1. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Insufficient space inside a rest room.
Poor design and positioning of fixtures and fittings.
Taps that are difficult to grip.
2. PLANNING PRINCIPLE
To provide sufficient accessible space inside rest rooms, with all fixtures and
fittings being within easy reach.
3. DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
3.1 General
 Turning circles of 1.50 m diameter are
recommended inside the rest room to allow for full-turn maneuvering of a wheelchair.
The ease of transfering from a wheelchair to
a toilet seat or bidet depends on the approach. In general there are four different
approaches:
(a) The parallel approach, which is the easiest (fig. 1);
(b) The diagonal approach, which is difficult (fig. 2);
(c) The perpendicular approach, which is also difficult (fig. 3);
(d) The frontal approach which is the most difficult and needs particular care (fig.
4).
3.2 Public rest rooms
In any public rest room, at least one
compartment for each sex should be accessible to an ambulant disabled person.
In any public rest room at least one unisex
com partment should be accessible to a wheelchair user.
Accessible rest rooms should be marked with
the international symbol of accessibility. No indication is needed if all rest rooms are
accessible.
Pivoted doors should open outward unless
sufficient space is provided within the toilet stall.
3.3 Special public rest rooms
Installation of a separate unisex unit is
always desirable in public buildings, even when all rest rooms are accessible, so as to
allow a disabled person to be assisted by an attendant of the opposite sex.
Special rest rooms should be marked with the
international symbol of accessibility but should not be the only accessible rest rooms.
A water-closet and a lavatory should be
provided within special rest rooms.
The size and layout of special rest rooms
should comply with the minimum requirements (fig. 5).
3.4 Residential rest rooms
Residential rest rooms include those in
private residences, health facilities, dormitories and other residential institutional
settings.
Residential bathrooms are usually equipped
with a toilet, a bidet, a wash-basin and a bath-tub or shower.
In multiple-rest-room arrangements (such as
dormitories):
(a) Only one wash-basin per rest room needs to be accessible; (b) At least one shower
stall and one toilet stall should be designed for a wheelchair user.
To save space in private occupancies:
(a) The tiled floor area adjacent to the tub can be used as a shower space; (b) The
wash-basin seat might be used as a seat during the use of the wash-basin or the hand
shower.
The size and layout of residential rest rooms
should comply with the minimum requirements (fig. 6).
3.5 Rest room fixtures
1) Water closets:
The size and layout of water-closets and
toilet stalls should comply with the minimum requirement (fig. 7) (fig. 8).
The height of the toilet seat should be
between 0.45 m and 0.50 m from the finished floor level. (1)
The distance between the center line of the
toilet seat and the adjacent wall, if provided with a grip bar, should be between 0.45 m
and 0.50 m.
Grab bars should be mounted on the wall
behind the water closet, if it is of the tankless type, and on the side wall closest to
the water closet, or mounted on the floor at the edges of the seat. (2)
Grab bars should be mounted at a height
between 0.85 m and 0.95 m from the floor.
Flushing arrangements and toilet paper should
be placed within reach at a height between 0.50 m and 1.20 m.
Accessible hand-operated flushing controls,
located on the open side of the water-closet, are recommended.
Wall-mounted water closets are recommended.
2) Lavatories:
The dimensions of lavatories should comply
with the minimum requirements (fig. 9).
The height of a wash basin should be between
0.80 m and 0.85 m above the finished floor level.
The distance between the center line of the
wash-basin and the adjacent side wall should at least be 0.45 m.
The wash-basin may be drawn forward from the
wall a distance between 0.15 m and 0.20 m.
No shelves must be located above the wash-
basin.
3)Bath-tubs:
In general bath-tubs are difficult to use by
those confined to a wheelchair without the help of an attendant.
The dimensions of bath-tubs should comply
with the minimum requirements (fig. 10).
The minimum dimensions of the bath-tub should
be 1.60 m x 0.70 m.
The height of the tub should be between 0.45
m and 0.50 m from finished floor level.
An in-tub seat or a seat at the same height
of the tub should be provided at the head side of the tub. (1)
A grab bar should be mounted on the wall
between 0.85 m and 0.95 m from the finished floor level. (2)
Tubs with a toe recess are recommended.
4) Showers:
The dimensions of showers should comply with
the minimum requirements (fig. 11) (fig. 12).
The shower should have a seat conveniently
positioned for the shower head at a height of 0.45 m and 0.50 m. (1)
The shower seat should be of the hinged
pull-down or removable type, not spring-loaded.
A grab bar should be placed on the wall
opposite the seat and around the back wall, mounted at a height between 0.85 m and 0.95 m.
Drain openings should be placed in a corner
of the stall so that slip-resistant rubber mats can be used.
The floor of the shower stall should not be
more than 20 mm below the level of the surrounding floor area.
The shower stall should have a beveled
threshold not exceeding 13 mm above the finished floor.
5) Bidets:
The dimensions of bidets should comply with
the minimum requirements.
The upper edge of the bidet should be between
0.45 m and 0.50 m from the finished floor level. (1)
The distance between the center line of the
bidet and the adjacent wall should be at least 0.45 m.
Wall mounted bidets are recommended.
6) Urinals: (fig. 13)
At least one accessible urinal should be
provided in public rest rooms.
Urinals should have a clear space on both
sides.
A full-length urinal is the most accessible.
Urinals with a protruding lip should be
mounted at a height of 0.45 m from the finished floor level.
3.6 Rest room door
The clear door opening should be at least
0.75 m with the door in the open position.
Doors should be lockable from inside and
releasable from outside under emergency situations.
Regardless of the door type, a handle should
be placed on the door from the inside to facilitate closing. Another handle should be
provided on the outside (see Doors).
3.7 Accessories
All accessories, such as soap, towel and
toilet paper dispensers, should be placed at a height between 0.50 m and 1.20 m from the
finished floor level.
3.8 Grab bars
Grab bars should be installed in
water-closets, bath-tubs and showers to assist disabled persons to use the facilities
safely and easily. (2)
Grab bars should have a diameter of 30 mm to
40 mm.
Wall-mounted grab bars should extent between
35 mm and 45 mm from the wall.
Grab bars should be firmly fixed with stand
loads and should have non-slip surfaces; knurled surfaces usually prevent slipping.
3.9 Mirrors
Mirrors should be suitable for use by both
standing and seated persons. Low mirrors or downward tilted mirrors can be used.
The bottom edge of mirrors should be located
at a maximum height of 1.00 m from the finished floor level (fig. 9).
3.10 Faucets
Single-lever mixing-type faucets, which are
easily operated by hand or elbow, are recommended. Faucets with push buttons are also
convenient.
The clearance between the grip of the tap and
any adjacent vertical surface should not be less than 35 mm.
The space between two taps should not be less
than 0.20 m.
The left tap should be connected to the hot
water supply.
Telephone fixtures with a cord at least 1.50
m long are recommended for use in showers and bath-tubs. These can be hand-held or fixed
at an adjustable height between 1.20 m and 1.80 m from the floor to suit all users.
3.11 Flooring
Rest rooms must not have doorsteps. The
gradient of the floor should be as low as possible.
Thresholds should be avoided. When
inevitable, the maximum threshold height should be 20 mm (see Doors).
Flooring materials should be skid-proof and
easy to clean.
The floor should be well-drained and provided
with adequate waterproofing.
3.12 Alarms
Rest rooms should be equipped with an alarm
system.
3.13 Pipes
All exposed hot water pipes should be
insulated or covered.
It is preferable that pipes be fitted in the
wall.
4. EXISTING CONSTRUCTIONS
4.1 Public rest rooms
For accessible buildings, at least one accessible unisex rest room should be provided
per facility (see Building Types).
4.2 Wate-closets
To obtain an accessible toilet combine two adjacent stalls by removing one water-closet
and the mutual partition, provided that the number of remaining fixtures is sufficient for
the floor population.
4.3 Urinals
Existing high urinals need not be replaced if accessible toilet fixtures are available.
One urinal per rest room can be lowered.
4.4 Rest room vestibules
For narrow vestibules, replace doors with
automatic door openers or use swing clear hinges.
Doors that restrict maneuvering space, should
be removed so long as this does not inhibit privacy.
4.5 Grab bars
If grab bars are not provided in the initial
construction, walls should be reinforced to withstand loads.
4.6 Accessories
Rest room accessories located at a maximum
height of 1.40 m need not be modified if they are accessible.
4.7 Mirrors
If existing mirrors are too high, they can be
tilted or a full-length mirror can be installed on another wall.
Notes:
(1) Toilet seats, bidets, shower seats and bath-tub seats are required to be mounted at
the same height of the wheelchair seat, i.e. between 0.45m and 0.50 m above floor level.
(2) Grab bars are manufactured in various dimensions and shapes. They can either be
wall-mounted or floor-mounted. Retractable bars are also available. |
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Fig.
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