The way we lead our daily lives has changed considerably over the last few decades. From emerging and converging new technology – smartphones and smart watches to the frenetic development of mass air travel, the way we live has been truly transformed. But this has also led to the need for more security measures to keep us safe with more specialist features built into almost every product

The introduction of stricter health and safety laws has also led to the increasing use of Security Fasteners which manufacturers are designing into their products to lessen any potential health and safety risks by reducing the ability for the product to be tampered with. These components now play a fundamental role in ensuring the safety of children’s playgrounds, public transport systems, such as the London Underground, sporting venues, street furniture and in vehicles. 

The forever playground: making our future generation safer

The importance of playgrounds and play areas is for children to have fun and learn in a safe environment. Securing various play structures such as: swings, roundabouts, seesaws, slides, jungle gyms, spring rides and trapeze rings is paramount, not just so that they’re tamper resistant, but also in terms of maximising safety.

Over the last 20 years playgrounds have changed – largely gone are the heavy metal and often rickety frames of the past. Now, play areas feature safer structures built with plastic, but even the newer models can still be unsafe, if they’re not securely fastened.

The cost to authorities can be enormous if playgrounds are tampered with, not just financially – where a playground can easily cost more than £3,000 to replace if equipment is stolen, but it can have a devastating cost to a parent  if a child is seriously injured playing on unsafe equipment and any resulting litigation costs. This in turn can deeply affect the community – no one will feel safe letting their children play in a playground where the equipment may be dangerous. It ruins parents’ confidence in their community and in the local council.
 
+ Theft & tampering of equipment
+ Increases the cost to maintain, repair & replacing equipment
+ Leads to faulty equipment which leads to injury
+ Potential litigation
+ Can result in the council or operators closing service due to budget or health & safety risk
= Loss of essential service to community / knock on effect community less active, less healthy & less happy
 
‘Protect our much-loved public places, or we will lose them!’
 
Unsafe playground equipment is a more common occurrence than many parents realise, often due to manufacturer negligence in design or assembly. The Royal Society of the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) claims more than 40,000 children in the UK each year have had to receive hospital treatment due to playground-related injuries.

The most common injuries from tampered playground equipment: 

• Cuts from exposed metal on slides
• Falls from swings with defective chains
• Injuries from equipment with missing pieces
• Abrasions or puncture wounds from exposed bolts, nuts and screws

Children’s safety does not depend solely upon the initial design of the play area and the selection of equipment. Playground Managers may be sued for negligence if they fail to take reasonable care to ensure their playgrounds are safe.

There is no specific legal responsibility to provide inspection and maintenance programmes of playgrounds but it is recommended by the Department for National Heritage and the Welsh Office, the British Standards Institute, the Health and Safety Executive, Insurers and RoSPA. 

The development of mass air travel, smartphones and other technology has completely transformed the way in which we live, including the need for security features to be incorporated into almost every product around us

Safeguarding against theft, vandalism and tampering is an increasingly essential part of many design specifications as the impact of global theft within the public sector can prove very costly. Easy targets for terrorism, vandalism and petty theft include: public transport, football stadiums, vehicles, public lighting, hotels, CCTV and prisons.

Security Fasteners are used when it is important that the enclosed components cannot be tampered with or the structures easily removed, if at all, by anyone other than a specialist technician – as they are often protecting expensive or function-critical electrical components. By implementing security and tamper-resistant engineering right at the beginning of the product development phase, we can ensure we are doing all we can to contribute to a safer and more secure world.

Going Underground: safe and secure travelling

When it comes to public transport systems, such as the London Underground, securing various safety-critical items like control panels, benches, lighting and train handrails is important. With approximately five million people using 270 stations of the London Underground network daily, coupled with an increase in crime and threats of terrorism; if any of these fastenings were able to be tampered with, there may be a significant threat to the health and safety of commuters. 

Going for gold: security fixtures in sporting venues

Regardless of the event, the priority of a stadium or arena is the health and safety of attendees and staff. Sports venues in the UK are some of the safest in the world and reported injuries are relatively low. But major venues such as the London (Olympic) Stadium still need and use a wide variety of security fixings to protect the property and the public. For instance to ensure that roofing, seats, railings and similar structural elements are secure and won’t lead to injuries such as crushing.

For the drive of your life: vehicle security

Security Fasteners have also become increasingly used in the automotive sector; from securing seat belt fixings, to roof racks, to airbags and structural systems. Seat belts are probably the most important part of the interior of the vehicle that can save someone’s life or prevent them from serious injury in a collision. It goes without saying, if seat belt fastenings aren’t secure, the passenger or driver is in serious danger. In August 2018, almost 30,000 cars from two European car manufacturers were recalled because their seat belts could open at high speeds.

Illuminating the way: securing street lighting and signs

Security Fasteners on public roads are used to secure illuminated signs, bollards, central island beacons, zebra crossings, and school crossing patrol warning lamps which are all important for the safety of drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

The Government sets clear objectives with respect to reducing traffic accidents within England. And studies have shown that good highway lighting can reduce the number of night time road accidents thus increasing safety for road users by 30%.

It is therefore important to ensure that traffic sign equipment is fully operational and tamper-proof to provide drivers, pedestrians and cyclists with clear signing, direction and information. 

Not only do Security Fasteners protect against theft and improve health and safety aspects, they are also used due to their discreet appearance. Unlike standard fastenings, Security Fasteners can have more of a subtle look, and can be designed with the products aesthetics in mind

This means high-end environments can be kept safe whilst still looking good. For example, the Science Museum in London uses Security Fastenings on its valuable exhibits, as they do not deteriorate the look of the item which they are securing.

They are often also used on badges and plaques, designer playgrounds and works of art that are in public places. For example, the Shear Nuts & Bolts have a hexagon part which shears off at a predetermined torque, leaving a smooth, permanent finish.

Available in a range of sizes, these fasteners can be used across product types and variations and be adjusted to specific environments or requirements. By implementing security and tamper-resistant engineering right at the beginning of the product development phase, we can ensure we are doing all we can to contribute to a safer and more secure world.

TR launches new Security Fastener to protect medical equipment from criminals

A new range of Security Fasteners has been launched to prevent offenders from stealing or tampering with equipment in hospitals and other medical centres.

The innovative 5-Lobe Pin from TR Fastenings is the first complete range of Security Fasteners made from corrosion-resistant A4-70 stainless steel - the preferred material for all applications across the health and medical sector because of its non-reactive qualities. The fastener’s five-sectioned screw head means that it can only be undone by someone with specialist tools, preventing its removal by an opportunist criminal.

A report by the think tank Parliament Street [page 4] last year revealed that suspected thefts of electrical equipment from NHS sites had increased by 33% over a three-year period. Among the items taken were cameras, computers, laptops and monitors. The losses caused not only disruption to care and extra cost to the NHS but also concerns that patient data security could be compromised.

Meanwhile, in March this year it was revealed that staff had to take urgent action after vandals were able to damage the main oxygen supply for Rotherham Hospital [source: Rotherham Advertiser 10/3/20].

TR Fastenings components are used in medical equipment, ventilators, defibrillators, furniture including hospital beds, lighting and electrical points and signage.

Fastenings for medical equipment are made with corrosion-resistant A4-70 stainless steel. The durability of the high grade material means that components need to be replaced less often and that equipment is easier to clean and maintain.

Paul Standing, Products Manager at TR Fastenings, said: “It’s vital that medical staff have the confidence that when they need a piece of equipment it is where it should be.

“Our new 5-lobe Pin fasteners provide a strong line of defence to prevent opportunist thieves and vandals from stealing or interfering with equipment that could be the difference between life and death for patients.”

The 5-Lobe Pin is rated as a level 2 enhanced security product and can be supplied with button or countersunk heads in either Machine Screws or Self Tapping Screws. A4-70 stainless steel is a high tensile strength stainless steel with excellent corrosion resistance making it perfect for both internal and external applications.

It is used in the manufacture of medical surgical instruments and in the pharmaceutical industry where cleanliness is absolutely key - the addition of molybdenum to its composition provides the A4 grade with a greater level of corrosion resistance making it suitable for use in salt water environments, or certain chemical solutions.

Download our 5-Lobe Pin Flyer

TR launches new Security Fastener to prevent businesses becoming victims of crime

A new range of Security Fasteners has been launched to help businesses to cut the cost of being a victim of crime from their overheads.

The innovative 5-Lobe Pin from TR Fastenings is the first complete range of Security Fasteners made from corrosion-resistant A4-70 stainless steel - the perfect product for outdoor use, in particular in marine, health and medical sectors because of its non-reactive qualities. The fastener’s five-sectioned screw head means that it can only be undone by someone with specialist tools, preventing its removal by an opportunist criminal.

A report by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in October 2019 suggested that there are 3.8 million traditional crimes against businesses in the UK each year, the vast majority of them robberies, burglaries, thefts and acts of vandalism – an average of more than seven every minute, with each costing businesses an average of £3,340.

In July thieves dismantled and stole a 10m-long building in Hull, while in September a mobile sheep yard and sheep weighing equipment were stolen in North Yorkshire [sources: BBC 20/7/20 & Farming UK 10/9/20].

The Federation of Small Businesses report added that more than one in five business victims said they didn’t report their case, with many saying they were either too busy or were not even going to make an insurance claim.

Public sector organisations are also targeted. The think tank Parliament Street has estimated [page 4] that suspected thefts of electrical equipment from NHS sites has increased by 33% over a three-year period.

TR Fastenings components are commonly used in furniture including hospital beds, lighting and electrical points, signage, medical equipment, ventilators and defibrillators.

Fastenings made with corrosion-resistant A4-70 stainless steel do not degrade if they come into contact with salt water and other chemicals that have an impact on other forms of steel. The durability of the high grade material means that components need to be replaced less often.

Paul Standing, Products Manager at TR Fastenings, said: “Opportunist thieves and vandals are always on the look out for an easy target so it’s vital that businesses have the right level of security to defend themselves and their property.

“Our new 5-lobe Pin fasteners provide a low-cost, long-lasting line of defence against intruders that could cut the amount of money businesses lose in thefts, damages, disruption and increased insurance premiums because of crime.”

The 5-Lobe Pin is rated as a level 2 enhanced security product and can be supplied with button or countersunk heads in either Machine Screws or Self Tapping Screws.

A4-70 stainless steel is a high tensile strength stainless steel with excellent corrosion resistance making it perfect for both internal and external applications.

It is used in the manufacture of medical surgical instruments and in the pharmaceutical industry where cleanliness is absolutely key - the addition of molybdenum to its composition provides the A4 grade with a greater level of corrosion resistance. Its composition means it is also perfect for use in marine environments.

Download our 5-Lobe Pin Flyer