The recently published 26th edition of the New York State Office of Mental Patient Safety Standards Guidelines has recommended the use of our SWITCH Anti-Barricade Door System as an anti-barricade strategy for new construction and renovation projects at NYS-OMH’s state-operated inpatient hospitals.
While providing privacy for patients, there becomes an inherent risk that a door can be misused and utilized as a tool in a barricade situation which causes danger to both the patient and staff. Traditional solutions to barricade situations often result in permanent damage, such as use of force, or a delay in accessing the patient, such as cumbersome override tool kits.
The revolutionary SWITCH Anti-Barricade Door System functions as a standard door, however in the event of a barricade situation it provides quick and easy access to the patient while protecting staff by keeping them safe in the ‘Green Zone’ at all times.
When a barricade situation occurs, the patented SwitchHinge mechanism can be simply unlocked by a member of staff, which retracts to allow the door to move away from the closing side – at all times keeping the staff in the safe zone on the hinge side with entry in less than 2 seconds. Unique to Kingsway Group, our SWITCH Anti-Barricade Door System comes as a complete and certificated package with many vision panel and ligature resistant hardware options available to suit the specific project requirements.
