2016 California Standards for Accessible Design Pocket Guide - Eff. Jan. 1, 2017

ETA Editor's Note

At Hospital toilets and bathrooms used by patients, the California Electrical Code (CEC) requires a nurse call device at the side wall of a water closet that must be coordinated carefully with the side grab bar at an accessible water closet to ensure that accessible clearances are met. The following excerpts are from the CEC:

517.123 [OSHPD 1, 2, 3 & 4] Call Systems. Hospital signaling and nurse call equipment includes four types of call stations: patient stations, bath stations, staff emergency stations, and code call stations.

(A) General. ...

(B) Patient Stations. ...

(C) Bath Stations. A bath station that can be activated by a patient lying on the floor shall be provided at each room containing a patient water closet, bathtub, sitz bath, or shower stall. Pull cords shall extend to a maximum of 12 inches (30.48 centimeters) above the floor.

(1) An alarm in these areas shall be able to be turned off only at the bath station where it was initiated.

Exception: When two or more stations are located in the same bath area and all are visible from any call location, the alarm may be canceled at any of these locations.

(2) Bath stations in shower stalls and tubs shall be located 5 to 6 feet (1.52 to 1.83 meters) above the floor, within normal view of the user and within reach of staff without the need to step into the stall or tub.

(3) Bath stations shall be located to the side of toilets, within 12 inches (30.48 centimeters) of the front of the toilet bowl and 3 to 4 feet (.91 meter to 1.22 meters) above the floor. A bath station shall be permitted to serve both a toilet and a shower or other fixture if it is accessible to both.

(D) Staff Emergency Stations. ...

(E) Code Call Stations. ...

At 517.123(C)(3), the height of the nurse call device is not specified to be measured to the top of the box, as it is at CBC 11B-308.1.1 for electrical switches and 11B-308.1.2 for electrical receptacles. It is recommended to install the nurse call device at/near the high limit of the allowable range, maintaining 12" minimum clearance above the top of the side grab bar, thus complying with CBC 11B-609.3.

Although the requirements of CEC 517.123 apply specifically to Hospitals and other facilities under OSHPD jurisdiction, it is not uncommon for nurse call devices to be installed at patient toilets in medical office buildings that are not under OSHPD jurisdiction. In these, the positioning of the nurse call device is not strictly regulated by Code, but accessible clearances must be maintained from the grab bars at accessible water closets.