Width of a shower seat in a transfer type shower

[Sifu]

Using the 2009 ANSI 117.1 standard, for a transfer type shower, a seat complying with 610 is required on the wall opposite the control wall per 608.2.1.3, and 610.3 requires it to extend along the seat wall to a point within 3" of the compartment entry. 610.3.1 then requires the side of a rectangular seat to be 1 1/2" max from the back wall. The min. width of the compartment is required to be 36". Assume that is the actual width of a transfer type shower, so the rectangular seat would need to be 31 1/2" wide in order to comply. The seat specified is 17" wide, so no-go. All the seats I could quickly find all are less than 31 1/2", and they all say "ADA compliant". I know this is a misleading statement, as many things may be ADA compliant, depending on how they are installed, but it seems to me that any rectangular seat, no matter how it is installed would need to be 31 1/2" min. in order to comply in a transfer type shower. What don't I understand? I would like to know if I am misunderstanding this and if any exist before I send the applicant off on a quest to find something that doesn't exist. (The ADA requirements are the same as the ANSI standard in this case) I did find some L-shaped seats that would comply.

 

[RLGA]

Use the L-shaped seats. If you have not noticed, all figures in ANSI A117.1 and the ADA Standards show L-shaped seats in the transfer-type showers. However, that does not mean they have to be L-shaped (ANSI A117.1 610.3.1 mentions both types of showers). The rectangular seats are probably more for the roll-in-type showers, which have a shallower depth (although 17 inches would still not work).

 

[Yikes]

Here's an L-shaped seat that is 33" in side-to-side width:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/harneyshopifypds/19071.pdf

 

[Sifu]

Yep, I found L-shaped seats that comply. Just puzzled by the rectangular shape provisions. This is an occupancy where they would desperately like to minimize the seats, so they apparently picked the smallest one they could find. And it says ADA compliant, so why bother to look any further? I'll let them figure it out.

 

[walker.t]

The min. width of the compartment is required to be 36".

By the way, A117.1-2009 608.2.1.1 (Size) specifies the width and depth as 36” absolute, not minimum. This provision specifies the entry as 36” minimum, but I’m not sure what it would look like to have a 36” wide transfer shower with an entry that is wider than 36”.

 

[walker.t]

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="534"> <tbody> <tr height="19"> <td height="19" width="534">Wall Mounted Shower Seats & Benc

Wall-mounted shower seats & benches help reduce the risk of falling & improve the bathing experience. Get a Freedom Showers folding shower seat or bench today.

www.freedomshowers.com

ASI 8203-33 Folding Shower Seat - Rectangular, ADA - Solid Phenolic, White - 33"W

ASI 8203-33 Folding Shower Seat - Rectangular, ADA - Solid Phenolic, White - 33"W

www.totalrestroom.com

First link has three rectangular seats that are 32”, second link has one rectangular seat that is 33” wide.

 

[Sifu]

Out of curiosity, the seat they specified is considered a "bariatric" seat by the MFR (ADA compliant!). The definition for bariatric is for weight related treatment. Would a seat that is narrower be of more help in this type of situation?

 

[walker.t]

Out of curiosity, the seat they specified is considered a "bariatric" seat by the MFR (ADA compliant!). The definition for bariatric is for weight related treatment. Would a seat that is narrower be of more help in this type of situation?

I don’t think so, I thought the bariatric seats were designed to be larger and able to support more weight, a smaller seat may be less comfortable because the user’s weight is supported by a smaller area. I would assume a 36”x36” transfer shower is not the best choice for people who are larger than average, my guess is that the seat they specified just happened to be considered a bariatric seat and that they did not specify it for that reason - just a guess.

 

[Sifu]

my guess is that the seat they specified just happened to be considered a bariatric seat and that they did not specify it for that reason - just a guess.

My guess too. The IBC exempts them, but I'm not sure they read that far anyway. In any case, these are not bathing rooms designed for bariatric patients, so it won't fly.