Sometimes pushed aside as an afterthought, furnishing a facility has further reaching effects than what you may think, and choosing the wrong furniture may actually end up costing your facility down the line! Choosing the right furniture, however, can enhance your facility, from entrance to exit.
By not installing anti-ligature furniture, your facility may be missing out on some of the following benefits:
Safety is the number one priority in facilities that house vulnerable populations, such as behavioral healthcare and correctional facilities. Without the installation of anti-ligature furniture, these facilities miss out on major, and potentially lifesaving, safety features.
By design, anti-ligature furniture removes any points where rope, cord, bedsheets, or other materials could be tied down as a way to cause harm to oneself, or others. Anti-ligature furniture pieces feature rounded corners to further enhance resident and staff safety. Popular manufacturing methods for anti-ligature furniture, such as compression molding the furniture in one piece, ensures the furniture cannot be broken to either be used dangerously or conceal contraband.
The installation of anti-ligature furniture throughout the facility gives staff members a sense of peace of mind and ease, that other furniture options cannot provide.
Staff members rely on the safety features of anti-ligature furniture to keep residents safe, even when they may not be under constant supervision. This is especially helpful in areas such as resident rooms, which tend to have less staff supervision than the common areas in a facility.
Additionally, anti-ligature furniture manufactured from FRP composites is very easy to clean and maintain, removing the pressure on staff members to maintain any intensive cleaning procedures.
The rigid look and feel of traditional institutional furniture can leave residents feeling uncomfortable and on-edge, leading to increased feelings of isolation and anxiety.
Installing anti-ligature furniture, however, helps to put residents at ease! The comfortable look and feel of anti-ligature furniture creates a more at-home feeling, allowing residents to be more perceptive to healing and rehabilitation. The overall comforting effect of anti-ligature furniture contributes to a more calming feeling throughout the facility.
Choosing not to install anti-ligature furniture will cost your facility the return on investment.
Traditional institutional furniture breaks down over time, which not only causes a safety concern but requires expensive repairs or replacement. Plastic molded anti-ligature furniture, however, is more durable than traditional furniture, removing the need for maintenance and replacement, ensuring a true return on investment. Without the need for replacement, your facility will only have to pay installation costs once and avoid disposal costs entirely.
