Health Building Note 14-02
Health Building Note 14-02 – Medicines storage in clinical areas
Health Building Notes (HBNs) give best practice guidance on the design and planning of new healthcare buildings and on the adaptation/extension of existing facilities. In this post we focus HBN 14-02 and on the guidelines for medicine and controlled drug storage.
Construction of Medicines Cupboards
The written standards state that metal cupboards need to be provided for the storage of medicines. This is to ensure compliance with BS 2881, however this does not include patients’ bedside medicines storage and automated drug dispensing cupboards. The regulations go on to state that the locks should comply with BS 3621. In addition, keypads, biometric access (for example, fingerprint recognition), electronic keys or swipe cards can be used to open medicines cupboards where appropriate. It is also stated that locks can be suited so they operate from the same key.
BS 2881
This is the standard for all medicine cabinets in healthcare premises. All our medicine cabinets confirm to this standard and are made from mild steel construction, powder coated. They are also double skinned, as specified in HBN14-02.
HBN 14-02 Compliant Medicine Cabinets
All our medicine / drug cabinets conform to BS2881:1989 Level 1, as specified in HBN14-02.
Generic Cabinet Features:
- 0.9mm mild steel, welded construction
- BS2881:1989 compliant
- BS3621:1998 complaint 6-pin euro profile cylinder lock with 3 keys
- Hygienic and tough white powder coated finish
- Height adjustable inner shelving
- In Stock for next day dispatch, please see our delivery information for more.
- Bespoke manufacturing option available
HBN 14-02 and Controlled Drugs Storage
Its is with controlled drugs storage that things start to get slightly more complicated. Although the Misuse of Drugs “Safe Custody Regulations” 1973 are the regulations for the storage of controlled drugs, HBN14-02 makes little mention of them. Although the initial section introduction does mention “For the legal position or minimum standard on facilities requirements for storage of controlled drugs, see the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973 and the Department of Health’s (2007) ‘Safer management of controlled drugs: a guide to good practice in secondary care (England)’.” This covers all our controlled drugs cabinets. However they go further to state that all controlled-drug cupboards should meet the “silver level” outlined in Sold Secure Standard (SS) 314 – ‘Specification for security cabinets’, or BS 2881 Security Level 2. To this extent, we have designed a range of HBN14-02 compliant controlled drugs cabinets.
BS2881:1989 Level 2 Controlled Drugs Cabinets
To meet the requirements of HBN14-02 we have designed a series of level 2 compliant cabinets:
Cabinet Standards:
The below are British Standards and legislation this controlled drug cabinet conforms to.
- The Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Act 1973
- BS2881:1989 (Security Level One) Specification for Cupboards for the Storage of Medicines in Health Care Premises
- Designed to conform to BS2881:1989 (Security Level Two) Specification for Cupboards for the Storage of Medicines in Health Care Premises
- BS3621 anti-pick & drill, key retaining six pin cylinder lock (supplied with 3 keys)
Controlled Drugs Cabinet Specification:
- Constructed from 3.0mm thick cold reduced mild steel sheet.
- 6mm thick anchor plates at all fixing points.
- 0.9mm thick internal walls and door skin.
- Fully welded construction.
- Anti-Jimmy folded return down full length of hinge side of door.
- A 1.5mm thick mild steel continuous hinge.
Controlled Drugs Cabinet Lock Cylinder Specification:
- Standard Cylinder on HBN RKL models
- ABLOY NOVEL Cylinder
- Patented cylinder and key structure in the UK and Ireland which can not be easily replicated
- Patented feature is AWS, Anti-Wear- System. AWS is an arrangement in the cylinder and key, which minimizes the effect of wear to the cylinder operation
- Two-way operation of cylinder
- Strictly-controlled key duplication
- Reinforced plastic key bow with new design
- Replication of keys and key cutting is strictly controlled, as they can only be created with a related keycard at an authorized Abloy Centre.
Controlled Drugs Cabinet Mortise Deadlock Specification:
- Hardened steel mortise bolt with anti-saw facility incorporated in cabinet design.
- 14mm deadbolt throw.
