Bog Off! Exhibits 6 & 7, The Don't fall Edition
In honour of World Toilet Day '08 Benefit Scrounging Scum is delighted to bring you a double exhibit -The Don't Fall on the floor whatever you do edition
At first glance both these toilets look pretty good. Well, unless you're a disabled person who actually wants to use them that is.
Make sure you don't smack your head or in fact any part of your anatomy on your way in to this first exhibit found in Nandos. The sticky out metal thing on the wall had something to do with the baby changing facilities and nothing to do with the features supposedly for disabled people. Oh, and there weren't any facilities for adults who need to be laid down and assisted with their continence products, but that's no great surprise because typically there aren't any.
Like most of the loos featured in Bog Off! these examples seem to conform to the size requirements, and probably all claim to be DDA compliant
(Disability Discrimination Act)The problem being that once there's been a bin placed on the floor, or as in many places a baby changing station, what would anyway be a very small space in which to turn a wheelchair and transfer becomes an exercise in contortionism. Whilst those of us with EDS might not find that too problematic I very much doubt the rest of
the disabled population feels the same way.Mirrors are very much to be welcomed, but aren't of much use unless full length or lowered to the appropriate height for someone seated.
There is a reason accessible toilets have to have a pull cord and it is a simple reason. These are facilities for people with disabilities and p
eople with disabilities tend to have more falls than the wider population. I'd hazard a guess and say that is particularly likely to happen in conditions where the access is less than perfect. So it does help if the cord to summon assistance is easily reachable from the floor rather than say being looped around one of the grab bars as in both these examples.That's unless you're an M&S customer in which case be warned, summoning assistance via the cord for that very purpose may just well earn you a ban from all M&S stores. All I can say is M&S have clearly been taking lessons from Social Services in how to avoid providing facilities for disabled people. That's right, blame it on Health and Safety.
11 comments:
Lordy. That does not sound good. I don't think I have ever seen a pull cord in any bathroom except a hospitals around here.
Just an idea, but would it not be better if disabled toilets where designed by disabled people, then the twats who project manage these things might have some idea what is required....arghhhh....xx
Thanks for this Bendy...
As you know I am a fulltime chair user ( can't walk) and EDS'er, and I have lots of issues every time I use a public loo...Its fab that you are highlighting these issues. Now what would be awesome would be to get this in the media or "feedback" to be given to each establishment.
Mind you, right now I have my own toilet issues to think about... :-( so should focus closer to home me thinks...
Ms O
You are right, as an access consultant, I see all of things you have pointed out. The problem as I see it is that any old builder puts the toilet in and thinks they have it right. Another I commonly see is white toilet furniture and white walls. So easy to sort out but it requires a little thought!
Yes health and safety have a lot to answer for. I keep meaning to take some photos for you as i too have seen some sights!
^^^
Wot Rae!xx said! Or at least get a wheelchair user to test it. It's not rocket science is it. Tsk.
Get 'em, Girl!!
Every time I go in a bathroom with a disable toilet, I think...would Bendy approve? Most of them never seem to have mirrors that are low!
I'll have to start taking pictures for you!
Grrrrr Its basics innit, designed by people who 'think' that they know it in theory, they need you on the books .....
Laters
Nicey
I would like long mirrors, with the bottom low enough so that a person sitting in a wheelchair can check their appearance, but also with the top high enough so that a wobbling person who has trouble balancing or bending can stand and check their appearance.
My local hospital uses the disabled toilet to store stuff in.
Very very annoying.
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