An accessible portable toilet plan for a Baltimore event states how many accessible units are provided, where they stand, the route to them and the checks made on the day. No Baltimore or Maryland share of accessible units for events was found, so the number is agreed with the organizer from the expected need and the route.
Key takeaways
- An accessible unit has a wider door, a clear floor to turn in and grab bars at a usable height.
- The route from the gate or the path of travel to the unit is as important as the unit itself.
- No Baltimore or Maryland share of accessible units for events was found, so none is stated.
- Place the unit on the shortest firm, level route, and check it on the day.
- Show the accessible route on the drawing that goes to the permit file.
- Re-check the bars, the door and the pad at every service visit.
What the plan must say
The plan states the number of accessible units, their placement, the route, the grab bars and door checks, and the visit times, so an organizer or an office can see that the need was considered.
A plan that says accessible units are provided, without a number, a place and a route, is not a plan. The number shows how the need was counted, the placement shows where a guest can reach it, and the route shows that the path from the gate or the parking is usable.
The plan also says what checks are made and when. A bar that loosens or a pad that sinks is found at the next visit only if someone has agreed to look for it.
Counting the accessible need
The count of accessible units is agreed from the expected need, which the organizer can estimate from the audience, the age profile and the event's own requests.
An event for older guests, families with strollers or a sports crowd with a range of ages will have a different need from a small private party. The organizer knows the audience better than the technician does, and the count is agreed from what the organizer expects.
Where no need is known, the plan still provides at least one accessible unit at a long event, and it says why. A single unit may be stretched on a long day, and a second is discussed if the crowd is large.
Route, ground and the walk from the gate
A guest reaches the accessible unit by a route, and the route has to be firm, level and short, since a grass or gravel path or a curb step is a barrier even when the unit is perfect.
The technician walks from the gate, the parking and any transit stop to the restroom area. Each change of surface, each slope and each curb is marked. The accessible unit is placed where the route is firmest and shortest, and a mat or a short ramp is added where a small step cannot be avoided.
On a park or waterfront site the walk can cross grass or boardwalk. A firm path or a set of boards is laid on the route the guest will take, and the unit is placed at the end of that path.
- Mark every curb, step and soft patch
- Place the unit at the firmest, flattest end
- Use a mat or a short ramp for a small step
- Show the route on the drawing
Placement and the turning space
The unit is set on a level pad with room in front of the door for a wheelchair to turn, and the door swing is checked so it does not strike a fence or a post.
A level pad is the first requirement. A unit on a slope will drift and its door will swing open or closed on its own. The pad is checked each morning of the event and after rain.
The turning space in front of the door is kept clear of cords, hoses and stored items. A post or a fence that narrows the approach is moved or the unit is turned to suit.
Checks on the day and at each visit
The grab bars, the door latch, the pad and the route are checked at placement, at each service visit and before the gates open, and any fault is reported straight away.
A bar that moves when pushed is reported and not used. A door that does not latch is repaired or the unit is replaced. A route that has softened is boarded before the crowd arrives.
The checks are written on the service sheet, so the organizer can see that they were made and when.
What to put on the permit drawing
The permit drawing shows the accessible unit, its route from the gate, the turning space and the pad, so the office can see the same layout the crew will build.
The drawing marks the accessible unit with a symbol and a note, and it draws the route from the nearest gate in a line the reader can follow. The count of accessible units is shown beside the general count, so the office sees both.
Where the route crosses a closure or a crowd barrier, the drawing shows the detour, so the accessible route is not lost when the closures go up.
When one accessible unit is not enough
A long event, a large crowd or a known group of guests with needs can call for a second accessible unit, and the plan records the decision and the reason for it.
A single accessible unit at a long festival can be queued for by a guest with a need, while others wait. A second unit close to the first solves that and is recorded on the plan with the reason.
At a private event with a known guest who needs the unit, the unit is placed for that guest's route and the host is told so the route is kept clear.
Accessible units at a long festival day
A long festival day puts the accessible unit under more use than a short event, so its checks and its servicing are set more often and a second unit is discussed early.
A festival day of eight hours or more means the accessible unit is used for most of the day. Its bars and its door are checked more often, and its stock is topped up at each visit rather than once.
The organizer is asked early whether a second accessible unit should be placed, so the decision is made before the crowd arrives.
Staff and the accessible route
Staff who direct the crowd know where the accessible unit is and the route to it, so a guest with a need is sent the right way without a search.
A steward at the gate is given a map that marks the accessible unit and the route to it. A guest who asks is shown the route, and the steward can call for a visit if the unit needs attention.
The map is the same one the permit office sees, so the route on the ground matches the route in the file.
Accessible units and the permit file
The accessible units are shown on the permit drawing with their route and their count, so the office can see that the need was considered and planned.
The drawing marks each accessible unit and its route, and the count is written beside the general count. An office that asks why a number was chosen is answered by the basis the plan records.
Where the office asks for more units, the change is agreed and the drawing is revised before the event.
Guests who use a service animal or a companion
A guest who uses a service animal or a companion needs room in the unit or a route that fits both, and the plan makes space for them where the route allows.
A unit with a narrow door or a tight floor can be difficult for a guest with a companion or a working animal. Where a guest is known to need that room, the placement and the unit type are chosen to suit.
The guest and the organizer are asked about the need in advance, and the route is checked for the same width and clearance as the chair route.
Training staff on the accessible route
Staff who guide guests are shown the accessible route and the unit before the gates open, so the guidance they give is accurate on the day.
A short walk with the stewards before the event shows them the accessible unit, the route from the gate and the points where a guest may need help. The walk is repeated if the layout changes.
Stewards are told the unit's status, so a unit that is out of use is not sent to a guest. A steward who cannot give an accurate answer is told to call the supervisor rather than guess.
At the end of an event the accessible unit is checked once more before it is collected, so that any damage from the day is noted and reported. A bar that has been bent, a door that has been forced or a pad that has moved is recorded on the close-out sheet, so the owner and the organizer know what the event left behind.
Frequently asked questions
Does Baltimore require a number of accessible units at events?
No share was found in the city guidance this guide relies on. The number is agreed on the plan with the organizer, based on the expected need and the route.
What makes a unit accessible?
A wider door, a clear floor to turn in, grab bars at a usable height and a seat at a set height, reached by a firm, level route.
Can a mat or ramp fix a route?
For a small step or a short soft patch, yes. A long soft or steep route may need a different spot.
Who decides how many accessible units to provide?
The organizer decides with the technician, based on the expected need and the route. The plan records the reason.
How is the unit checked during the event?
The bars, the door, the pad and the route are checked at placement, at each service visit and before the gates open.
Should the accessible unit be near the gate?
Near the gate is best if the route from the gate is firm. The shortest firm route is the test, not the closest point on a map.
Will the permit office look at the accessible unit?
The drawing shows it, so the office can see the placement and the route with the rest of the layout.
Can a staff member use the accessible unit?
The accessible unit is for guests and workers who need it, and it should be kept available for that use at all times.
What if a guest needs help to use the unit?
Staff are told where the unit is and the route to it, and the unit's door and bars are checked so they can help safely.
Sources
- Baltimore City Department of Transportation, Special Events guidelines
- U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Baltimore city
This guide is general information for Baltimore City homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.