and accreditation. Through Phil’s leadership, the DIMHN is looking to create a national set of testing standards that everyone can use – and much of these will be based around the in-depth testing we already carry out at Safehinge.
In some cases, we perform tests on request from clients who want to verify a particular doorset configuration and we’re always happy to oblige. For example when an NHS trust was looking at a doorset configuration for a medium secure unit, they asked us to perform tests specifically covering the Department of Health medium secure guidelines. Working with their chosen door manufacturer, we assembled their chosen configuration with Alumax and Sureclose on a Blankford door core and performed the tests. The testing was videoed and relayed to the client.
Involving all the stakeholders at the design stage is another way to help specification and installation go smoothly. For example, when we start designing a product, we don’t just involve the estates department, but also clinical staff and, where possible, service users – the people who will be using our products.
Finally, installations can be made more successful through accurate specification. In November 2015 we appointed Chris Chambers as our Doorset Manager to oversee this part of the process.
He has more than 20 years’ experience with Leaderflush Shapland scheduling and project managing doorset projects, some as large as £2m projects – making him perfectly qualified to help customers with specification, surveying and delivery of doorsets. He’ll even get involved in training installers on-site if it’s their first time using our doorset.
Ever the realist, Chris summarised: “There’s endless ways that construction projects can go wrong. As a team of product designers, we take methodical and thorough approach to all elements of design, manufacture and installation so that known risks are addressed. Then, we work closely with clinical staff, estate teams, and installers to ensure that installations can be carried out safely and in a timely manner.”
