Ligature Recessed Fire Extinguisher Cabinet

Anti-Ligature Recessed Fire Extinguisher Cabinet

An anti-ligature fire extinguisher cabinet holds a portable extinguisher without creating an anchor point that a person can tie to. This cabinet recesses into the wall cavity. The door carries no handle, the hinge sits inside the frame, and the lock sits below the door face. Checkpoint Group manufactures each unit in Australia to the wall cavity and project specification.

Anti-Ligature Design Requirements

The Australasian Health Facility Guidelines define anti-ligature design in HPU 131, Revision 2.0, published January 2024. A product must meet three conditions. It must be manufactured and marketed as anti-ligature or ligature resistant. It must be tested before installation or supported by a proven track record. It must be installed to the manufacturer's instructions.Installation controls the third condition. A cabinet packed out to sit proud of the finished wall face no longer meets it. A cabinet fixed into a wall build-up it was not detailed for no longer meets it either. Request the fixing detail for your wall type before lining, and keep it in the handover pack.The same guideline requires a documented risk assessment before product selection. Grade the risk zone by zone across the unit. Fittings then match the risk grade of each zone.

Ligature-Resistant Features

• Flush surround with no protruding lip or edge.
• Flat door face, supplied without a handle by default.
• Concealed full-length piano hinge with no exposed pivot points.
• Recessed key lock that secures the extinguisher against tampering.
• Recessed body, so the door sits level with the finished wall face.

Applications

• Mental health inpatient units and psychiatric wards.
• Forensic psychiatric facilities.
• Secure dementia and aged care wings.
• Juvenile justice and youth detention centres.
• Police custody suites and holding cells.
• Correctional facilities.
• Emergency department mental health observation areas.
• Drug and alcohol rehabilitation units.

AS 2444 Requirements Still Apply

AS 2444 governs the extinguisher inside the cabinet. Three requirements control the installation.

• Extinguisher base at least 100mm clear of the floor.
• Top of the extinguisher handle no higher than 1,200mm.
• Travel distance to an extinguisher within 15 metres for Class A risks, measured along the walking path.

Set the cabinet height from the extinguisher dimensions. AS 2444 also requires identification signage above the unit at 2 to 2.5 metres. In a consumer area, fix that sign rigidly, with concealed fixings and no lifting edge. Our AS 2444 selection and location guide covers the full placement rules.

Locking and Emergency Plan Requirements

The key lock prevents removal of the extinguisher for use as a weapon or projectile. Access then depends on a staff member with a key.Safe Work Australia requires an emergency plan to show the location of fire protection equipment, and to be reviewed after a refurbishment. A recessed lockable cabinet installed in a ward wall counts as a refurbishment. Update the evacuation diagram, record the key location, and cover both in the ward induction.

Specifications

• Custom made in Australia to your wall cavity and project specification.
• Recessed metal cabinet, anti-ligature design.
• Ligature-resistant surround and door.
• Heavy duty construction.
• Hinged door with full-length piano hinge.
• Approximate internal dimensions: H700mm, W360mm, D200mm. Other dimensions available.
• Powder coated in any Dulux colour.
• Houses one 2.5kg, 4.5kg or 9kg extinguisher, or a CO2 unit.
• Usually supplied with a key lock.
• Usually supplied without a door handle.
• Stainless steel model available for corrosive and wash-down environments.