The regulations that specify which public places are required to have toilets that are accessible for the disabled also provide guidelines for their implementation. Surfaces, spacing between sanitary appliances and safety devices should ensure that wheelchair users can safely use these spaces. But what are the regulations for toilets accessible to the disabled and what must they provide?
This is what we want to find out.
In which businesses is there an obligation to provide a disabled toilet?
Businesses that offer food and beverages and have an area of 250 square metres or more must also have a disabled toilet. This is stipulated in Act 104, also known as the Disabled Persons Framework Act. This law not only requires the installation of disabled toilets in public establishments that, due to their size, allow the consumption of food and beverages, but it also specifies how these spaces must be designed. Therefore, there is no requirement to install a disabled toilet in a takeaway pizzeria, grocery shop, or ice cream parlour that sells ice cream for outdoor consumption. In the case of these smaller spaces, only a ramp or lack of steps at the entrance must be considered to allow wheelchair users to access the business. The same law provides an exemption that applies only to stores in historic districts where there are structural barriers to the construction of a public restroom. In these cases, the business owner can apply for an exemption from the city council, regardless of the size of the business.
How should the disabled toilet be designed?
Cafes, pizzerias, pubs and restaurants with up to 80 seats must be able to provide their customers with two gender-specific toilets, one of which can be used as a disabled toilet.
The features that a disabled toilet must have are:
• Minimum dimensions 180X180 cm
• Sliding door or outward opening entrance door with a width of at least 85 cm
• The washbasin must be at a height of 80 cm above the floor.
• Sufficient space to allow persons with walking difficulties to use and move freely.
• Grab rails or similar aids.
• Alarm bell
• Non-slip floor covering
The washbasin must be concave at the front so that the wheelchair user can get closer, and it must have a thermostatic lever mixer tap to adjust the temperature.
Is a disabled toilet mandatory in the workplace?
For workplaces, regardless of their size, the obligation to provide a disabled toilet depends on whether or not the company falls in the categories covered by the measure. If it is a company which is accessible to customers, a toilet for people with disabilities is, of course, mandatory.