Removing the strain from high traffic washrooms
July 1st 2005

Iiro Mattila, product group manager, Away From Home at leading European tissue manufacturer Metsä Tissue comments on the role of design in the modern washroom According to the British Toilet Association the growing number of UK residents and overseas tourists travelling around Britain each year is increasing the strain on our public washroom facilities. With a higher volume of traffic it has never been more critical to have the correct design and types of products in a public washroom, to smooth the flow of people entering and leaving and to minimise the risk of contamination and the spread of disease. It may sound obvious but even simple layout considerations can make a real difference to the appearance and cleanliness of a washroom. For example, installing a staggered door system can help to smooth the flow of people entering and leaving, while reducing the potential for cross contamination as users avoid having to touch door handles, critical for high traffic locations where the risks of cross contamination are greatest.

Even more simple ideas can make a difference.

How many of you have visited a washroom only to find that the towel dispenser is positioned in an inconvenient location far away from the taps? To encourage people to dry their hands properly and in doing so reduce contamination risks, a paper towel dispenser should be located in close proximity to the taps and the exit door, as visitors to a washroom will want to get in and out as quickly as possible.

A high traffic washroom should be robustly designed and constructed to allow it to cope with constant usage. Choosing the right products for the application is also important. For example, in a busy washroom dispenser units need to be robust, highly functional, offer quick, consistent dispensing and be easy to keep clean and refill.

A paper towel dispenser should be self-presenting, enabling the user to withdraw the towel without touching (and contaminating) the next.

In addition, it is also important to ensure the user does not need to touch the dispenser with wet hands, creating further scope for crosscontamination.

Soap dispensers should also prevent direct contact with the liquid soap reservoir and should be designed to give out the right amount of soap for effective washing while preventing unnecessary waste.

Using the correct dispenser for an application also saves time, particularly in high traffic washrooms with multiple units. The Katrin Ultimatic range of washroom equipment for example is specifically designed for high traffic locations. Its automatic dispenser units are constructed with ABS plastic surfaces, incorporating rounded edges making them easier to clean. It also features transparent ‘eyes’ that make it easy to check when refills are needed, ensuring users are never left without a towel and saving cleaning time.

Traditionally the only way to ensure towels were always available to users was to install two separate dispensers, because unless the washroom was checked very frequently, it was virtually impossible to

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