Anti-ligature artwork for mental health settings

In mental health facilities, innocuous items can be used as ligature points or weapons. Risk assessment is imperative to protect lives and ensure that items cannot be used inappropriately. Our new anti-ligature artwork allows mental health trusts to safely display eye-catching wall art in communal areas and private rooms.

Our anti-ligature artwork

Introducing items that make mental health environments feel more comfortable is difficult because few products pose no weapons risk or ligature points. SafeArt is our latest anti-ligature product, which is constructed from soft foam and designed to brighten up mental health settings. SafeArt ensures relaxing images and beautiful scenery can be displayed safely in high-risk environments.

You can choose from a range of calming images from our library (such as the ones below) or supply an image of your choice, provided it is of sufficient size and resolution. The images in our library feature crystal clear photos of stunning natural landscapes. Any high-resolution image can be printed on the surface of SafeArt to an exceptional quality.

Load release magnets are securely stitched into anti-tamper pockets in the back of the artwork. The magnets are used to connect SafeArt to a steel mounting plate which can be fitted to any hard surface.

The hidden magnets provide SafeArt with its lifesaving anti-ligature status. If a load greater than 9kgs is placed on the artwork, the magnets will detach from the mounting plate and the load release artwork will safely fall to the floor.

The mounting plate can’t be removed from the surface without specific tools, preventing tampering. The mounting plate is only 3mm thick, meaning SafeArt is unobtrusive and can be installed in corridors as well as larger rooms.

SafeArt is lightweight, soft and flexible, meaning it can’t be used as a weapon. Due to the magnets inside, reattaching the artwork to the surface it’s mounted to is incredibly quick. The load release magnets also ensure that the surface isn’t damaged if a load is applied.

View the product here

The benefit of colour

Creating a positive therapeutic environment where service users feel comfortable is important in mental health facilities, particularly those providing long-term treatment. Traditional mental health wards are characterised by a lack of colour which isn't conducive to the required environment to support a positive recovery.

Colour psychology suggests that colours can impact our mood, with warm colours evoking feelings of happiness and cool colours having a calming effect. Introducing colour in a mental health environment will brighten up the area and possibly help service users feel more relaxed.

Due to the magnetic fixing, SafeArt is interchangeable. For example, if a trust bought six SafeArts with different images on each, they could rotate them to introduce new images to different areas.

Six sizes available 

Small: 305mm x 305mm or 457mm x 457mm

Medium: 610mm x 610mm or 610mm x 762mm

Large: 915mm x 915mm or 915mm x 1067mm

Our load release magnets

Many anti-ligature products utilise male couplings inserted into female couplings, which service users will try and jam with various items including tissue. Once jammed, the product will not work as intended and a ligature opportunity is created. On the other hand, magnets cannot be jammed, making them safer and more reliable.

The load release magnets can be found in most of the anti-ligature products in our YewdaleKestrel® range. Magnets are highly reliable because it takes hundreds of years for them to lose their strength. The short-range magnetic attraction ensures that pulling the magnet away from its fixing point will cancel out the force of the magnetic field, guaranteeing a release action.

To request your sample, book a visit from our show van or simply ask a question, please contact Grant at [email protected] or 01268 570900

View the full product details here

Did you miss the release of our new anti-ligature door?

We have released an updated version of our en-suite anti-ligature door, with a range of additional benefits for enhanced safety and functionality. SafeDoor 2 features load release magnets which ensure the door separates from the hinge if a downward load is applied. 

Our anti-ligature door is lightweight, thin and flexible, ensuring it does not pose a risk of self-harm, damage or injury if it detaches from the hinge. The image below shows SafeDoor 2 and SafeArt within a private room of a mental health facility.