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roger miller

Birthing Room Bath Tub Accessibility

General Comment or Question

roger miller | August 11, 2017 at 11:08PM (edited)

Birthing Room Bath Tub Accessibility

Question was raised about a new Birthing Facility in design review in California

Private company (not affiliated with a Hospital)

Birthing facility has two birthing rooms

Both rooms have fully accessible toilet rooms and showers

Both rooms equipped with a bath tub - used to "ease discomfort" during labor

Question are bath tubs required to be fully accessible (grab bars, reachable controls, seat, etc.)  and can only 1 of the two bath tubs be accessible

Consulted with Access Board and their opinion is that at least 1 room needs to have:

  • - All room features fully accessible
  • - Accessible toilet room,
  • - Accessible roll-in Shower
  • - Accessible tub

Of note - the toilet room could be used by the patient and / or guest. Shower / Tub would only be used by the patient

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Kaylan M. Dunlap, CASp, ADAC

Birthing Room Bath Tub Accessibility

General Comment or Question

Kaylan M. Dunlap, CASp, ADAC | August 17, 2017 at 12:08AM (edited)

Hi Roger,

It's an interesting topic that I think we'll see more and more of. At the 2017 National ADA Symposium in Chicago this year Kim Paarlberg from ICC talked briefly about these types of tubs. Her comment was that the provisions for accessibility are for unassisted bathing and that it isn't discriminatory to help someone into something where everybody is helped (and she used birthing tubs and therapy tubs as specific examples).

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roger miller

Birthing Room Bath Tub Accessibility

General Comment or Question

roger miller | August 21, 2017 at 2:08AM (edited)

11B-805.2.4 Toilet and Bathing Rooms. Toilet and bathing rooms that are provided as part of patient bedrooms and resident sleeping rooms complying with 11B-223.2 (Hospitals, Rehabilitation Facilities, Psychiatric Facilities and Detoxification Facilities)or 11B-223.3 (Long-Term Care Facilities) shall comply with 11B-603 (Toilet and Bathing Rooms). Where provided, one water closet, one lavatory, and one bathtub or shower shall comply with the applicable requirements of 11B-603 (Toilet and Bathing Rooms) through 11B-610 (Seats).

I was surprised to find that the highlighted selection supports the Owner's desire not to provide a seat or grab bars to the bathtub in a birthing room that has an accessible shower.

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