2019 California Standards for Accessible Design Guide (effective January 1, 2020 with July 1, 2021 amendments)
11B-604.5 Grab bars.
Grab bars for water closets shall comply with Section 11B-609. Grab bars shall be provided on the side wall closest to the water closet and on the rear wall. Where separate grab bars are required on adjacent walls at a common mounting height, an L-shaped grab bar meeting the dimensional requirements of Sections 11B-604.5.1 and 11B-604.5.2 shall be permitted.
[2010 ADA Standards] 604.5 Grab Bars. Grab bars for water closets shall comply with 609. Grab bars shall be provided on the side wall closest to the water closet and on the rear wall.
Exceptions:
1. Reserved.
[2010 ADA Standards] 1. Grab bars shall not be required to be installed in a toilet room for a single occupant accessed only through a private office and not for common use or public use provided that reinforcement has been installed in walls and located so as to permit the installation of grab bars complying with 604.5.
2. In residential dwelling units, grab bars shall not be required to be installed in toilet or bathrooms provided that reinforcement has been installed in walls and located so as to permit the installation of grab bars complying with Section 11B-604.5.
3. In detention or correction facilities, grab bars shall not be required to be installed in housing or holding cells that are specially designed without protrusions for purposes of suicide prevention.
11B-604.5.1 Side wall.
The side wall grab bar shall be 42 inches (1067 mm) long minimum, located 12 inches (305 mm) maximum from the rear wall and extending 54 inches (1372 mm) minimum from the rear wall with the front end positioned 24 inches (610 mm) minimum in front of the water closet.
[2010 ADA Standards] 604.5.1 Side Wall. The side wall grab bar shall be 42 inches (1065 mm) long minimum, located 12 inches (305 mm) maximum from the rear wall and extending 54 inches (1370 mm) minimum from the rear wall.
FIGURE 11B-604.5.1 SIDE WALL GRAB BAR AT WATER CLOSETS ‡‡
11B-604.5.2 Rear wall.
The rear wall grab bar shall be 36 inches (914 mm) long minimum and extend from the centerline of the water closet 12 inches (305 mm) minimum on one side and 24 inches (610 mm) minimum on the other side.
Exceptions:
- The rear grab bar shall be permitted to be 24 inches (610 mm) long minimum, centered on the water closet, where wall space does not permit a length of 36 inches (914 mm) minimum due to the location of a recessed fixture adjacent to the water closet.
- Where an administrative authority requires flush controls for flush valves to be located in a position that conflicts with the location of the rear grab bar, then the rear grab bar shall be permitted to be split or shifted to the open side of the toilet area.
ETA Editor's Note
The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), which has jurisdiction over hospitals and long-term care facilities in California, issued Code Application Notice CAN 2-11B, dated 9/9/14, which includes the following interpretation of Subsection 11B-604.5.2:
CBC Section 1224.14.2.7 requires the provision of a flushing-rim clinical sink in the soiled utility room of a nursing unit. There is an allowance to eliminate the clinical sink if facilities for cleaning bedpans are provided elsewhere. CPC Table 4-2 Footnote 14 allows the clinical sink to be deleted if all bedrooms in the nursing unit are provided with adjoining toilets with bedpan flushing devices.
Patient toilet rooms with bedpan flushing devices are an allowance, not a requirement. If this approach is pursued, the bedpan flushing device shall not be a unit that results in the need to split or offset the rear grab bar. Section 11B-604.5.2 is not available to accommodate bedpan flushing devices. The gripping surface of the grab bar must be available for the entire 36-inch length without interruption.
Bedpan washing devices that are manufactured as part of a flush valve assembly project above the rear grab bar, obstructing it. OSHPD's interpretation disallows those at the water closets in accessible Patient Toilets. There are wall-mounted bedpan washing devices that could be used instead, taking care not to obstruct either the side or the rear grab bars, or the required clear floor space.
As of the initial publication of this Guide, OSHPD has not updated CAN 2-11B for applicability to 2019 CBC. Since there is no change to the wording of Subsection 11B-604.5.2 Exception 2 from 2013 CBC to 2019 CBC, there is no reason to expect that OSHPD will change its interpretation.
FIGURE 11B-604.5.2 REAR WALL GRAB BAR AT WATER CLOSETS
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