It depends on which door you’re referring to but, yes, some bathroom doors need to be self-closing to meet ADA regulations. We know it can be confusing to understand ADA rules for commercial doors and where they do, or do not, overlap with the International Code Council rules for doors and any other building codes you may need to consider. Every situation is a little different, so it is wise to reach out to a commercial door expert to make sure you’re in compliance. However, we can give you some basic guidance about whether bathroom doors need to be self-closing.
The Case of Wheelchair Accessible Toilet Compartments
Wheelchair accessible toilet compartments are either stalls in a bathroom or a entire single-stall bathroom which is meant to be used by people with wheelchairs. The largest stalls in a bathroom are usually these compartments. In newer buildings, bathrooms with only one toilet are usually wheelchair accessible compartments, to adhere to code. Either way, any wheelchair accessible toilet compartment needs a self-closing door. They also need pull handles on both sides of the door, close to the latch.
Self-closing doors enable wheelchair use because it is challenging to maneuver a wheelchair back while pulling on a door. In small spaces it can be impossible. So, for privacy, these doors need to be equipped with hardware that will close them automatically.
The ICC also has these standards for wheelchair accessible compartments.
The Case of Ambulatory Accessible Compartments
Ambulatory accessible compartments sound an awful lot like wheelchair accessible toilet compartmentsbut they are different. Ambulatory accessible toilet compartments are those designed specifically for people who need assistance moving on and off the toilet. The space is narrower, which allows people to gain more support from the handrails on the wall.
Not all people in wheelchairs need this level of assistance in bathrooms. However, hospitals and other healthcare facilities are typically equipped with these bathrooms as many people with mobility conditions or who are recovering from surgery do need this assistance.
While they are different from wheelchair compartments, ambulatory compartments require the same self-closing doors and pull handles on both sides of the door, close to the latch.
The ICC also shares these requirements for ambulatory accessible compartments.
Which Doors Do Not Need to Be Self-Closing?
There are many other doors in a bathroom which typically do not need to be self-closing. That includes main doors to bathrooms with multiple compartments, doors to compartments that are not meant for wheelchair or ambulatory access, or more unusual doors like those that separate changing rooms and bathrooms with multiple compartments.
However, just because these doors do not need to be self-closing doesn’t mean they can’t be. In fact, in any bathroom setting or any space with privacy concerns, it is wise to install self-closing hardware on the doors in order to increase feelings of safety and peoples’ comfort in the space.
Reach out to a commercial door specialist in Rocklin today to discuss which hardware your doors need and which they could benefit from.