Lisa

My view is one day we are all going to be disabled, its just a matter of time.

As Sergio has said we have Approved Document M which applies to new build and substantial changes to existing buildings. For us involved in electrical installation that means installing socket outlets, light switches and other accessories at heights above finished floor levels. It also specifies   the height of the main switch and circuuit breakers above the finished floor level. That is a Statutory requirement. So why an I seeing brand new houses with consumer units fitted close to ceilings just inside residential front doors? How is a person in a wheel chair or having some other mobility expected to access the main switch in an emergency, to reset a circuit breaker or carry out a regular 6 monthly test of the RCD(s). Why are consumer units being installed under stair cases where a person in a wheel chair access them?

There is also the BS 8300 series of standards on the subject of Designing for Disability. This standard has minimum distances for sockets from corners of rooms for wheel chair access. It also has requirements for sockets with outboard switches in contrasting colours for the visually impaired.

Others hear may have heard me talk about the failure of compliance. So why?

JP

For bathrooms there are also other design objectives to met, some are a requirement like an extracter fan to meet Approved Document F (Ventilation) however sometimes engineering judgement needs to go beyond the minimum requirements.  Consider a person with limited mobility in a bath or shower.  They may be in there for 30 mins or so while they clean and prepare themselves in which case it would be prudent to have higher extraction rates or install the fan with a variable humidistat thus the end user does not need to intervene.  This need to be set at the commissioning stage.  Relative humidity for a dwelling should be optimum at the 40 to 60% range.  This needs to be taken with a holistic view as the ailment of the intended users may not tolerate the lower echelons of RH if they suffer from breathing difficulties.

Still on the subject of bathrooms.  There is the subject of Fluid Categories
The concept of ‘fluid risk’ is central to backflow prevention.
Schedule 1 consists of five fluid categories each of which defines a level of risk.
Fluid Category 1 – Wholesome Drinking Water.
Fluid Category 2 – Change in the aesthetic quality.
Fluid Category 3 – Represents a slight health hazard.
Fluid Category 4 – Represents a significant health hazard.
Fluid Category 5 – Represents a serious health hazard.

There are Water Fittings in the bathroom that also require backflow protection.
Bidets with submersible hoses pose the highest risk and need Fluid Category 5 protection.
Showers with submersible hoses also need protection. In a domestic situation – the risk is Fluid Category 3. However, in a health care setting, this risk is deemed to be Fluid Category 5.

Also as a final thought blending valves should also be incorporated into the design as to not allow the user to be scalded. 

As I stated earlier some of these are requirements to be compliant and some are just good design and engineering judgement.

For bathrooms there are also other design objectives to met, some are a requirement like an extracter fan to meet Approved Document F (Ventilation) however sometimes engineering judgement needs to go beyond the minimum requirements.  Consider a person with limited mobility in a bath or shower.  They may be in there for 30 mins or so while they clean and prepare themselves in which case it would be prudent to have higher extraction rates or install the fan with a variable humidistat thus the end user does not need to intervene.  This need to be set at the commissioning stage.  Relative humidity for a dwelling should be optimum at the 40 to 60% range.  This needs to be taken with a holistic view as the ailment of the intended users may not tolerate the lower echelons of RH if they suffer from breathing difficulties.

Still on the subject of bathrooms.  There is the subject of Fluid Categories
The concept of ‘fluid risk’ is central to backflow prevention.
Schedule 1 consists of five fluid categories each of which defines a level of risk.
Fluid Category 1 – Wholesome Drinking Water.
Fluid Category 2 – Change in the aesthetic quality.
Fluid Category 3 – Represents a slight health hazard.
Fluid Category 4 – Represents a significant health hazard.
Fluid Category 5 – Represents a serious health hazard.

There are Water Fittings in the bathroom that also require backflow protection.
Bidets with submersible hoses pose the highest risk and need Fluid Category 5 protection.
Showers with submersible hoses also need protection. In a domestic situation – the risk is Fluid Category 3. However, in a health care setting, this risk is deemed to be Fluid Category 5.

Also as a final thought blending valves should also be incorporated into the design as to not allow the user to be scalded. 

As I stated earlier some of these are requirements to be compliant and some are just good design and engineering judgement.