School bathrooms – requirements, design, equipment

The design of any hygiene and sanitation room must take into account its purpose. Due to specific and demanding users such as children, school bathrooms must not only meet specific hygiene standards. It is important that the bathroom is a friendly space. This is influenced by the color and style in which the room is maintained, but also by the adaptation of the various elements of the bathroom equipment to the age of the children using it. In addition, the infrastructure intended for use by children and adolescents must have certain parameters and meet specific standards. In turn, only safe components with the appropriate approvals can be used for its creation.

School bathrooms

Staying in an educational institution is often a stressful experience – especially for the youngest children. Therefore, every effort should be made to create a welcoming environment. This also applies to bathrooms at school. This helps reduce a child’s stress level and makes the whole school seem more approachable.
For this reason, designing bathrooms at school is a major challenge. This is because these rooms must meet not only the requirements of the current regulations, but also those of the children themselves. They should be eager to use the toilets or available accessories; this is a matter of hygiene, and therefore health and safety. Therefore, all elements of a school’s bathroom infrastructure must not only be accessible, but also affordable and age-appropriate for children.

Toilets in school – requirements 2022

The ordinance on health and safety in schools in educational institutions specifies in detail the requirements for bathrooms in kindergartens and schools. They specify the number of sinks and urinals, as well as toilets in schools in general. The 2020 requirements also emphasize the need to perform certain activities to prevent the spread of pathogens responsible for infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

First and foremost, toilets in a school according to the regulations should provide students with constant access to running hot water, washing agents and those for hand disinfection, towels and toilet paper. In addition, sanitary cubicles, as well as bathroom fixtures, must be adapted to the height of users. Regulations for nursery and school bathrooms also require that the cabins be equipped with a special lock that can be opened from the outside. This is a safety feature in case a child gets caught in it – he or she can then be released by a caregiver.

Sanitation guidelines for schools

Created by the Sanitary Inspectorate, the guidelines for schools specify not only the number of toilets, urinals or sinks, but also the installation height of the various bathroom fixtures. In addition to the convenience of the children using them, it is particularly important to be able to study and observe personal hygiene. According to sanitary regulations at school, all accessories must create the possibility of easy maintenance.

The Sanitary Inspectorate’s recommendations for schools also specify how bathrooms for people with disabilities must be designed, as well as their number.

Number of toilets in schools

• According to regulations, the number of toilets in a school must be such that there is one toilet bowl for every 20 girls. For boys, the amount is the same, unless urinals are available in the bathroom. In that case, one toilet bowl for 30 boys and one urinal for 10 people is sufficient.
• The height at which toilets are mounted depends primarily on the age of the children. For the age group of 7-11 years, the optimal height is 35 cm. On the other hand, for students between the ages of twelve and fifteen, it is 42 cm.
• The regulations also specify the number of toilets in a school tailored to the needs of people with mobility disabilities. The facility should have a minimum of one specially adapted bathroom per accessible floor.

Number of washrooms in the school

The necessary number of washbasins in a school is the same as in other public buildings. There should be a minimum of one washbasin per 20 people in each bathroom.

Height of the washbasin for children

• Fixtures, i.e. sinks and toilets, must be installed at such a height that children can use them comfortably. This issue is also regulated by regulations.
• The height of the installation of a washbasin for children depends primarily on their age, and therefore height.
  For children aged 7-11 years, it is recommended to install washbasins with a height of 65-75 cm. For the age group of 12-15 years, washbasins with a height of 75-82 cm will be suitable.
• It can be simplified to say that while a washbasin with a height of 60 cm will be appropriate for six-year-old children, it should be raised by 5 cm every two years.

Photo Use of washbasins by children of different ages / Freepik

Mounting height of urinal in school

• As with sinks and toilets, the height at which a urinal should be placed in a school depends on the age of the students. For the 7-11 age group, they should be at a height of 50 cm. On the other hand, the height of urinals at school intended for those between 12 and 15 years of age should be 57 cm.

Dimensions of a toilet cubicle in a school

• WC cubicles for schools should be a minimum of 150 cm in length and 100 in width, and there must be dividers between the cubicles, the height of which can be slightly lower than those for adults (200 cm). They should be made of non-absorbent, damage-resistant and lightweight materials. In practice, the most common cabins are made of particleboard framed with aluminum profiles.
• Note that the door to the cabin should have openings to allow air flow. You can also place the door slightly higher – so that the space underneath it provides adequate ventilation.

School bathroom design

Creating a bathroom design in a school is very different from arranging a similar space in private homes. In doing so, special attention should be paid to ergonomics and the ease of keeping the various fixtures clean. The safety of the children who are to use this bathroom is also particularly important.

It is also very important to use durable and proven technologies. This will ensure that all equipment will perform its function for many years. This will avoid the need for a quick costly renovation.

Importantly, not all aspects to be considered when designing a school bathroom are regulated by regulations. In this case, it is worth focusing on implementing the safest possible solutions. An example of this is locking cubicles with lock-pulls. This is a safe and easy way to open the door. In addition, in the event of a slamming or emergency, the door can be easily opened from the outside.

It is also important to keep in mind such elements as non-slip flooring, especially in the cabins and at the sinks – in a word, in places where there may be water on the floor, and thus a risk of slipping.
In addition, in order to encourage children to use bathrooms and learn the principles of hygiene, it is worth ensuring that the doors, walls between cubicles and various accessories are aesthetically pleasing and colorful. This will make the bathroom a child-friendly space in which the child will be happy to stay.

Equipment for school bathrooms

Bathroom facilities in schools should not only ensure that students can easily maintain hygiene. It must also be easy to keep clean and safe. An excellent solution is to use toilets with a special antibacterial coating. A hygienic option is also the use of drip-free toilet bowls, in which there is no place for waste to accumulate under the flange.

Both sanitary ceramics and furniture, as well as additional accessories such as hand dryers, towel containers and soap dispensers, should have rounded edges. This reduces the risk of serious injury in case of slipping. Such situations, in turn, are prevented by the use of non-slip surfaces, such as various types of rough floor tiles.

When matching bathroom solutions in a school, it is also necessary to take into account the fact that it is used by students who are at different stages of development. Therefore, a well-designed toilet must take these differences into account and be tailored to the needs of different age groups. For example, a great convenience for younger children will be the use of slow-falling toilet seats that prevent fingers from being trapped. On the other hand, facilities designed for older children and teenagers should be resistant to damage, often caused by vandalism. Various types of concealed fasteners, impact resistance and locks to prevent damage to fixtures are features that various pieces of school bathroom equipment should have.

Photo: toilet equipment of the Poznań University of Technology Faneco equipment HIT line of stainless steel.

Great emphasis should also be placed on ease of use. Using the equipment in the bathroom must not be cumbersome or require the use of force. A good solution is to use various types of non-slip surfaces on equipment such as fixtures and furniture, making it easier to grasp and handle various accessories.

In addition to classic ceramic accessories, stainless steel toilets are becoming increasingly popular. They are easy to keep clean and available in versions that also allow children to use them.

School toilets

• In addition to the already mentioned required dimensions of toilets in schools, the proper shape of toilet bowls is also important. Children of early school age are often just learning to use public toilets. Therefore, it is very important to make it as easy for them as possible. Specially designed toilets with seats dedicated to the youngest is a solution that is sure to encourage students to use them. This, in turn, is important not only for hygiene, but also for children’s health.

Urinals at school

• A urinal is one of those bathroom fixtures that are the most difficult to install. This is due, among other things, to the variety of designs and flushing systems. Therefore, already at the stage of the installation project it is necessary to take into account the models of urinals installed in the school. In this case, each installation must be routed for a specific model and its application. This applies not only to urinals for children, but also those placed in adult bathrooms.
• In addition to the already mentioned requirements for the dimensions of the equipment, it is worth paying attention to the choice of a urinal model that boys will enjoy using. Nowadays there are numerous models on the market with interesting designs that allow you to turn learning to use them into a game. This is very beneficial in terms of creating the right habits in children.
• Many students are reluctant to use toilets in schools, complaining of a bad smell, among other things. This problem also affects urinals. The solution to such a situation may be the use of special urinal inserts. These are plastic pieces and scented inserts that serve a dual role – preventing odor and protecting drains from clogging, such as with paper or chewing gum. They can take the form of gel pads placed on the inside of the urinal bowl or plastic inserts placed in the drains.

Fittings for school

• The school toilet must provide children with constant access to hot and cold water, with the temperature of hot water not exceeding 35-40 degrees Celsius.
  The best school fixtures are those that are actuated in a non-contact manner – for example, with a motion sensor. This allows essential hygienic tasks to be performed in a non-contact manner, reducing the risk of bacterial transmission between children.
• Installing touchless faucets in school bathrooms also has an environmental dimension – when water flows only when hands are near the sensor, only the amount of water actually needed is used. This both protects the environment and saves money.
• To further encourage students, especially younger ones, to use the bathroom at school, it is worth equipping them with special colorful sink faucets. Thanks to them, washing hands and other hygienic activities will become great fun. It’s also a great idea to liven up the space intended for children and make it more friendly. In addition, it fits in with current interior design trends – the juxtaposition of contrasting colors, or so-called color blocking, looks great in modern spaces – including bathrooms.

Photo Faneco bathroom fixtures: touchless photocell faucets, timed push-button faucets, timed faucets and faucets for the disabled.

Sinks for schools

• Children of early school age are learning to use the equipment available in the bathroom independently. Therefore, any fixtures should be specifically tailored to their needs. Also, the sinks in the school should be designed in such a way that even the youngest children can easily use them. In addition, placing them at the right height eliminates the need for platforms, which significantly reduces the risk of accidents.
• The exact type of washbasins used depends largely on the shape and size of the room. Ergonomic single-stand washbasins work well, but especially for younger children, two- and three-stand devices will be an excellent solution. This is a very convenient solution, especially for bathrooms used by large groups of children at once, such as immediately after sports activities. More stations mean shorter waiting time for the opportunity to use the sink.

School bathroom accessories

In addition to toilet bowls, urinals, sinks and appropriate fixtures, every school bathroom should have additional equipment that not only makes it easier to use, but also to maintain hygiene.
Essential accessories for the school bathroom include:

– convenient bathroom hangers,
– toilet brushes,
– bathroom trash garbage cans,
– containers for toilet paper and paper towels,
– soap dispensers,
– disinfectant dispensers (optional).

It is also a good idea to place the mirror in the bathroom at such a height that children can use it comfortably. Regulations do not regulate this issue – in this case, the reference point can simply be the height of the sinks.

School restroom equipment may include paper towel dispensers or hand dryers. In children’s bathrooms, the dryer should be located at a height of about 95 cm. The optimal number of such devices is about one for every two sinks.

On the other hand, for bathrooms where paper towels are used, automatic dispensers are perfect. Similar to soap dispensers and thermostatic faucets activated by a proximity sensor, they not only provide a great convenience when using the toilet, they are also a source of real savings in terms of paper, soap and towel consumption.

Photo: school checkroom equipment in modern desingn / freepik

The toilet is an extremely important room in any school or other educational institution. Its proper equipment is crucial not only for the comfort, but also for the health of children. Therefore, it is so important to take care of the selection of appropriate bathroom equipment as early as the design stage. It should meet not only legal, but also social requirements. It is also important to take into account the special needs of each age group and gender.

The importance of having adequate bathroom facilities is evidenced by the results of inspections and surveys carried out. They show that the lack of adequate infrastructure leads to situations in which children are reluctant to use toilets. This, in turn, causes problems with adherence to the rules of personal hygiene – and it is frequent and proper hand washing that effectively prevents the spread of pathogenic microorganisms. This is particularly evident in the era of pandemics, as well as in every autumn and winter season, when diseases spread extremely easily. Therefore, it is safe to say that a properly designed school bathroom is the basis for the prevention of many infectious diseases.