January 31, 2023
The school has been a vital part of most people’s childhood. It is the place where kids learn, play, and grow. For this growth and learning to happen unconditionally, the ambiance of the place is very crucial. Similarly, washrooms play a vital role in contributing to this environment. Having a clean and quality washroom is essential for the healthy psyche of the child. While designing the washroom we should keep two things in mind- Accessible and the location. Students and faculty members must be ensured with proper hygiene, health, and safety measures in the washroom.
Here are the four needs to help you figure out whether your school has a quality washroom.
Anthropometrics:
Designing washrooms according to the age groups will make the students more comfortable while using them. The ambiance of the washroom should be designed according to the age group. The urinals for kids should not be more than 450 mm as there is no use in keeping a urinal at a height which a kid cannot reach. The height of adult urinals should be 600 mm. For primary level students, the width of the water closet should be between 850 mm-900 mm. For high school students, it should be 1100 mm.
There should be a separate washroom which allocated only for differently able students in all schools. Designing the washrooms separately according to the age group will avoid unwanted difficulties like the height of the urinals for the students.
Numbers:
Schools should make sure that they have a sufficient number of water closets, urinals, and washbasins according to the number of students using them. There should be separate washrooms for the faculty members, support staff, and visitors.
As per the NBC norms for schools, there should be one water closet for forty boys, a urinal for twenty boys, and one water closet for twenty girls. There should be washbasins for every ten water closets. Schools should make sure that they refurbish their washrooms according to the increasing student population in their schools.
Ventilation:
Washrooms should not be designed with poor ventilation and improper light. This could create excess airborne moisture which can wreak havoc in washrooms. Bad odor is one of the common problems experienced in most washrooms. Air ducts, ventilation fans, and a path for natural light can be set-up to take out the unpleasant things in washrooms. There should not be any dark spaces and corners which could invite menacing insects like cockroaches and lizards in the future.
Safety:
Schools should provide students with clean and hygienic washrooms. All the fixtures should be checked and maintained frequently. Starting from the washbasins to the water closet doors, safety should be one of the main factors while designing the space. The floor of the space should preferably be anti-skid which will avoid slimy accidents. Washrooms with a proper supply of soap, toilet rolls, paper towels, and hand dryers promote a clean and hygienic environment in schools. Washroom doors must have door hinge safety systems. Washrooms are all about balancing both the safety and the privacy of students. Washing the hands thoroughly after using the washrooms is the best way to avoid germs.
Using the toilet is essential for the survival and development of every child, many diseases are caused mainly because of unclean and untidy washrooms.
An unhygienic washroom could increase the chances of infections and other problems such as headaches and loss of attention during classes. Schools should not treat washrooms in a lethargic manner Architects, who are specialized in school designs know how their school washroom needs to be designed. We, at The School Designs Studio, always give special and required attention to the washrooms while designing your schools.
