Suicid prevention
Suicide prevention is a significant focus within mental health care and carceral institutions (also known as prisons). Individuals with psychiatric illnesses or conditions may attempt to end their lives. Annually, over 700 suicides occur within mental health institutions in the Netherlands, with about 195 severe suicide attempts reported each year. (Source: IGJ). In state and federal prisons across the United States, a total of 4,500 people died by suicide from 2001 to 2019. The number of suicides increased 83% over that period (Source: US Department of Justice).
In Belgian prisons, one in three deaths is a suicide, with a fifth occurring within the first month of detention, and one in ten in isolation cells. (Source: Favril 2017).
If a patient or inmate poses a danger to themselves, they may be moved to special rooms, such as a crisis room with camera surveillance or to solitary confinement, often referred to as “suicide watch” in the United States.
To prevent patients from harming themselves, special textiles are often used—fabrics that are nearly impossible to tear. This is also known as suicide prevention equipment.
Tear Resistant Bedding & Clothing
All kinds of facilities and departments are using tear resistant fabrics to protect their patients and inmates from harming themselves. Think about psychiatric institutions, penitentiaries, forensic clinics, closed wards, care facilities for the disabled, solitary confinement rooms, police cells and carceral institutions.
Are you also looking for tear-resistant fabric for your institution? You probably have already searched extensively and find it difficult to make the right decision. Manufacturers of tear-resistant materials are often using unfamiliar terms like Newtons, tensile strengths, tear strengths, fire standards, and various fabric specifications.
Combining these technical specifications leads to very different products. One tear-resistant gown is not the same as another.
This article provides clarity to help you choose the best items for your situation and clients.
Tear-resistant fabric, also known as seclusion or tear-proof fabric, prevents suicides and self-harm. Available options include gowns, t-shirts, shorts, blankets, pillows and even seclusion mattresses.
When ordering, consider these five key points:
1. What’s the tensile strength?
Tensile strength is measured by pulling the fabric in two directions until it breaks.
The required tensile strength depends on the user’s behavior, with higher strength needed for more aggressive behavior, such as 2000 Newtons.
2. What’s the tear strength?
Tear strength is crucial and often set at around 50 Newtons, which is low. For high-security areas, a tear strength of at least 150 Newtons is recommended.
In deze video zie je hoe de scheursterkte machinaal wordt getest als je volgens ISO 13937-2 zou testen (Trouser Specimen methode). Zoals je in de video kunt zien, is er altijd een ‘beginpunt’ om zo de treksterkte te bepalen.
Onze tip: bij high-security en psychiatrische afdelingen is de scheursterkte van cruciaal belang. Bij anti-scheur kleding en beddengoed (dekens, lakens, kussens) altijd naar materialen met scheursterktes van minimaal 200 Newton, oftewel 20 kg.
3. What’s the puncture resistance?
Puncture resistance is important to prevent users from making holes in the fabric, which can be used as a starting point to tear the fabric. This might not always be relevant to all facilities
4. Is it flame retardant?
Especially in psychiatric institutions and penitentiaries, the flame retardancy of the fabric is a strict requirement. Therefore, it’s always important to check if the fabric has undergone fire testing.
Is flame retardancy also important for your institution? Be sure to request the following from the manufacturer:
- A certificate of the fire test (it should come from an accredited lab).
- Always check if the fabric is inherently flame retardant. Sometimes a flame retardant coating is applied, which can wear off with frequent washing. If flame retardancy is a strict requirement, always choose tear-resistant textiles made from inherently and permanently flame retardant fabric.
5. Comfort of the fabric
In addition to tensile strength, tear strength and puncture resistance, it is also important to look at the fabric’s structure. This is because the materials used have a major impact on the comfort and longevity of the wearer. For example, fabrics can decrease in tear or tensile strength due to frequent washing. Therefore, you’ll always want to strike a balance between safety and comfort, and there are situations where you’ll have to compensate.
But that doesn’t mean you should be critical of the comfort piece.
For example, ask questions such as:
- Is the fabric woven (stiff texture) or knitted (soft texture)?
- Does the fabric have moisture-wicking capabilities (related to sweating)?
A fabric that feels comfortable can be de-escalating. If the fabric feels very stiff and rigid on the skin, a client may become even more restless. And that in turn can lead to dangerous situations. Keep in mind that knitted fabrics, in general, have a higher price tag, but also provide much more comfort for the wearer.
Anti Ligature Textiles from Tetcon
Tetcon’s assortment of suicide prevention equipment contains of all kinds of bedding and clothing items, including:
- Pillows
- Blankets
- Gowns
- T-shirts
- Shorts
- Seclusion mattresses
We offer these in two quality lines: Economy and Tricot Extreme. Each line has specific properties to suit different needs.
Our range is used in Western-Europe, Great Britain, USA, Canada, Australia, Middle-East and beyond.
Tetcon’s Suicide Prevention Equipment is also registered as medical device.
For more information, contact Tetcon.
