CHECKLIST C

ACCESSIBLE TOILETS CHECKLIST

These guidelines relate to accessible toilets for use by visitors. Different considerations may apply where accessible toilets are to be used by
employees. All dimensions are derived from “Inclusive Mobility – a Guide to Best Practice on Access to Pedestrian and Transport
Infrastructure” (2002) written by Philip R Oxley (Cranfield Centre for Logistics and Transportation) for the Mobility and Inclusivity Unit of the
Department of Transport. These measurements themselves are largely based on BS 8300 “Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the
needs of disabled people – Code of Practice”.

Feature Requirement Explanatory notes Space for your notes

Location Ideally the toilet should be placed near to the meeting

rooms, and certainly on the same floor as the
principal meeting rooms.

Type of toilet Ideally the toilets should be independent unisex

toilets, not integrated with male and female toilets.
This allows a disabled person to be accompanied by a
person of the opposite sex.

Size of cubicle In new buildings, the size will be governed by the BS 8300 recommends a minimum
Part M Approved Document. size of 2.2 m x 1.5 m.

In existing buildings the availability of space will

govern the size of the cubicle.

Signage Where the accessible toilet is not placed immediately

adjacent to the male and female toilets, a sign is
needed to direct visitors to the accessible toilet.
Door Minimum opening – 925 mm.

No door closer should be fitted. The door should stay open until the
disabled person closes it behind him
or her.

The door must be capable of opening outwards. It In case a disabled person falls over
can also open inwards if the cubicle is large enough, inside the cubicle.
but it must be capable of opening outwards in an
emergency.

It must be possible for the disabled person to Unless it is a large cubicle, this
manoeuvre the wheelchair into the cubicle relatively means that the door must open
easily, and close the door. outwards.

There needs to be a horizontal closing rail on the This will enable the disabled person
inside of the door at a height of 680 mm. to pull the door closed from the
hinge side of the door, without
having to “fetch” the lock side of the
door.

There needs to be a lock that is convenient to operate This will make it easier to open and
and can be opened from the outside in case of close for a person with restricted
emergency. The lock needs to be operated by a lever dexterity.
not by a rotating action.

Fittings within cubicle The centre of the WC should be 500 mm from the This ensures that the user can reach
side wall on which the wash basin is fixed. the grab rail.
The flushing lever on the WC cistern should be This will enable the user to flush the
positioned on the opposite side to the wash basin (ie toilet after transferring back to his or
the same side as the wheelchair will be positioned). her wheelchair.

The fixings for the WC seat should be metal rather Plastic fittings are likely to break
than plastic. under the weight of the user.

Where the WC is forward of the cistern, a padded The back pad allows the user to
back pad needs to be provided. No back pad is undress and dress while seated on the
needed if the WC and cistern are close coupled: the WC, by arching his or her back
cistern will provide the necessary support. against the back pad.

There should be no lid on the WC seat. This will interfere with the use of the
back pad.

The seat on the WC should not have a gap-front.

The WC should be of a standard design that allows This allows a user to raise the height
the fitting of a lavatory seat riser by people who need of the WC.
to use one.

Where the WC and the cistern are close-coupled, the

cistern lid needs to sit within the cistern and be
screwed in.

The toilet paper, wash basin, soap dispenser and

towel/hand drier should be within easy reach of a
user sitting on the toilet.

The wash basin should have a lever-operated mixer The user will be seated on the WC
tap on the side closer to the WC. when using the tap.
Support rails A vertical rail is needed beside the WC, outside the
hinged support rail, 600 mm long with the bottom
end of the rail at a height of 800 mm.

A hinged (drop-down) support rail should be

provided on the wheelchair side of the WC, at a
height of 680 mm, and 320 mm from the centre line
of the WC.
A horizontal (grab) rail is needed on the wall beside
the WC at a height of 680 mm.

A vertical rail is needed either side of the wash basin,

600 mm long with the bottom end of each rail at a
height of 800 mm
.
All rails should be 35 mm in diameter, with a good
grip when wet, and the fixed rails should have 60 mm
clearance from the wall
.
The rails should be fixed very securely to the wall. The rails each need to be able to
support the weight of an adult man.

Accessories One mirror should be sited over the wash basin. The second mirror is for use by
Where space allows, there should be a second mirror wheelchair users.
located away from the basin, at least 1000 mm tall
with the bottom edge at a height of 500 mm.

Two coat hooks should be provided, one at a height

of 1050 mm (for the wheelchair user) and the other at
conventional height.
 There should be no obstructions such as soil pipes, The space where the wheelchair will
boxed-in pipework or columns, and no obstacles such be placed is often referred to as the
as waste bins in the space adjoining the WC where “transfer space”.
the wheelchair will need to be put.

Emergency alarm An alarm cord should trigger an audible signal both The signal needs to be audible inside
inside and outside the cubicle, and also (where the cubicle so that the disabled user
possible) at a reception area that is constantly staffed. knows that the alarm is sounding
(whether accidentally or
deliberately).

The alarm cord should be in a contrasting colour

(conventionally red), positioned to hang between the
WC and the basin, passing through the grab rail.

Two large pull handles (50 mm in diameter) should This will enable the user to summon
be attached to the cord, one at between 800 mm and help either from the WC itself or
1000 mm above floor level and the other at 100 mm from the floor level.
above floor level.

There needs to be a reset switch for the alarm within This will enable the user to switch
the cubicle. This should be within reach of the user off the alarm if it has been triggered
seated on the WC as well as in a wheelchair. in error.

Lighting Where lighting can be individually controlled in a

cubicle, the light switch should be within reach of a
user in a wheelchair.

The lighting level needs to be sufficient.

Décor There should be a good level of contrast between the This assists people with visual
following areas: impairments.
• floor and walls
• door and walls
• rails and walls
• porcelain fittings and surroundings

The finishes should be matt. Shiny surfaces can be confusing for

visually impaired people.

Floor surface The floor surface should be slip-resistant.