Universal Washrooms: Making Bathrooms Accessible for Everyone
As society evolves and businesses evolve to become more inclusive, the adoption of universal washrooms has continued to grow. Many people will research the washroom facilities before deciding to go somewhere to ensure they feel safe and unencumbered. A universal washroom provides a safe space for everyone.
Inclusivity is spreading awareness, and as people become more accustomed to universal washrooms, they will become more prevalent and our community in general will become a safer space for all. Being recognized as a forward thinking business with a caring approach can go a long way in building a strong community foundation, attracting the best talent and larger client base.
In addition to inclusivity, a universal washroom provides a better and more efficient use of space, by reducing walls and allowing more space for individual stalls with only one designated area for sinks and washing facilities.
Understanding Universal Washrooms
A universal washroom is one that is accessible to all people, regardless of their gender, or their physical ability. It is an inclusive space that provides washroom facilities to everyone. These are becoming more and more popular in restaurants, on university campuses and other public spaces, like office complexes and gyms. According to the Real Estate and Facilities Management department of the City of Vancouver 15% of residents have some form of physical disability or mobility restriction, and a whopping 50% are affected by poor access to buildings on a regular basis.
Universal washrooms are barrier free, which allows access to those with a disability and ensures everyone feels comfortable and safe to enter and exit as they please. Most often there are sinks that are for everyone’s use and then individual stalls, at-least some of which have accessible functions such as automatic door openers that allow for people with disabilities to access them with ease. An accessible washroom must be large enough for someone in an assisted chair to enter, close the door and be able to maneuver inside comfortably. Slightly higher toilet seats allow for easier transition from a chair to the toilet itself, with the help of a grab bar. Sinks are also set slightly lower with accessibility in mind. The slight changes in height of the sink and the toilet seat do not hinder anyone else using the universal washroom.
Building washrooms with accessibility in mind in public and commercial spaces is essential. If you are in the process of building your business, it would be worthwhile to consider adding a universal washroom to your plans. Consultation with a professional contractor can ensure you meet the required specifications such as room size, sufficient door opening, appropriate fixtures, and additional accessibility items like grab bars. The image below shows to some of the minimum spec requirements when choosing fixtures for an accessible washroom.
– An accessible toilet must come equipped with a raised seat height of 17″-19″ (standard toilet seat height is 14″-15″)
– Grab bar height should be 30″ off the ground with the grab bar to be no shorter than 300mm or approximately 12″.
– Sink must be installed no higher than 34″ and have sufficient clearance underneath (as shown below) to allow for wheelchair access
Planning and Design Considerations
Consulting a professional architect or a seasoned local commercial construction company is essential when designing your universal washroom. By doing this you can ensure your facilities comply with City regulations and all equipment are installed correctly.
Detailed planning and consultation with construction experts can ensure that your business makes the most of its’ space. The location and placement of mirrors, sinks, the toilet, and grab bars are all important considerations and there are recommended specifications laid out for you by local city councils and regulatory bodies. There are many groups and foundations that are dedicated to making the lives of people with all abilities easier, they are a great resource for advice, ideas and recommendations. We will go into more detail about exact specifications further on in this blog post.
Hiring a Commercial Renovation Contractor
As you have probably learnt so far in this post, it’s going to be essential to hire a contractor who has experience in universal washroom construction. The nuances and regulations, sourcing appropriate materials and products and the careful planning and design can all be handled by an experienced professional. This isn’t to say you won’t have a say in the construction of your universal washroom, by having an open dialogue with the design team, they can help come up with a result that reflects your unique requirements and is also functional and compliant.
Finding a qualified contractor for your job means looking for experience and a willingness to consult on the design with you to get the most out of your project. Look for companies who also offer design services and will see the project through from beginning to end.
Any good construction contractor is willing to offer their time to discuss a project, offer a quote and give advice on the length of the project, and the limitations that your space may have. This service should take place before they are contracted to do the work. They should have a detailed history of previous jobs and be able to point you to successful completed projects, user reviews and have insight only gained from having done similar previous work.
Once you have decided that your commercial contractor and you have a good understanding and will work well together, it’s time to begin the design phase, it’s important to maintain open communication, express exactly what you want, what your budgetary limitations are and make any requests, particularly emphasizing the things you are flexible on and those that you simply cannot go without. Your contractor will work with you on these items and discuss the practicalities of any changes or any tweaking to the plans to come up with the best end result.
Material Selection and Finishes
If your universal washroom is going to open to the public then you are going to want to invest in materials and finishes that will stand the test of time, be durable and also compatible with the facilities’ needs.
Let’s start with flooring. Having floors that are easy to clean, water resistant and non slip are essential. Some preferred flooring materials include:
– Exposed sealed concrete with a graffiti resistant finish to make it non-slip
– Ceramic or porcelain tile
These are by far the most popular options when it comes to flooring, as they combine durability, water-resistance, and safety which are essential for high-traffic, public, and accessible spaces. It’s important to remember that millions of people slip and fall in the bathroom each year. As such, it’s extremely important to ensure you’re using a non-slip flooring option for your commercial bathroom to reduce risks to those visiting or working as a part of your team.
It’s recommended to install tiles or a similar waterproof option on the walls as well (at least 4′ or 5′) to aid with maintaining and cleaning the washroom facilities over time. The ability to wash the walls goes a long way in terms of creating longevity for these spaces. However, if you are planning to make washing a part of your maintenance protocol, you also need to ensure that there’s sufficient floor drainage installed throughout the space and the floors are sloped to drain.
Fixtures such as toilets, grab bars, faucets, vanities, and stall (if prefabricated) must all be ADA approved. Other items such as countertops, must be selected with longevity in mind. Typical options include laminate countertops, which are great for those on a budget, or quartz countertops for more of a high-end look and feel. For both options, we recommend rounded edges to avoid any risk of injury.
Fixtures and Accessories for Accessibility
Easy to use faucets with larger handles and simple motions are preferred and are placed within reach of someone in a wheelchair. Back support, and enough room to access the toilet from the front are considerations that need to be made.
Grab bars are an essential part of any universal washroom, they provide support for people as they lower themselves and also allow for them to pull themselves back up again. A grab bar should be placed directly behind the toilet on the wall and an L shaped grab bar on the wall beside the toilet. To ensure a grab bar is properly secured to the wall an experienced professional contractor should perform this installation.
In order to make the universal washroom accessible and functional, all features should be within reach of someone in a wheelchair. This includes easy-to-reach soap dispensers, paper towel holders or hand dryers. If a mirror is placed above a certain height then it should be angled toward the ground so it is viewable at a lower height, there are also adjustable mirrors that can be moved to suit the user.
Proximity to the rest of the space, easy access and finishing faucets and plumbing are all important aspects of the job.
Signage is an important part of any universal washroom design, ensuring everyone knows that the washroom facilities are universal plays an important role in maintaining privacy and choice. At City of Vancouver universal washroom sites, signage features include a toilet, a disability sign and a baby sign, with the words “Trans People Welcome”, there are no signs indicating gender.
For facilities with locker/changing rooms such as gyms, building a curb-less shower is a great idea. A curb-less shower is one where the floor tiles flow evenly through into the shower and allows easy access for a wheelchair. A curb-less shower will also help avoid painful toe stubbing or tripping hazards.
Lighting
There are some lighting considerations that must be made for a universal washroom. Vandal resistant LED lighting is recommended, there are shatterproof versions to ensure your washroom remains safe for the next user.
Sensor lights are a great idea and eliminate the need for the lighting to be switch operated, making it easier for all users. To remain energy efficient lighting should turn off when there has been no movement inside for a prolonged period of time, 15 minutes or so.
Ensuring that all areas of the washroom are lit keeps it safe no matter what the occupant is doing, strategic placement above the vanity and the toilet will ensure there are no dark spots or shadows. LED lighting is extremely energy efficient and rarely needs to be replaced.
Conclusion
Universal washroom construction is an extremely important consideration for anyone looking to build a new business or planning a major renovation. In addition to providing an inclusive, accessible space, universal washrooms save space, future-proof your business and move our community forward in the right direction. On this blog post we have covered why universal washrooms are popular, how you can go about designing and building one and how it can influence the perception of your business in the public eye.
If you’d like to learn more about universal washrooms and how you can go about building or converting your existing bathroom facilities to one, you can book a free, no obligation consultation appointment with us online on our website.
www.quayconstruction.ca
info@quayconstruction.ca
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