Deaths occurring during and/or in close proximity to physical restraint have been attributed to positional asphyxia. ‘the restriction of a person’s liberty of movement’ is an accepted short-term risk management strategy to keep individuals,staff and others from harm when a person exhibits aggressive and violent behavior. It is possible that, under certain circumstances, physical restraint may contribute to death 5 due to the imposition of a breathing restriction and subsequent cardiac stress (‘positional asphyxia’)