What is the difference between a Controlled Drug and a Medicine Cabinet?
Simply put - It is down to the security of the cabinet and its ability to resist being forced open. This directly impacts the drugs that can be legally stored in the cabinet, i.e. schedule 2 drugs such as opiates have to be kept in a controlled drug cabinet.
Drug and medicine cabinets manufactured to British standard 2881:1989 (level 1) are required to be able to:
- Not be removed from the wall by a downward static force of 980Na in the centre of the top face.
- Not be removed from the wall by a horizontal static force of 590Na in the centre of a side face.
- To withstand an attack from a table knife for a period of 5 minutes in an attempt to remove the door or remove the drug and medicine cabinet from the wall.
- Withstand an attack from a smoker’s butane filled lighter with no ignition or melting sufficient to form a hole.
A Controlled Drugs Cabinet is significantly different to a medicine/drug cabinet in several key ways. The Misuse of drugs (safe custody) regulations 1975 state that a controlled drug cabinet must meet/exceed British standard 2881:1989 (level 1) but also be significantly reinforced and more difficult to gain unwanted access.
Some additional features are listed below:
- Minimum 1.6mm thick steel sheet used in construction.
- The clearance between the door and jam must not be greater than 3mm.
- Door lock of at least 5 levers and to have at least 1000 key differs (different combinations).
- Two locks must be fitted if the door height exceeds 914mm.
- Internal anchor plates of 3mm thick steel and a surface area of 19355 sq/mm over each wall fixing point.
- Cabinet must be of fully welded construction.
- Label fitted to inside of door displaying manufacturer name and other specific information as detailed in the act.
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