WASHROOM SPECIFICATION
Complexities of compliance in washroom design
Designing an accessible bathroom or washroom in a hospital or other healthcare setting requires strict legislative compliance and a collaborative approach to avoid errors. Here Pete Davis, Product and Marketing director for Geberit and Twyford in the UK and Ireland, explores the various guidance documents and legislation requiring consideration to achieve compliance, and why having a thorough understanding of these is key for Estates managers.
There are a number of guidelines and approved documents which shape the design of bathroom and washroom spaces in commercial premises to ensure accessibility and suitability for all who use them. The ultimate goal in accessible design is to make the bathroom space safe for everyone who uses it, and clearly advancements have been made to ensure this in recent years. This includes the continued development of guidance such as Part M of the Building Regulations (last updated July 2020), and BS 8300 (revised in 2018). Both of these draw on the legal requirements of the Equality Act 2010, which protects people from discrimination in the workplace, and in wider society.
However, none of these documents are specific to hospitals or other healthcare facilities. Experienced healthcare estates professionals will know that there are more prescriptive requirements when it comes to designing an accessible bathroom or washroom in a hospital. Simply following the requirements of accessible design is not enough. With a greater focus on regulatory compliance across the construction industry following the Hackitt Review and other scrutiny, it is arguably more important than ever to understand the requirements. This applies to the entire specification chain, from building designers and contractors, through to the Estates managers responsible for maintenance and ongoing compliance.
Providing accessibility Before we explore the specifics of hospital design, let us first focus on the fundamentals of accessible design. Approved Document M of the Building Regulations gives guidance for compliance in England. Specifically, Part M Volume 2 focuses on ‘buildings other than dwellings’, and covers three distinct areas; access and use (M1), access to extensions (M2), and sanitary conveniences in extensions (M3). Remember, accessible washrooms
Twyford Camden urinals, described by Geberit and Twyford as ‘the ideal choice for hospital specification’.
are designed to ensure convenience for anybody with an accessibility requirement, which is not limited to disabilities – it could also include provision of an enlarged washroom cubicle if a person has a young child, for example. While there may be alternative ways to achieve compliance, Approved Documents provide guidance to help meet requirements in more common building situations, such as the example of colour differences to assist people with impaired vision. Part M suggests a luminance difference of 30 points between the walls, floors, and fixtures (e.g. the WC seat and support rails) in a bathroom or washroom, and so the colour difference between these three aspects should be carefully considered, both in the original design, and in the case of replacements or refurbishment. By providing a dark-coloured wall and floor combination with white fixtures, the 30-
point luminance difference can be easily achieved, making it easier for people with visual impairment to use the washroom.
Going beyond Part M requirements In the quest for accessibility, Approved Document M is accompanied by another guidance document; BS 8300-2:2018 - Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment – Buildings, Code of Practice. In many cases, this document goes beyond the requirements of Part M, but both are focused on the objective of providing an all-inclusive washroom environment that meets the needs of all users.
In order to be compliant, a designer must consider aesthetics, durability, functionality and – ultimately – the user’s specific needs. For instance, the appropriate choice of flushing mechanism is a key consideration. Designers and specifiers can become confused due to
June 2021 Health Estate Journal 59
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