Growing speed of change
The opening of the new Museum of Liverpool is a landmark in more ways than one – not only is it the largest newly-built museum in Britain for more than a century, but it also houses the 300th Changing Places toilet to be installed in the UK. Further, it demonstrates the growing pace of acceptance of the need for the specialist accessible toilets: the 250th was only opened four months prior. Larger than a conventional accessible toilet, a Changing Places toilet includes additional equipment to enable people with profound and/or multiple disabilities, and those who need the help of at least one carer, to enjoy day-to-day activities, knowing there are appropriate facilities to undertake basic personal hygiene. Beverley Dawkins, co-chair of the Changing Places Consortium says: “Families and carers of someone with a disability will often avoid visiting public places if they know there are not appropriate facilities for them to spend the whole day out. Installing a Changing Places toilet enables a person who needs at least one carer to spend a whole day out rather than limiting it to a couple of hours, with the peace of mind that they will not be forced to change on a dirty toilet floor.
“The speed with which Changing Places toilets have grown throughout the
UK has been incredibly encouraging. It shows there is not just a need, but a demand for fully accessible toilets in public places. Furthermore, feedback to the campaign has revealed that providing a Changing Places toilet has a significant impact on the quality of life of someone with a disability.”
Under BS8300:2009 code of practice for design of buildings & their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people, it is designated ‘good practice’ to install a Changing Places facility in any new build or refurbishment of a building to which numbers of the public have access. A Changing Places toilet is not only larger than a Building Regulation Approved Document M accessible toilet, but includes as standard a height adjustable adult-sized changing bench, an overhead track or mobile hoist, a peninsular toilet with room either side for the carers, a screen or curtain to allow the disabled person and carer some privacy, wide tear off paper roll to cover the bench, a large waste bin for disposable pads, a non-slip floor and a washbasin. Full details of Changing Places specification can be found on
www.changing-places.org and
www.clos-o-mat.com
Total approach to toilets helps increase vistors
The leisure industry could increase business of a specific market which represents over 130m people in Europe, purely by improving toilet facilities. The European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) maintains the difficulties travellers and tourists with disabilities experience include lack of well-adapted hotel rooms and lack of accessible toilets in restaurants and public places. In the UK specifically, BS8300:2009 code of practice for accessible building design advises multi-occupancy new build or
refurbishment – including hotels – provide up to 15% of bedrooms as accessible, and that public buildings include a specialised Changing Places accessible toilet. To enable the leisure industry to efficiently capitalise on this market sector, and ensure effective compliance with the Standard, Total Hygiene, the UK’s leader in disabled toilet, washroom and bathroom provision, has developed a unique package. Using expertise gained through 50 years in disabled toileting, the company can advise on regulatory requirements, plus design, install and service all elements needed to create an accessible bedroom suite, washroom or Changing Places facility.
To highlight the requirements to the industry, Total Hygiene has created a dedicated sector on its website
www.clos-o-mat.com and will be taking part in Leisure Industry Week at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham in September, on stand F280.
Building & Facilities Management – September 2011
New comfort shower seat
Douglas Delabie, the specialist supplier of grab bars, rails and hygienic accessories for public and commercial places, has added a range of removable shower seats designed for disabled people and those with reduced mobility.
Hanging on stainless steel rails and made of high-strength polyamide, and with backrest in white nylon, the Comfort Shower Seat is especially robust, making it ideal for intensive use in public buildings, hospitals and clinics.
As well as strength, user comfort is another key criterion – it’s warm to the touch, while its non-porous uniform surface ensures high levels of hygiene and easy maintenance.
The Comfort Shower Seat is resistant to most chemicals and cleaning products and features anti-UV treatment, which prevents discolouring over time. The stainless steel tubing is bacteriostatic. Adjustable screw jacks with large protective caps ensure a good horizontal position and prevent wall damage when fitted.
Measuring 590 x 416 x 510mm, the Comfort model is the largest of the Douglas Delabie removable seat options available, and tested to over 200kg, its recommended maximum user weight is 135kg.
Carole Armstrong, the company’s marketing manager explains: “Access is a right for people with reduced mobility. Architectural and technical provision must allow them, disabled and elderly people – everyone – to maintain their independence in every-day life. Easy access must be ensured to all public places – civic buildings, cultural centres, hospitals, retail outlets, buildings with communal or individual dwellings.
“That’s why we place so much emphasis on providing a range of carefully designed and produced safety/grab bars and accessories. Products like the Comfort Shower Seat enable facilities to be adapted to meet the specific needs of all users, whatever their age or disability. Tel: 01491 824449
www.douglasdelabie.co.uk feature :: facilities for the disabled/dda 25
Facilities for the Disabled/DDA
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32