ADA-Compliant and Wheelchair-Accessible Portable Restrooms

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) has designated several requirements for handicap portable toilets. These standards were developed to meet the needs of all Americans, and failing to meet them could result in fees and other penalties.

If you plan on hosting an event of any size, it’s important to provide wheelchair-accessible portable restrooms. Use the information below to ensure you’re renting the right kind of portable toilets.

Handicap portable toilet size requirements

ADA standards say a handicap portable toilet should feature a toilet seat that sits somewhere between 17 inches and 19 inches above the floor. The seat should also be situated somewhere between 16 inches and 18 inches from the wall to the center of the restroom. There needs to be ample room for a wheelchair to maneuver, which means providing a turning space of at least 60 inches in diameter. In total, ADA-compliant toilets should have a width of 67 inches and a depth of 86.5 inches.

Grab bar requirements

Grab bars are essential parts of any wheelchair-accessible portable restroom. They should appear on both the side wall next to the toilet and the back wall. A side grab bar must be at least 42 inches in length, while the rear bar should have a length of at least 36 inches. Grab bars must sit at a height of somewhere between 33 inches and 36 inches above the compartment floor.

Signs

It’s important your guests know which toilets are ADA-compliant. ADA-compliant portable toilets must feature signs with the International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA) on them. The signs should also feature braille. You can make things easier on guests by setting up direction signs to the portable restrooms all around your event space.

Other requirements

For guest comfort and accessibility, it’s important that all handicap portable toilets feature a ramp and hinged or magnetic doors. Like all other portable toilets, an ADA-compliant toilet should feature working soap dispensers, sinks and waste receptacles. Some portable toilet rental services will routinely restock your rentals with toilet paper and paper towels; however, it’s not a bad idea to check your portable toilets for supplies from time to time.

Make sure any handicap-accessible toilets you plan on renting feature all the requirements mentioned in the article. This will not only ensure the comfort of your guests but also help you avoid penalties.

How many ADA-compliant toilets does an event require?

ADA requirements say there must be at least one handicap-accessible portable toilet for every 20 regular portable toilets. It never hurts to rent one or two extra as well. Renting too few handicap-accessible portable toilets could have major consequences.

Rent ADA-compliant toilets for your next event

If you want your next event to go off without a hitch, it’s important to invest in top-quality portable toilet rentals. At Johnny on the Spot, we have a variety of portable toilet rental options, including basic stationary restrooms, ADA-compliant restrooms, VIP luxury restrooms and Deluxe Fresh Flush Restrooms. We’ll take care of everything for you, including setup, servicing and removal. Contact us today for an estimate.