Page 18 of Design for our future selves 2001 Awards by Helen Hamlyn Research Centre - Royal College of Art

16 Christopher Wattam/Industrial Design Engineering freelock emergency access doorlock 80 per cent of fatal accidents in the home involve people over 65 and nearly half of these are falls. Freelock acts as a normal bolt ensuring privacy, but in the case of an emergency, such as a fall in the bathroom, access is quickly gained by a carer or relative, by means of a resettable snap fitting mechanism. The force required has been calculated to prevent accidental opening whilst allowing the door to be forced without any damage to the door or the frame. The everyday operation of the bolt takes the needs of older users into account whilst appealing through its shape and action to a wide audience.

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