DISABILITY NEEDS

Following are recommendations for disabled toilets taken from the New Zealand Building Code (Department of Building & Housing) - Clause G1 - Personal Hygiene: G1/AS1 Acceptable solutions

4.0 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

4.1 ACCESS

4.1.1 Sanitary fixtures for people with disabilities shall be signposted as required by NZBC F8 “Signs” and located on an accessible route as required by NZBC D1 “Access Routes”.

4.2 NUMBER OF FACILITIES

4.2.1 Sanitary facilities for people with disabilities shall be provided in accordance

with Tables 1 and 2. In large buildings having more than 300 occupants, where sanitary facilities are provided in groups in two or more locations, accessible facilities shall be included at each location for buildings having the following classified uses:

a) Communal non-residential – all buildings described as “assembly service”, and

b) Commercial – those buildings that are amusement parks, shopping plazas, libraries and transport terminals.

4.2.2 Fixtures and spaces for people with disabilities shall comply with the relevant layouts shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

4.2.3 For safety in an accessible shower compartment the shower slider rod, or the

adjustable shower assembly integrated with the grab rail, shall be firmly fixed in place.

4.2.4 Accessible showers shall have a level threshold.

4.2.5 If two or more toilet compartments are provided for wheelchair users, at least one shall have a pan of the opposite hand.

4.2.6 The WC flushing control shall be easily operable, positioned on the centre line or approach side of the WC pan, and no higher than 1200 mm above the finished floor level. Similarly, easily operable privacy bolts (to indicate whether the toilet is occupied) shall be located no more than 1200 mm above floor level.

4.2.7 NZS 4121 Section 10 is also an acceptable solution for people with disabilities.

4.2.8 Where there is a wall hung pan or a concealed cistern, full access is required each side of the WC pan, as detailed in Figure 7, to allow for wheel-over access. The wall in front of a concealed cistern shall extend no less than 1.0 m above floor level to provide back support, and fold-up lid shall be provided.

Dimensions

Accessible toilet units shall have sufficient space to allow wheelchair users to approach and use the toilet pan from the side or the front and to use a commode.

In case of an accessible cubicle having a toilet as well as a shower the minimum dimensions of a cubicle shall be 2100mm x 1900mm.

In case of an accessible cubicle having only a toilet the minimum dimensions of a cubicle shall be 1900mm x 1600mm.

Recommended design and specifications for disabled toilet cubicles are shown below (Extracted from New Zealand Building Code - Dept of Building & Housing):

For more information please see: http://www.dbh.govt.nz/UserFiles/File/Publications/Building/Compliance-documents/G1-personal-hygiene.pdf