by Brianna Crandall — January 11, 2016—A new ASTM International standard will help improve safety of public bathrooms for people with disabilities. Specifically, the new C1822 standard provides guidance on protecting people from exposed pipes in accessible lavatories.
Per the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), exposed piping in public restrooms must be insulated or configured to protect people in wheelchairs or with other disabilities. Insulating covers must protect against burns and other adverse reactions due to contact with hot or cold pipes. Covers must also reduce the potential for injury from contact with sharp or abrasive elements of piping.
ASTM member Howard Ahern, national sales and technical manager, Plumberex Specialty Products Inc., noted:
The number of people that use accessible restrooms is growing in many parts of the world. Here in the United States, for example, we have an aging population, many disabled veterans, and a growing level of mobility for wheelchair users.
According to Ahern, C1822 identifies insulation materials and also provides safety, health and durability criteria for combinations of materials and performance. As part of that, it allows designers and specifiers to select from four fire performance classifications, depending on the type of building being designed.
People who design public restrooms — including specifiers, engineers, architects, manufacturers, governing bodies and contactors — will be primary users of the standard, says ASTM.
The new ASTM C1822-15 Standard Specification for Insulating Covers on Accessible Lavatory Piping is available for purchase from ASTM.
