Compliance with indirect disability discrimination under the new Equality Act is being simplified through an innovative solution from Total Hygiene.
Under the Act, which replaces the Disability Discrimination Act, service providers are required to make reasonable changes- including to the built environment- where a disabled customer or potential customer would otherwise be at a substantial disadvantage; previously, such changes were only required if it would have been impossible or unreasonably difficult for the person to access or use the service.
-Everybody needs to go to the toilet, and we ‘go’ on average eight times a day,” says Total Hygiene marketing manager Robin Tuffley. -Therefore, providing appropriate toileting facilities is now even more important than ever to ensure compliance with the Act, especially as the law now only questions whether an adjustment is a reasonable one to make.”
Total Hygiene’s solution is a raft of options that address toileting needs regardless of available space. Adds Robin, – BS8300: 2009 says that if space limits the provision of separate male, female and accessible toilets, then one accessible toilet should be provided. The simplest way to ensure compliance with the new Act, and other relevant Standards, is to build or refurbish one toilet, which provides a larger cubicle to accommodate a wheelchair and a carer, and includes a grab rail, emergency cord and a ‘wash and dry’ toilet such as a Clos-o-Mat.
-That one washroom can replace all the others, potentially releasing valuable floorspace and thus offsetting the relatively small capital investment, whilst addressing the needs of everyone, regardless of ability or even religious considerations.”
A Clos-o-Mat toilet, made in Britain by Total Hygiene, looks like, and can be used as, a conventional WC. It also has integral douche and drying facilities, which eliminate the need to wipe clean with toilet tissue after toileting. As a result, it addresses issues faced by anyone with manual or balance limitations- and the Islamic Qadaahul Haajah requirements.
The only toilet of its type developed specifically for disabled people, the Clos-o-Mat is proven in practice, with over 40,000 installed in domestic, public and commercial environments, many of which have been in regular use for over 30 years, demonstrating its fitness for purpose, quality and reliability. It is also the only unit of its kind to carry WRAS approval enabling legal connection to the mains water supply, and to be backed up by a nationwide in-house service & maintenance team.
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