WASHROOM SPECIFICATION
differences between Part M guidance (which does not specify a flushing mechanism – only that it must be located on the transfer side of the WC) and BS 8300 (which states that a spatula lever must be used). Approved Document Part M provides guidance in order to comply with Building Regulations, while BS 8300 provides best practice recommendations to meet the user’s needs.
Health Building Notes Next, we move onto the specific regulations and guidance for the healthcare sector, starting with the Health Building Notes (HBNs), which provide best practice guidance on the design and planning of new healthcare buildings, and on the adaptation/extension of existing facilities.
HBN 00-10 Part C: Sanitary assemblies outlines the policy and performance requirements for sanitary assemblies used in healthcare facilities. These requirements are a set of essential standards of quality and safety that sanitary assemblies must comply with, superseding the old Health Technical Memorandum 64 (HTM 64). Health Building Notes cover a complex range of issues which distinguish healthcare environments from most other building types, and one of the most important of these relates to the control of infection. All finishes in healthcare facilities, for example, should be chosen with cleaning in mind (i.e. smooth, non- porous, and water-resistant), especially where contamination with blood or body fluid is a possibility.
A clear hierarchy
Crucially, estates managers should be aware that where the guidance in HBN 00-10 Part C proposes requirements that differ from those in Approved Document M or BS 8300:2009, the Health Building Note should apply, because it takes into account specific healthcare building issues. The HBN includes a number of individual prescriptive performance requirements, including: n Recommended use of sensor- controlled taps which enable controlled run times and automatic purging to avoid stagnation.
n Guidance that plugs (attached to an open link chain) are only allowed in bathroom basins where personal washing takes place. All other basins, for example clinical basins, should not take a plug, because washing takes place under running water.
n Overflows to sinks, basins, baths, and bidets, are not recommended, because they constitute a constant infection control risk, which is much more significant than the possible risk of damage due to water overflowing.
n The water temperature at the point of delivery should be controlled either
60 Health Estate Journal June 2021
Part M suggests a luminance difference of 30 points between the walls, floors, and fixtures, in a bathroom or washroom.
by manual control (separate hot and cold water taps, or blending valves controlled manually by the user) or individual thermostatic control (where thermostatic mixing of hot and cold water is by valve at the fitting).
HBN guidance on WCs For WCs, the guidance is even more specific. Two toilet pan lengths are recommended – 520 mm to 550 mm for ambulant and semi-ambulant use, and 700 mm for wheelchair and assisted use. This is an example of where HBN 00-10 Part C differs from Approved Document M and BS 8300, which both recommend
a 750 mm long toilet pan for independent wheelchair transfer. However, research by engineering design technical consultancy, Robert Feeney Associates, indicated that a 700 mm long toilet pan allows for independent wheelchair transfer, and so is recommended in the HBN.
Hospital pattern WCs should be rimless, washdown pans, and be of the ‘back to wall’ or wall-hung type, with a concealed cistern and services. Testing requirements for wall-hung pans are specified (they should meet the minimum requirements of EN997 and class two flush testing), and WCs should have fully enclosed seat holes, without a cover. The cistern, where used, should include a flushing arrangement (siphon) adjusted to deliver no more than six litres full flush, and, if dual flush, a smaller volume, not to exceed two-thirds of full-flush volume. Finally, exposed surfaces should be smooth, easy to clean and maintain, and durable. This is another area in which manufacturers like Geberit and Twyford Bathrooms offer support, with continued development of ceramics which facilitate cleaning and maintenance.
A Twyford circular washstation – designed for ‘hygienic, fit-for-purpose handwashing’ in a hospital or other healthcare environment.
Basins and sanitaryware Of course, the nature of a healthcare facility means that other basins and sanitaryware will inevitably be installed outside of bathrooms and washrooms too. HBN 00-10 Part C covers the specification of all sanitaryware, setting a number of requirements to ensure safety and improve infection control. For example, basin taps used in clinical, food preparation, and laboratory areas must be operated without the use of hands, which includes fittings actuated by a proximity sensor. TMV3-approved thermostatic mixing valves are also required, either fitted directly to the tap, or integral within
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 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
