Convex Institutional Mirrors are Essential - Here’s Why

In our latest post we look at the important role played by convex institutional mirrors in keeping people safe and secure in a wide range of establishments.

Safety and security in corrections facilities, prisons, courts, police stations and health care establishments is very challenging. These institutions have a duty-of-care for their inmates, patients and staff and therefore need to take every possible precaution to ensure people are safe and secure. Considerately deployed convex institutional mirrors play a vital role in maintaining high safety and security standards.

What are Institutional Mirrors?

Institutional mirrors are specifically designed for use in challenging environments such as prisons, psychiatric hospitals, police stations and courts. They are convex, wide angle mirrors that help eliminate blind spots, ensuring the safety of inmates, patients, visitors and staff. Carefully located mirrors enable people to see whether someone might be hiding behind a door, help avoid collisions and boost overall feelings of safety and security.

These wide angle mirrors are often installed between walls and ceilings in the corners of rooms, in corridors and at junctions in passageways. In a prison cell, for example, a quarter dome convex mirror enables staff to confirm the location of the occupant before entering. And at a junction in a busy passageway a carefully located convex mirror allows people to see who or what might be round the corner and avoid collisions.

What Does Anti Ligature Mean?

The term ‘anti ligature’ or ‘anti ligature hardware’ refers to products that are specifically designed not to offer the potential use of ligatures. A ligature is anything used to tie or bind objects together. Anti-ligature hardware is specifically designed to prevent someone from accidentally or intentionally self-harming using some form of ligature such as shoelaces or cable.

Key Features of Institutional Anti Ligature Mirrors

Anti-ligature institutional mirrors are designed, tested and approved to meet stringent Home Office regulations. They are made from either tough, shatterproof polycarbonate or polished stainless steel and never made from glass.

Polycarbonate mirrors are capable of withstanding bumps and knocks and have a very high heat resistance. Highly polished stainless steel institutional mirrors are totally unbreakable making them the ideal choice for environments where vandalism is a risk.

Both polycarbonate and stainless steel institutional mirrors feature strong, rigid steel frames designed to be firmly bolted to walls and ceilings using appropriate, tamper-proof fixings.

Importantly, institutional mirrors provide crisp, clear reflected images of the spaces in which they are installed, improving surveillance and enhancing safety and security.

Types of Institutional Anti-Ligature Mirror

There are primarily four types and designs of institutional mirrors.

Quarter dome mirrors are designed to be installed in corners, between two walls and a ceiling. They offer a wide angle view of the environment in which they are installed and are typically used in treatment rooms, cells and at corner junctions in corridors.

Half dome anti ligature institution mirrors are designed to be fitted between a wall and ceiling. This wide angle convex mirror design might be used in the middle of a wall to provide a view to both the left and right of the mirror.

Ceiling dome convex mirrors are designed to be bolted directly to ceilings, providing an all round, wide angle view of the space in which they are installed.

And wall dome convex mirrors are similar to ceiling dome mirrors, but specifically designed to be flush-bolted to walls. They provide 3-way, wide-angle reflections that enhance safety and security in a wide range of environments including subways, schools, hospitals and prisons.

Why Institutional Mirrors are Essential

Sadly, attacks on prison guards are very common. NHS staff, workers at youth custody centres and even teachers are also often at risk of attack. And violence between inmates, patients and students is also a common risk.

Unobtrusive, convex institutional mirrors boost safety and security by eradicating blind spots and enabling people to see what or who is in a space before entering. Busy hospital environments, for example, where hard-working staff are pushing trolleys down congested corridors, benefit for the improved visibility provided by carefully located convex institutional mirrors.

Wide-angle convex institutional mirrors allow vulnerable patients and inmates in hospitals, prisons and secure environments, to be unobtrusively monitored to ensure their ongoing safety and security. And the anti-ligature design features mean there is no risk of someone self-harming by attaching a ligature to the mirror fixings.

Where Institutional Convex Mirrors are Used

As noted, institutional convex mirrors, approved by the Home Office, are used in a wide range of environments.

In prisons, these mirrors are used in prison cells, in corridors and passage ways and in communal spaces. They allow staff to keep a watchful eye over inmates without being overly intrusive. And mirrors in communal spaces, such as recreation rooms and refectories, help inmates feel more secure.

Courts and police stations also commonly use these mirrors in their holding cells. They allow staff to keep a watchful eye on the cell occupants who are often under a high level of stress and might be driven toward attempting to harm themselves.

Schools and colleges are also using these safety and security mirrors to boost student and staff safety and security. Considerately located convex mirrors, in corridors and communal spaces, enable staff to watch over their students without encroaching on privacy.

And robust, vandal-proof convex mirrors are increasingly used to boost traveller and pedestrian safety and security in subways. Eradicating blind spots and enabling travellers to effectively see around corners, avoids the potential for attacks.

Reviews

Here’s what one of our valued customers had to say about the half dome anti ligature mirrors we supplied.

Video

Watch this video to see how the robustness of high quality institutional mirrors is tested.

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