Toby Staff, Director at Newstar Door Controls, talks about the importance of combining safety and security and how Cubelock Triple Lock Window Restrictors with Safe Lock Action offer fabricators and installers a proven system to tackle these issues.

 

Window safety

 

There are still too many injuries and deaths caused by people falling from windows in the UK. Whether it’s people falling accidentally, falls arising out of a confused mental state, or deliberate self-harm, it’s clear that window safety needs to be improved to keep people safe.

 

Accidental falling affects a bigger number of children. Every parent wants their children kept safe, so it makes sense to ensure that risks are eliminated. The easiest way is to install a window restrictor. The name explains what they do, they are designed to stop windows opening beyond a certain point. It’s normally 100mm which means that the window can be used for ventilation but can’t open wider for a child to fall out.

 

Requirements in healthcare buildings are greater because the risk of people falling from windows is much higher. When people are in pain or have mental health issues, or are confused, keeping them safe is harder. They may be determined to open the window, and that’s why window restrictors must be even more robust. The Health Building Notes Part D, published by The Department of Health (DOH) in December 2013, cited that one patient, reportedly in a confused state following major surgery, was able to break the window restrictor, fell and died. Worryingly the report highlighted that window restrictors may be inadequate in preventing a determined effort to force a window open beyond 100mm restriction.

 

After reading this report and with our experience of the products, we considered risks to people to be in three areas. The first from the window being forced, that’s why all Cubelock window restrictors are tested to BS EN 13126-5:2011 to 500N. We also designed a fixed window restrictor without keys, this patented product is regularly specified for hotels, social housing and hospitals where no wider access is given.

 

Secondly, people from the inside can attack the locking mechanism, Cubelock Triple Lock is designed to make success unlikely. Finally, once the locking mechanism is broken while conventional restrictors fail open, Cubelock Triple Lock has Safe Lock Action, which fails closed.

 

We understand the risks highlighted by health professionals, and that products going into the health care buildings need greater levels of performance. Cubelock window restrictors were first designed in response to these findings specifically for use in hospitals but also offer enormous benefits to all users.

 

We reviewed the design and saw there were places we could make it better. Today we have a range of products to suit all different situations, but the inherent strength is the one thing that’s included across the board. We wanted to ensure the highest standards were applied to the Cubelock range of products.

 

The smart cube design on the window restrictors looks good too. It’s a great reminder that if there’s a cube, it means the special Safe Lock action is included. What Safe Lock Action means is that if anyone tries to break the lock from either inside or outside, it will break in the locked position – so it won’t open. And that ensures that no one can fall out – and no one can break in.

 

That’s why Cubelock Triple Lock does not just rely on BS EN 13126-5:2011, we go further. Window restrictors aren’t all the same and the Cubelock range is designed to suit all security demands and budgets. Most homeowners want to know that when they have new windows installed that their loved ones are safe. Choosing Cubelock, gives them that extra sense of security.