Don’t Forget Wheelchair Accessible Amenities

Benefits of Wheelchair Accessible Porta-Potties

 
What are the differences between wheelchair accessible portable toilets and regular portable toilets? Federal law requires that for every 20 portable bathrooms clustered in a single location, at least one must be readily accessible by people using wheelchairs. Yet often confusion exists concerning the features necessary for a portable unit meet this standard.

Basic Features

Essentially, wheelchair accessible portable toilets resemble other portable bathroom facilities, but they must possess a few additional features besides the toilet to make it easier for people confined to wheelchairs to utilize them easily.

One important point seems worth noting from the outset. Care must be taken whenever a wheelchair accessible portable toilet is set up to ensure that people with disabilities can gain entry without unnecessary difficulty.

For example, it makes no sense for a customer to rent one of these units, but then place it in an elevated location without either an access ramp or a mechanical lift. In fact, the ideal placement would be in a level spot at ground level, where wheelchairs can enter without these forms of assistance. While this consideration may seem obvious, equipment providers might want to emphasize this point at the time services are retained to avoid any confusion later.

Some Ideal Features of Wheelchair Accessible Portable Toilets

Several features can make wheelchair accessible portable toilets more convenient. Size, door closure assistance, and interior features often make a big difference to disabled patrons.

Size

Ideally, a wheelchair accessible portable toilet should be large enough inside to accommodate both a wheelchair and an attending caregiver at the same time. Many disabled people do not require personal attendants, but some do.

Since these specially designed units tend to be wider than other portable toilets, construction from a durable but light weight material may be an important feature to consider when a purchase decision is made. Additionally, due to the size issue, doors must be “oversize” to permit ready wheelchair access.

Door Closure Assistance
Having a pneumatic door closing feature can be useful, since turning to close a door after entry can be difficult for some people in wheelchairs. If the unit is set up in a dark location, a fire safe interior light of some type should activate whenever the door closes.

Interior Features

Two important interior features include conveniently located hand rails for extra support and an easily accessed toilet paper dispenser.

Looking to rent wheelchair accessible portable toilets in the Taylor area? Call Honeybucket at (512) 309-4609 for our quick and efficient services.