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DOC M is in place to make public spaces accessible and safe for disabled people. DOC M is an approved document that gives practical guidance on how the British Standards (BS8300) can be incorporated into the built environment. It’s not a legislative document but a guide to the minimum that should be done to ensure compliance with building regulations.

The projection is the distance the rail sticks out from the wall. A grab rail's projection must be between 60mm and 85mm, allowing space for a user with restricted dexterity to grab the rail.

A DOC M toilet is 480mm high, which is the standard height of a wheelchair. This makes side-transferring from the wheelchair to the toilet easier for the user.

The toilet must project 750mm from the wall to the front of the pan. This is so the wheelchair's seat aligns with the front of the toilet, with enough space to move the wheelchair into the required position. It also means the wheelchair's handles can be positioned against the wall. This offers the user extra stability, and the wheelchair doesn't move whilst transferring, so the distance the user must move is kept to the minimum.

The minimum room size requirement is 1500mm wide x 2200mm long to be considered DOC M-compliant.

A disabled toilet should be 480mm high to the top of the seat, the same height as a standard wheelchair, allowing for easy side transfers.

To be DOC M-compliant, you must use a colour contrasting with the wall; for example, a black grab rail on a light grey or white wall. Here’s the techy bit: ‘A minimum contrast of 30 points of LRV (light reflection value) difference must be used.’ For more information on LRV, read our blog post on the topic here. If you have any further enquiries, please get in touch with our customer services team, who will be happy to assist.

Dirt traps allow bacteria to grow, increasing the chances of spreading infection. In industries where infection control is crucial to keep vulnerable people safe, such as healthcare, it’s vital to eliminate possible dirt traps.

So, how do you do this? Concealed fittings on flange or flangeless grab rails can prevent the screw heads from gathering bacteria. The main areas where dirt traps can form are around the screw heads holding the rail to the wall as well as the gaps between them.

We offer flangeless grab rails in some of our ranges that are flush to the wall, making a surface easily cleanable and reducing the hygiene risk.

Stainless steel is stylish, durable and hygienic. Stainless steel 304 is 18% chromium and 8% nickel, which prevents the surface from corroding. The chromium reacts with the oxygen in the air and forms a protective layer that makes stainless steel highly resistant to corrosion. At Fitzroy of London, we use grade 304 stainless steel for all our stainless steel grab rails as they have low electrical and thermal conduction, making them ideal for installation in disabled washrooms. 304 stainless steel has excellent corrosion resistance, which is perfect for use in high-use and wet environments. Our finishes further enhance the durability and longevity of the base material.

BS8300 is a British Standard highlighting how a building should be accessible and inclusive for disabled people.