Contractors and installers should not be tempted to source lower cost products that might compromise the integrity of the Doc M Pack and run the risk of failing to meet the approved document requirements.
The whole point of the practical guidance is about providing public toilet facilities for disabled users that make it as easy for them to go to the loo as it is for non-disabled people. The Approved Document exists to protect less mobile people. It can simply be the wrong height/projection of a toilet pan that makes safe transfer from wheelchair to the toilet difficult and potentially stressful.
BS8300 provides more detailed guidance to supplement the Approved Document M and sets out the Code of Practice required for the design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people.
To ensure compliance to this Code of Practice and Building Regulation, specifiers should consider the following:
- Correct height of toilet pan for wheelchair transference. The top of the seat ring on the WC pan should sit 480mm from the floor.
- Correct projection of toilet pan and seat ring for optimum wheelchair positioning. The projection should be 750mm from the back of the wall.
- Cisterns should have a flushing mechanism positioned on the transfer side of the WC.
- Hinged drop-down support arm should be located on the open side and should extend 50mm to 100mm beyond the front of the WC.
- A basin that allows a mixer tap to be positioned closest to the user to eliminate the need to stretch (and potentially fall) to hand wash.
- Backrest on low- level toilet suites.
- CE marked sanitary ware with Declaration of Performance (DoP).
Barwood Products is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of bathroom products for the less-abled and special needs market and has specialised in this sector for nearly 20 years.
T: (NI) 01782 561814 or (RoI) 0044 1782 561814
