Loo of the Year Awards: Inspection Criteria
The Loo of the Year Awards inspection criteria have been developed over many years and are constantly under review. There are currently over one hundred different criteria used for assessing male, female, accessible and babychange facilities. While we accept that not all Loo of the Year Awards entries will satisfy all of the Inspection Criteria used, we believe that 'Away from Home' toilet providers should be aiming to achieve as many of the criteria as possible - particularly in any new build or refurbished facilities. Read a summary of the detailed inspection criteria... (clicking this link will open a new browser window with the detailed inspection criteria in it)
- The annual Loo of the Year Awards competition, established in 1987, is designed to encourage the provision of higher standards of ‘away from home’ toilets in all non – domestic i.e. ‘away from home’ locations.
- There are many different types of toilet providers, catering for different types of customer, at different times of the day or night.
- The common link with all the above is the hygienic and safe satisfying of toilet user – i.e. customer needs, wherever and whenever they require to visit a toilet.
- Toilet provision is not a complicated or scientific requirement. It does however, require a dedicated or serious management commitment, to ensure that minimum standards of provision are established and, as important, sustained during the hours of availability.
- On top of the necessary range of basic washroom fixtures and fittings, there are three crucial elements required for good toilet provision. These are:
- ‘P’ for Products. An extended range of functional products is required to satisfy user choice, run out or breakdown, busy periods etc.
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‘S’ for Service. Service frequencies are dependant on user numbers and type of location. Once or twice during the day to open and close or service, often means that the facility is left unchecked for long periods.
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‘M’ for Management. The ‘P’ and ‘S’ above will only work if there is a committed Manager or Owner who appreciates the added value opportunities available through their staff, customer or visitor toilets.
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Every ‘away from home’ toilet provider should adopt a mental commitment to the ’PSM’ factor and so contribute to the raising of ‘away from home’ toilet standards, as well as satisfying, more effectively, user needs.
- The Loo of the Year Awards, in conjunction with the British Toilet Association, has established a basic ‘AWAY FROM HOME’ TOILET CHARTER which has been adopted by many toilet providers. Read the BTA 'Away from Home' Toilet Charter... (clicking this link will open a new browser window with the detailed inspection criteria in it)