Considerations for Fitting Hand Dryers in Accessible Bathrooms

Ensuring that disabled bathrooms are equipped with the appropriate facilities is crucial for promoting accessibility, comfort, and independence for users with physical difficulties.

The hand dryers you choose, and how they are fitted is a vital part of designing accessible facilities, and their installation requires careful consideration of various factors to meet the needs of users.

Mounting Positions

The mounting height of hand dryers in disabled bathrooms ensures they are accessible to all users, including those who use wheelchairs. Hand dryers should be installed with the following in mind:

Optimal Height for Hand Dryers

According to the Disability Discrimination Act, the mounting height for hand dryers is should be 875mm above the floor for hands-in designs and 940mm above the floor level. This provides comfortable access for both standing users and those seated in wheelchairs.

Reach Range

For ease of access, the hand dryer should be placed within the forward or side reach range of wheelchair users, with ample space around the dryer to ensure that there is room for users to manoeuvre around the appliance when in use and exit the bathroom safely.

Making Hand Dryers More Accessible

In addition to the mandated mounting heights and providing ample space around the hand dryer, there are other steps you can take to make hand dryers more comfortable for users.

Hand Dryers with Touchless Operation

By choosing hand dryers with a sensor such as the Mitsubishi Electric Wave u02 to detect the user’s hand rather than having a physical button, the unit becomes easier to use for people with limited mobility who might otherwise struggle.

Clear Signage for Operation

It may not always be clear how a hand dryer should be used correctly – particularly with modern hands-in designs, so giving users clear signage indicating the location and operation of the hand dryer is important.

Instructions should be clear and simple to understand, ideally accompanied by visual cues.

Improving Comfort with Quieter Hand Dryers

Noise sensitivity is a common concern for many individuals with disabilities, including those with sensory processing disorders or conditions such as autism. High noise levels can cause distress and discomfort. Therefore, selecting hand dryers with reduced noise levels is essential:

Jet hand dryers such as the Mitsubishi Electric Wave i01 create much less turbulence in use than conventional warm air designs, and this means that the noise levels produced are under 60dB – approximately the same as a normal conversation.

Jet hand dryers with advanced noise reduction technology are ideal for disabled bathrooms. These dryers provide powerful, efficient drying while minimizing noise, creating a more comfortable and accessible environment.

Learn More

If you are in the process of planning a refurbishment or redesign of the disabled toilets in your building, we can help provide advice and support about choosing the best type of hand dryer to suit the needs of your users.