Posted By Descarte
I think a usefull starting point for you would be the Home office guidance on police building design. Though I cannot find a copy at work I did find this on the web from the department of health. Also you should consider the use of sound absorbant materials in wall construction to prevent noises being recorded on tapes from outside the room and conversations inside being heard out. (think we used a company called Soundsorba) Policy and proceedure of what to do in the even of an accident can be part covered in part by a suitable risk assessment covering most foreseable eventualities.
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Interview rooms
When designing interview rooms consider:

the selection of furniture and fittings which are difficult to use as weapons;
the ease with which staff can escape;
the provision of suitable alarm systems.

Security systems

There are several different types of systems which can be used to reduce the risk of violence to staff. The basic categories are:

monitoring/vigilance systems, such as CCTV
communication systems;
alarm systems.
If you are making decisions about security systems, you need to take into account:

the geographical spread of medium to high risk areas which need to be covered;
whether personal alarms are to be used, and by which staff;
who will monitor the system and respond in the event of an incident;
the design of the device and whether it is acceptable to the potential user;
arrangements for regular maintenance and repair
training requirements for proper use of the system.

Alarm Systems

A variety of types of alarm system are available:

fixed systems operated by panic buttons;
personal or 'shriek' alarms;
personal units linked to building alarm systems.
The choice of alarm system will depend on the nature of the workplace, the activities undertaken and the level of risk. All such systems need to be well maintained and regularly tested.

Panic button systems are hardwired systems operated by strategically placed buttons installed throughout the area where a threat exists. When they are activated an audible or visual alarm is triggered on a monitoring console, which shows the location of the attack. It is important that the software side of this is carefully thought through ie who monitors the monitor, what are their instructions (and what response time can be guaranteed to the 'victim'. One disadvantage of such systems is that unless there are lots of buttons, a member of staff under attack may not be able to reach one before being assaulted. And because access to switches is unrestricted service users may deliberately operate them causing false alarms. Of course, the risk of false alarms may be outweighed in some situations by the potential for other service users to call for assistance if an isolated worker is being attacked.

Personal alarms may be of the simple 'shriek' type or may form part of more complex systems. 'Shriek' alarms can help prevent some serious assaults. They need to be carried so that they are easy to reach in an emergency. However, a loud noise may not always deter an attack, and might aggravate an already potentially violent person. Such alarms are most effective in situations where other people may hear them and can respond, and where there is the possibility of a quick exit. They should be held near the assailant's head to stun him/her, and then run for it. Workers should always be made aware of the limitations of any equipment, and read the instructions.

More complex systems may be suitable in particularly high risk areas. They include personal alarms linked to fixed detection systems by infra-red or radio signals.

Posted By Simon White
I was involves back in 1980's when taped interview rooms were being set up in Police Stations as a requirement of PACE (Police & Criminal Evidence Act). I was employed as a mechanical services engineer, so I was involved mainly with the heating, ventilation & acoustics. I don't remember much about the security requirements.

I have been involved in the building and conversion of properties for a number of council customer service centres. They were generally fitted with alarm activation points on the floor or wall.

If they had a high risk customer, one of the centres had a special interview room. This had a fixed table across the whole width of the room. The member of staff had a door immediately behind them which they could lock after leaving.

If your local council has customer service centres, why not pop in for a nosey around?