|
|
Suggestions for Good Washroom Design
These have been developed in consultation with customers, schools, students,
teachers, health professionals and architects. When planning users'
washrooms, staff and users should be involved as much as possible. Of
course, a range of opinions will be offered, but there will always be areas
where a practical compromise is viable.
General environment
- Users should feel comfortable and safe when using the washroom.
-
Bright, colourful washrooms boost morale. Inviting users to design a
mural for washrooms encourages ownership and pride.
-
Washrooms should be adequately lit. Sensor lighting could be used, or
switches could be placed out of reach of pranksters.
-
Washrooms need to be warm enough to be comfortable in winter.
-
Consider ease of cleaning when designing washrooms. Most users'
washrooms need cleaning at least twice a day. An extended day may
increase this to three or more times. Soap dispensers that leak, awkward
corners and cracked surfaces all contribute to a dirty environment.
Self-cleaning washrooms can be considered. A floor gulley is highly
recommended for cleaning up after accidents.
-
Smells can be a problem. Consider ways of addressing this, such as
ventilation, air fresheners and automatically flushing washrooms.
Mechanical ventilation systems are now required by building regulations.
-
Music systems could be wired in; this not only creates a more relaxed,
calmer environment, but also helps conceal embarrassing noises.
- .
-
Design and Layout
-
Cubicles to have walls and doors that cannot be peered over or under
wherever possible. There shouldn’t be gaps where the hinges are either.
-
Urinals should be positioned so they can’t be seen from outside the
washrooms when the door is open.
-
Mirrors should be positioned so they don't enable people to see urinals
or cubicles from the outer door.
-
People at washbasins should not be facing those at urinals, or facing a
mirror which shows urinals.
-
All windows should have frosted glass if urinals or the inside of a
cubicle can be seen from them.
-
Urinals should be individually screened.
-
The number of cubicles should be at least equal to the number of urinals
in the gents/boys’ washrooms.
-
Adequate ventilation must be provided, e.g. air extractors. An open
window is not always adequate or practical.
-
If windows need to be opened for ventilation, they should not be placed
in view of urinals or the inside of a cubicle.
-
The layout should avoid hidden corners or spaces that cannot be easily
monitored by staff.
-
Special attention needs to be paid to the
specification of false ceilings. These need to be robust and easy to
clean and maintain. Access panels should be visible and lockable and not
able to be opened by users.
Fixtures and Fittings
-
Doors need to be fixed sturdily to the walls or partitions, so that a
door cannot be lifted off its hinges. Door closures should be robust and
close gently against the frame to avoid trapped fingers.
-
Cubicles need to be robust enough to withstand normal wear and tear
(which in a school can mean wilful or accidental damage).
-
Sanitary fittings and fixtures need to be of good quality and of robust
design. Maintenance and replacement costs need to be considered.
-
Each cubicle for ladies/girls aged eight and over should contain a
sanitary disposal unit and each set of group washrooms for ladies/girls
should have a sanitary dispenser.
-
If possible, an Integrated Plumbing System (IPS), where panels conceal
cisterns and pipes, should be used. Access panels should be lockable and
not able to be opened by users.
-
Washrooms need to be of sound construction so they don’t crack and leak.
They also need to cope with a high volume of users. Washrooms which have
a ‘light flush’ and a ‘full flush’ may be considered, or washrooms which
have an automatic flush.
-
The flush needs to be easy to use, even for very small children or the
less able.
-
All washrooms should have seats. Ones with an opening at the front may
be most hygienic.
-
Washrooms and fittings should be the right size for the users expected
to use them.
-
All washrooms should have lids. It is preferable to have a lid which
needs to be closed in order for the pupil to flush the washroom, to
minimise the spread of water droplets when flushing.
-
All doors need locks which are easy to operate from inside the cubicle.
Users should not be able to easily unlock doors from the outside.
However, a special tool or key must be available to open doors from the
outside, for teachers and/or prefects to use in an emergency. Schools
need to consider the storage location of the key if the washrooms are
not located close to where staff are sited.
-
Washroom paper dispensers should be sturdy. If they are bolted back to
back between cubicles, it is harder to vandalise them.
-
Washroom paper dispensers should be big enough to hold commercial size
rolls. A lockable cupboard for spares should be sited close by.
-
Soap dispensers should not be topped up, due to hygiene concerns, but
should be cleaned between refills. Cartridge, liquid, disposable
dispensers are most appropriate. Dispensers should ideally be non-drip.
There should be a minimum of one dispenser between 2 sinks.
-
If push taps are used, they need to stay on long enough for users to
wash their hands properly.
-
Washbasins should provide warm water, ideally from mixer taps. A safe
maximum temperature should be set.
-
Cold water is a good way for users to cool down in Summer, but warm
water should also be available.
-
Taps in washrooms should be labelled as non-drinking water.
-
Hand-drying provision needs to enable large numbers of users to dry
their hands in a limited time frame. Paper towels are generally
recommended from a hygiene point of view, but effective hand dryers are
a possible alternative.
.
Disabled customers, users and students
-
Disabled users must have fully accessible washrooms, which can be
accessed quickly and easily from wherever they are in the school. This
is not restricted to special schools, as there are disabled users in
mainstream schools.
-
Access to disabled washrooms can be with an electronic key, to prevent
other users using the washrooms.
-
BS8300 and Part M of the Building Regulations refer to disabled
washrooms, and require any washroom room with more than 4 cubicles to
have an accessible cubicle.
-
There must be no steps or other obstacles that would cause difficulties
for a wheelchair user or person with limited mobility. Provision should
also be made for users with hearing, sight or other sensory impairment.
-
Cubicles must be big enough to manoeuvre a wheelchair. They need to have
handrails fitted at appropriate heights. They must also be able to
accommodate a hoist and a member of staff (as some users will need
assistance).
-
Some users will have poor grip, co-ordination problems and/or limited
mobility. Taps and soap dispensers need to take account of this.
-
The requirements of users with other special needs should also be
considered e.g. those with continence problems may require private and
appropriate disposal facilities for incontinence products and some users
with learning difficulties may find it hard to locate washrooms that are
far from classrooms.
-
Further information for schools is available at
www.teachernet.gov.uk/wholeschool/sen/schools/accessibility/dda/
-
.
-
Location of Washrooms in Schools
Many users have to travel some distance within the school to get to the
washroom. This can make teachers reluctant to let users out of class to
visit the washroom. Washrooms located away from classrooms present
particular difficulties for users with special needs.
Washrooms attached to each classroom or cluster of classrooms are a
particularly good solution. These allow users easier access to washrooms
during lessons and enable teachers to keep a closer eye on users.
In some schools, users are not allowed to go to the washroom at certain
times because teachers don't want them inside the building during break.
Washrooms which can be accessed directly from the playground, as well as
from the inside of the building, could solve this problem.
Washrooms located throughout the school makes visiting them easier
(particularly for users who have difficulty 'holding on'). It also means
users won't be wandering around the corridors.
If practical, washrooms for specific year groups could be provided, in
addition to general washrooms. This would help tackle bullying.
Washrooms need to be near playing fields and next to playgrounds.
Purpose-built ‘pods’ (built off site) are one solution.
Rooms where exams may be taken should also have washrooms close by. These
include assembly halls and sports halls.
Drinking water facilities should not be sited in a washroom area.
Some of the architects and schools that we have spoken to argue that there
is no point investing in washrooms as users wreck them. Therefore, you might
as well build as cheaply as possible, to minimise replacement costs. There
are users who vandalise washrooms, but ideally we should design for the
majority of users who deserve decent washrooms, not the minority.
Ideas for prevention of vandalism
The following is a list of ideas to help reduce vandalism.
-
Solid plastic panels for partitions that are bolted together with
tamper-proof fasteners
-
Cubicle doors with sturdy hinges and double bracing on both sides
-
Push-button or foot-operated flushes
-
Concealed plumbing systems with tamper proof fastenings
-
Automatic running taps
-
Smoke alarms
-
CCTV at the entrance to the washroom or in the washroom area (provided
it doesn't see into the cubicles or urinals). Cameras must be fixed
firmly enough so that users can't turn or remove them. It is advisable
to consult with users on the use of CCTV as it is a contentious issue
-
Entry systems which take photos of users entering the washrooms at the
main entrance/exit when a button is pressed. It is advisable to consult
with users on this issue
-
A ‘unisex’ washroom (in addition to single-sex washrooms) which has
separate areas for gents/boys and ladies/girls, but mixed washrooms. An
attendant can monitor the washrooms better this way
-
Individual washrooms discourage users from hanging around in them (and
offer extra privacy)
-
Washroom pods which are manufactured in a seamless
material
The advantage of using CCTV, filmed entry systems and ‘unisex’ washrooms is
that users’ washrooms can remain open during the day. Some schools currently
lock the washrooms for part of the day
|
|
