Shaping accessible toilets with Closomat

Closomat has created a range of resources to allow building designers and managers to expand their accessibility for disabled people when toileting.

The company’s Changing Places project management service means compliant, useable assisted wheelchair-accessible toilets – Changing Places – can potentially be provided, even if the space is not a regular shape, nor the specified 12 square metres.

Claire Haymes, Closomat away from home co-ordinator, explained: “On paper, a Changing Places typical layout is 3m x 4m, and should include specific fixtures, such as a ceiling track hoist, height adjustable changing bench, WC, washbasin and privacy screen.

All building designers and operators know the issues of balancing the practical reality of a physical building with a design. We know, via campaigners, of facilities that have been designed and constructed to the specification, yet have been unusable.

“It can be things as simple as a ceiling track hoist not reaching the fixtures it needs to, or a ceiling being too low to physically use the hoist.

“By comparison, we have achieved useable assisted, accessible toilets in rooms that, on paper, are too small, yet adjoined an unused space which could be annexed to meet the size required, or that are an irregular shape but could still be correctly configured.

“Because we have completed so many Changing Places that have been fully compliant for all involved (including users), we know, from practical experience, how to achieve a practical, useable facility even where one would have thought it impossible.

“We have even suggested alternative solutions to what they envisaged, that have saved the client time, effort and money. Our expertise and experience are unrivalled, and reinforced by a full CDM compliant project management service.

“The combination means that, in house, we can offer the best solution to optimising accessibility- at least as far as toilets are concerned.”

Contact:

Closomat
Building 1, Brooklands Place,
Brooklands Road,
Sale,
Cheshire,
M33 6SD,
United Kingdom

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