The AODA does not yet include standards governing the housing sector. However, the Third Review of the AODA recommends new standards in various sectors, and suggests guidelines for future housing standards. In addition, the review recommends that future AODA standards should align with existing standards in other parts of the country. For instance, Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) have developed federal standards for accessible housing. Future AODA housing standards may include some or all of these guidelines and requirements to make people’s homes more accessible. In this article, we explore guidelines in the federal housing standards for accessible laundry rooms in housing.
Accessible Laundry Rooms in Housing
At least one (1) laundry room in every house or apartment building should be fully accessible. The standards recommend that laundry rooms should be located near bedrooms, so that people can easily move their clothes to and from their rooms.
Laundry room floors should slope slightly towards drains, and have good colour contrast with:
- Walls
- Appliances
- Other features
Moreover, requirements for accessible paths of travel within housing should apply to laundry rooms. People using assistive devices should be able to reach and use:
- Sinks
- Washers
- Dryers
- Surfaces for folding laundry
- Built-in ironing boards
- Storage space, such as shelves
Furthermore, requirements for home controls should apply to these fixtures, such as:
- Sink faucets
- Washer and dryer controls
Like fixtures in accessible bathrooms, laundry room sinks should include mixing valves to ensure that the water temperature does not grow hotter than forty-nine degrees Celsius. Similarly, sink drains should be protected so that people contacting those surfaces do not injure themselves.
Washer and dryer doors and controls should be at the front of each machine. In addition, the machines’ doors should open away from each other. Like fridges and freezers in accessible kitchens, washers and dryers should be beside each other, rather than one machine being above the other.
The standards list measurements for folding surfaces and built-in ironing boards, including:
- Height
- Width
- Depth
- Knee and toe clearance
- Placement of an electrical outlet near the front or side
The edges and undersides of these surfaces should not be sharp.
Similarly, the standards include measurements for the height, width, and depth of shelves for storage. Shelves can be pulled forward or down, manually or electronically.