About 60% of Americans use a public restroom one to five times a week, according to the latest annual hand washing survey conducted by Bradley Corporation.
Besides using the toilet and washing their hands, the top five things Americans do in a public restroom are: check their appearance, blow their nose or cough, get away, use their cell phone and change clothes. By far, 18-34 year olds use public restrooms the most frequently with three to 10 stops a week.
“When we looked at how people ‘get away’ in a public restroom, we found 27% use it as a place to take a mental health break, avoid someone, hide, and even cry,” says Jon Dommisse, director of strategy and corporate development for Bradley Corp. “Almost a third of the population go to the restroom for respite.”
That begs the question about whether designers of public restrooms should build in space and benches for people to recompose themselves. This may be happening already, with family restrooms having grown in popularity in the past decade. Some 76% of parents have availed themselves of a family restroom to, among other things, change a diaper, change clothes, wash a child’s face, and calm a child.
Related Stories
| Mar 22, 2012
Bill would reintroduce “opt-out” provision in lead paint law
The Lead Exposure Reduction Amendments Act of 2012 (S2148) would restore the "Opt-Out" provision removed from the Environmental Protection Agency's Lead Renovate, Repair and Painting (LRRP) rule in April 2010.
| Mar 15, 2012
New Florida building code establishes flood and storm surge provisions
The new 2010 code establishes minimum design and construction requirements to protect buildings from wind, rain, floods, and storm surges.
| Mar 15, 2012
Illinois city rejects international code due to home sprinkler requirement
Macomb, Illinois aldermen voted to recommend that the city not adopt 2012 international building and residential code standards requiring the installation of overhead sprinkler systems in newly constructed one-family and two-family homes.
| Mar 15, 2012
Tenant advocates propose licensing landlords in New York City
With thousands of New York City rental units posing potential dangers to tenants, city advocates are proposing measures to make landlords improve building safety.
| Mar 15, 2012
Construction industry a big winner in federal small disadvantaged business procurement
Last year, only 5% of federal contract dollars went to small disadvantaged businesses. Construction and facilities support firms were the biggest beneficiaries.
| Mar 15, 2012
ANSI approves new fall protection standards
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has approved two American Society of Safety Engineers' (ASSE) standards addressing fall protection.
| Mar 8, 2012
Engineering innovation provides new option for meeting seismic codes in skyscrapers
Two University of Toronto engineers have developed “viscoelastic-energy-dissipating dampers” to replace many of the heavy concrete beams used in tall structures.
| Mar 8, 2012
CSI webinar on building code compliance March 22
A March 22 webinar will provide an overview of a 28-step process during the design of a building to ensure compliance with building codes.
