Specifying Stainless Fixtures for Custodial and High-Risk Facilities

Custodial fa­cil­i­ties, police stations, mental health units and some public amenities need fixtures that can withstand de­lib­er­ate damage, can't easily be tampered with and reduce the risk of harm. Stainless steel is the usual material. The details of design and spec­i­fi­ca­tion make the dif­fer­ence.

This article covers practical con­sid­er­a­tions. It doesn't replace the facility's own risk as­sess­ment, design guide­lines or spe­cial­ist advice.

Why high-risk fa­cil­i­ties are different

In most buildings, fixtures are designed for normal use. In high-risk fa­cil­i­ties, they also have to account for:

• De­lib­er­ate damage: fixtures may be kicked, struck or pried
• Tampering: exposed fixings, plumbing and fittings can be removed or misused
• Self-harm risk: gaps, edges and fixtures can create hazards
• Hygiene: fixtures must be easy to clean thor­ough­ly
• Main­te­nance: staff need safe, secure access for servicing

Prin­ci­ples for fixture selection

1. Conceal what can be concealed: plumbing, wastes and fixings
2. Use robust materials and con­struc­tion, such as stainless steel of ap­pro­pri­ate thickness and grade
3. Use tamper-resistant fittings and secure fixings
4. Remove gaps and hazards where the risk as­sess­ment requires it
5. Design for main­te­nance, with secure access panels for au­tho­rised staff
6. Consider the whole room: fixtures, rails, drains and finishes together

Security basins

The SMC SWB1 security hand basin is designed for health­care, custodial, lab­o­ra­to­ry and public washroom ap­pli­ca­tions (details). Features include:

• A tamper-proof design with a security waste outlet
• A removable access panel in the base for main­te­nance
• Rear fixings to suit the ap­pli­ca­tion
• The option of tapware supplied and pre-plumbed
• Grade 304 or 316, with 2B, brushed or bead-blast finish

Pre-plumbing reduces the work needed on site, which helps in secure fa­cil­i­ties where site access is con­trolled.

Grab rails and ac­ces­si­bil­i­ty

Ac­ces­si­ble fa­cil­i­ties are still needed in high-care settings, and rails need to be designed for them. SMC's GRAS anti-ligature grab rail closes the space between the rail and the wall (details). GRAS rails are made to measure in length, diameter and shape, with optional non-slip finishes.

For general ac­ces­si­ble fa­cil­i­ties, the GRAM­BU­LANT ambulant grab rail complies with AS 1428 for use in an ambulant persons WC, with a large 38mm diameter rail for easier grip and clip-on flange covers that conceal the fixings (details).

Always confirm the rail con­fig­u­ra­tion against the facility's risk as­sess­ment and design guide­lines.

Drainage and other fixtures

High-risk fa­cil­i­ties also need robust drainage. Channel drains such as the SMC CD1 can be supplied with security lock-down fixings for the grate (details). Stainless urinals, WC pans and cisterns are available, including WaterMark-certified families (cer­ti­fi­ca­tions).

Working with the man­u­fac­tur­er

High-risk projects benefit from early en­gage­ment:

• Share the risk as­sess­ment and design guide­lines early.
• Check the datasheet and DWG on each product page for fixings, gaps and access.
• Use made-to-measure options (length, diameter, grade, finish) on SMC product pages. For one-off fab­ri­ca­tion from your own drawing, talk to OPIE Man­u­fac­tur­ing Group.
• Plan in­stal­la­tion to suit site security pro­ce­dures.

OPIE Man­u­fac­tur­ing Group, which man­u­fac­tures SMC Stainless, is reg­is­tered on JOSCAR-AU and operates under an ISO 9001 quality system. OPIE also man­u­fac­tures for defence and secure fa­cil­i­ties across its brands.

Fre­quent­ly asked questions

Can SMC customise fixtures for a specific facility's guide­lines? Many SMC catalogue fixtures offer made-to-measure di­men­sions and options. For a one-off fixture from your own drawing, speak to OPIE Man­u­fac­tur­ing Group.

Are security basins suitable for public washrooms? Yes. The SWB1 is designed for health­care, custodial, lab­o­ra­to­ry and public washroom ap­pli­ca­tions.

Do GRAS rails meet a specific anti-ligature standard? Confirm re­quire­ments with your facility's design guide­lines and risk as­sess­ment. SMC's GRAS design encloses the space between rail and wall, and our team can discuss your project's specific re­quire­ments.

Can drains be secured against tampering? Yes. The CD1 channel drain can be supplied with security lock-down fixings for the grate.

Who should be involved early? The architect, health or custodial planner, hydraulic con­sul­tant, builder and the facility operator.

Planning a custodial or mental health facility? See fixtures for secure fa­cil­i­ties and request a spec­i­fi­ca­tion and quote on each product page.