The question of what size the modern disabled toilet room within a commercial use building should be is a common one. The following article explores the required dimensions.
Disabled toilet dimensions: what size should a disabled toilet be?
To comply with Document M of the Building Regulations, disabled toilet dimensions should be a minimum of 2200mm deep by 1500mm wide. This provides the right amount of space to install all the features needed for a Disabled Toilet, while still allowing a user to manoeuvre comfortably within the wash space. For instance, a wheelchair user needs to be able to transfer from their chair to the toilet pan. To ensure you have all the necessary features in your disabled toilet, you can get things done swiftly with a Doc-M Pack.
Check out our Expert Disabled Toilet Refurbishment Service.
According to Document M of the UK Building Regulations, access to and use of buildings other than dwellings, wheelchair users should be able to comfortably approach, transfer to and use the sanitary facilities provided within a building. This requires the provision of a wheelchair-accessible unisex toilet. You can see diagrams of the disabled toilet dimensions below:
The minimum disabled toilet room dimensions exclude any items installed that are not required or mandated as part of a Document-M compliant disabled toilet room.
Therefore, if there are any items projecting into the room, such as radiators or baby-changing tables, the minimum disabled toilet dimensions should be measured from the narrowest point between the wall and these fixtures.
What is the minimum size for a disabled toilet?
As we said above, the minimum disabled toilet dimensions for a Document-M-compliant accessible washroom are 2200mm deep by 1500mm wide. However, many choose to make their disabled toilets much bigger. There are also other disabled toilet dimensions for ambulant washrooms. For more information on that, see our earlier blog on What Size is an Ambulant Toilet?
What is the minimum width of a door to a disabled toilet?
When planning your disabled accessible washrooms, you also need to consider the dimensions of the door opening. This needs to be at least 900mm wide to allow a wheelchair to pass through freely. The toilet door should open outwards, not into the toilet cubicle. This is so that if a user fell over, passed out, or needed assistance, the door could be opened easily without being obstructed by something inside the room.
What is the minimum width needed for a wheelchair to fit under a vanity unit?
Most standard wheelchairs are around 640mm wide, so when designing and installing vanity units in accessible washrooms, we need to bear this in mind. If a wheelchair user is to tuck themselves under the vanity unit to wash their hands, they need not only this clearance but also additional space to manoeuvre and propel the wheelchair. It’s therefore sensible to allow the same 900mm width beneath a vanity in order to accommodate wheelchair users comfortably. The optimum height for a disabled wash basin or vanity unit is 720-740mm.
Many disabled washrooms use a wall-mounted wash basin; in this case, it is important not to box in the waste trap underneath, as this can limit the space available for a wheelchair user to approach the basin.
For further information and insights on disabled washroom design, see our other features on the subject HERE.
Other design considerations for a disabled toilet room include:
- Doors should preferably be outward-opening and are fitted with a horizontal closing bar fixed to the inside face.
- An emergency assistance alarm system should be provided.
- Mixer taps with an easy-to-grip lever should be installed to assist users with limited dexterity.
- Blue-coloured contrasting grab rails should be installed on white background walls for the visually impaired. Alternative colour grab rails are permissible provided there is adequate tonal contrast between them and the surface on which they are mounted.
- Suitably manufactured toilet pans and hand-wash basins, specifically designed for use in a disabled toilet room, should be installed.
- The correct number, size, and positioning of grab rails should be installed within the room.
- Toilet flush handles should be paddle-type to assist users with limited dexterity.
- Compliant Doc-M toilet pack.
Commercial Washrooms can advise and supply all the necessary products for your Disabled Toilet installation to satisfy Approved Document M (Doc M) of the UK building regulations.
