8.6.1 Evacuation Planning
Changing Places Toilets can be located within a building or as a stand-alone facility located in a public space. Whether located in a building or as a stand-alone facility, careful planning is required to ensure safe evacuation for everyone. This may require policies and procedures to be developed.
When identifying the location of the Changing Places Toilet in a new or existing building consider procedures and routes for emergency evacuation at the design stage.
For further guidance on evacuation planning, refer to ‘Section 8.5 of Building for Everyone: A Universal Design Approach, Booklet 8, Building Management’, and the NDA Planning and Management Guide ‘Safe Evacuation for All’.
8.6.2 Risk Assessments
The aim of a risk assessment is to reduce the risk of injury and illness associated with the use of the Changing Places Toilet and to ensure the health and safety of users.
A risk is the likelihood that somebody will be harmed by a hazard and how serious the harm might be. When considering risk, consider the number of people at risk from the hazard.
Risk assessments should be completed during the design stage and before opening a public Changing Places Toilet. The assessments should be based on the access and use requirement of the building where the Changing Places Toilet is provided and managing risk. For example, public parks may have a greater incidence of risk activity compared to a school or museum with a much lower risk.
Areas to consider as part of the risk assessment could include vandalism, staff responsibilities, anti-social behaviour and loitering, unauthorised entry and forced break-ins, theft, misuse of the facility and its equipment, use of slings and staffing issues.