In Victoria there is a legislated requirement for accessible sanitary facilities in some public events. These are events considered as a POPE (Place of Public Entertainment) and many Councils enforce these requirements.
The POPE requirement is referenced within the Building Act, Building Regulations and Volume 1 of the BCA (Building Code of Australia).A POPE area and structures within a POPE are generally considered by Victorian Councils to be Class 9b buildings.
If you want to read more about the Victorian POPE legislated requirements or the inclusion of POPE’s and the legislated definition of temporary structures as ‘buildings’ within the state of Victoria then please read this page –https://www.disabilityaccessconsultants.com.au/accessible-public-events/ – needless to say this has caused some extra issues for hire companies and the event industry to consider.
To address the POPE requirements, the Victorian Appendix to the BCA includes a requirement for:
1. First aid rooms (based on a ratio) (Ref: Vic F2.101 & Vic H102.4); and
2. Accessible paths to First Aid Rooms (Ref: Vic F2.101); and
3. Accessible sanitary facilities based on the ratio of one accessible facility for every 100 pans (or part thereof) (Ref: Vic H102.4); and
4. One drinking fountain for every washbasin required under the toilet calculations within Vic H102.4(a)(i)(ii)(iii) (no mention of accessible drinking fountains though…).
However, if the total number of pans are spread over multiple locations within the event space then consider providing one accessible toilet at each location, unless two locations are close together and then provide at 50% of the locations within each group of toilets.
If you are not in Victoria and your State or Territory has no similar Appendices to the BCA, then you could adopt the Vic Appendix H102.4 as a minimum, i.e. 1 unisex accessible toilet per 100 pans (in total of both male and female). Ultimately, check with your local Council to see what the requirements are.
Hope that all makes sense – check out our website – https://www.disabilityaccessconsultants.com.au/accessible-public-events/ or give us a call.
contact us