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Office of Mental Health

Patient Safety Standards Guidelines

Patient Safety Standards, Materials and Systems Guidelines

Before Using This Manual, Please Be Aware of the Following Disclaimers.

  • Installation of these or any other products will NOT eliminate all risks of suicide or injury.
  • OMH does not endorse any product or manufacturer of products.
  • OMH does not guarantee or assume any responsibility whatsoever for the performance of any product.
  • OMH does not provide, and specifically disclaims, any representations or warranties for any of the products discussed in the guidelines.
  • OMH has not evaluated all products in the market in any category for any of the purposes for which the products in these guidelines might be used.
  • The absence of a product from these guidelines does not indicate that the product is unsafe or unacceptable.
  • OMH has made reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of the information in these guidelines as of the date of the guidelines.
  • Users of the guidelines should consult other reliable sources to determine if there is any information after the date of these guidelines regarding newly identified risks, product recalls or other information relevant to the use of the products in the guidelines or similar products.

This Guidance* provides a selection of materials, fixtures, and hardware reviewed by OMH. The guidelines further our goal of reducing the risk of harm to individuals while in inpatient settings.

Use of any of these products is not mandatory. OMH can review products identified by hospitals for inclusion in future editions.

It is the hospital's responsibility to ensure that the selected equipment is:

  • installed correctly
  • operates properly
  • routinely maintained

OMH supports a comprehensive approach to patient harm reduction on psychiatric inpatient units. This includes:

  1. Completion of patient risk assessments.
  2. Completion of physical plant risk assessments.
  3. Ongoing staff training to ensure their awareness of potential risks on the unit.
  4. Installation of risk reduction products in patient bathrooms, bedrooms and other high-risk areas.
  5. Routine inspections of psychiatric units to ensure safety levels.

Please Note: The disclaimers on this page must go with any (full or partial) copy of these guidelines that are downloaded, distributed, or publicly posted, whether electronic or hardcopy.

* If you have questions or accessibility issues with the previous documents, please contact the Bureau of Inspection and Certification.