Creating safe, compliant and well-lit environments within Ministry of Justice (MoJ) facilities requires precision and the right lighting partner. Whether you’re working on a custodial refurbishment or a new build, every fitting must meet strict Ministry of Justice (MoJ) standards to ensure secure and ligature-resistant design.

At Light Years Ahead, we’ve supported numerous projects across secure environments, helping specifiers meet the stringent requirements of MoJ standards. Built in Britain at our dedicated East Anglia facility, our fittings are trusted nationwide across custodial and secure healthcare sectors.

The MoJ’s specifications set rigorous benchmarks for lighting within prisons and secure custodial facilities. These standards exist to ensure that luminaires are:

• Tamperproof and ligature-resistant to reduce self-harm and prevent misuse.
• Vandal-resistant and impact tested for long-term durability.
• Safe and compliant, tested to strict performance, flammability and safety criteria.
• Energy-efficient, with long-life LED technology and low maintenance requirements.

Our independently tested luminaires for standard cells are approved by HMPPS to STD/E/SPEC/021 and designed and manufactured on site in East Anglia. Each fitting is vandal-resistant, ligature-resistant and tested to BS EN 60598 for safety and durability.

Testing includes:

• Ligature resistance: Products are tested to ensure it is not readily possible to attach a ligature using a standard shoelace, string or strip of bed sheet, or to create anchor points using small metal objects.
• Impact testing: Repeated with a 20kg weight and implements such as a boot heel, broom handle or metal bed frame to verify resilience.
• Flammability and puncture testing: Applying heat from a lighter or matches for 30 seconds, followed by puncture attempts using a pen or pencil, and abrasion testing with a 10mm coach bolt.

Specification highlights:

• Approved by HMPPS ( MoJ) to STD/E/SPEC/021
• Vandal and ligature-resistant
• Efficient LED performance and tamper-resistant screws
• Independently tested for impact, ligature and puncture resistance
• Manufactured and tested to BS EN 60598
• Quality assurance: ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015

Our Safer Cell range is independently tested and approved by HMPPS to STD/E/SPEC/022, providing enhanced anti-ligature, vandal-resistant luminaires for environments where the highest level of safety is required.

Testing includes:

• Ligature resistance: Testing to ensure that no ligature can be readily attached using a shoelace or string, or by creating anchor points with wire or metal objects, performed using a 20kg weight.
• Impact testing: Various implements including a steel-toecap boot, broom handle and metal bed frame to ensure structural integrity, the ligature testing is then repeated after impact testing.
• Flammability and puncture testing: Heat applied for 90 seconds, followed by puncture attempts with a coach bolt (M10x150mm) and abrasion testing for up to eight minutes.

Specification highlights:

• Approved by HMPPS (MoJ) to STD/E/SPEC/022
• Anti-ligature and vandal-resistant
• Efficient LED performance and tamper-resistant screws
• Independently tested for impact, ligature and puncture resistance
• Manufactured and tested to BS EN 60598
• Quality assurance: ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015

It is important to note that whilst no approval is required for light fittings used in areas outside of cells that they should meet the following for compliance to MoJ standard STD/E/SPEC/018.

• Luminaires in any area accessible to prisoners or defendants and any unsupervised areas accessible to prisoner visitors (such as toilets and baby changing facilities) shall be vandal resistant with impact resistance of at least IK10 and tamper-resistant exposed fixings.
• In areas where prisoners or defendants may spend periods of time alone in unsupervised or intermittently supervised conditions such as all types of cells/holding rooms, toilets/shower recesses, and interview room and any other place where a prisoner may spend periods alone, the electrical system shall be so installed as to minimise the likelihood of suicide attempts, either, by electrocution, by providing materials that would assist a suicide attempt, or by providing positions for the attachment of a ligature
• In the case of other intermittently supervised areas, such as classrooms, workshops, or circulation routes, where multiples of prisoners will be present and it will not be reasonably possible for a prison officer or instructor to keep them all under constant supervision at all times shall comply with the requirements for vandal resistance and tamper resistance stated above.

Whether you’re specifying for standard or safer cells, our luminaires deliver performance and compliance. Every product is built for reliability to offer easy installation, long service life and peace of mind that your design meets MoJ requirements.

Why Choose Light Years Ahead

Built in Britain: Full design and manufacturing control from our East Anglia facility.
Approved and tested: Independently verified to MoJ standards STD/E/SPEC/021 and STD/E/SPEC/022.
Trusted nationwide: Installed across secure custodial, mental healthcare and public sector environments.
Sustainable design: Long-life LED efficiency, recyclable materials and ISO-certified production.

Ready to specify MoJ-compliant lighting?
Get in touch with our team for technical data, photometric file or project support.

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