The bathroom : ergonomic factors in the design of bath aids and w.c. pans

The first part of this thesis deals with the evaluation of a combination of bath seat, bath board. and hand rail as an aid to disabled persons using a conventional domestic bath. Previous experimental work under 'dry' conditions had suggested certain positions for a sloping wall rail as being suitable for aiding entry to and exit from a bath. The evaluation was carried out under 'wet' conditions in order to clarify the position of the hand rail. The problem of surface material was also investigated. In the trials disabled subjects used the equipment and their comments and performance were noted. A separate experiment was conducted to determine the clearance distance of the hand rail from a wall. As a result of these tests it is recommended that, subject to further field trials. the equipment be considered as an addition to equipment already available to disabled persons. Certain recommendations are made concerning the positions, sizes and materials of equipment to be used in such an installation. The second part describes an anthropometric survey conducted in order to obtain basic anthropometric data not available elsewhere on the human body with respect to the use of W.C. pans. The technique used was an adaption of the somatotype photographic technique. Ten body dimensions were measured from the photographic prints. The subjects were recruited from the general public and consisted of able-bodied adult men and women between the ages of 18 and 81 years. Data on the 10 body dimensions of 140 subjects adopting 3 postures appropriate to W.C. pan use, are given. together with the implications thereof for W.C. seat design. Comparison is made between measurements so obtained and those of currently recommended W.C. seat dimensions.