Personal Hygiene Facilities Requirements for Workplaces

What This Requirement Covers

Personal hygiene facilities requirements set the minimum provision, layout and accessibility of toilets, showers, washbasins, laundries and associated sanitary spaces in buildings. These requirements exist to protect health by preventing disease transmission, to preserve amenity for occupants and visitors, and to ensure facilities meet the functional needs of the building’s use, occupant numbers, gender mix and disability needs. They apply to new buildings and to certain alterations where the change affects sanitary provision.

The National Construction Code (NCC) (also published as the Building Code of Australia) sets the national performance requirements for sanitary and personal hygiene facilities. Volume One addresses Class 2-9 buildings (commercial, public and multi-residential), and Volume Two addresses Class 1 and 10 buildings (houses, small ancillary structures). Where applicable, state and territory schedules may modify these national provisions.

Key Requirements

1. Duty: A building must be provided with suitable sanitary facilities and space and facilities for personal hygiene appropriate to the building function, number and gender of occupants, and disability or other particular needs, as required by NCC Volume One, F4P1 - Personal hygiene facilities.
2. Location and convenience: Facilities must be provided in a convenient location within or associated with the building (NCC Volume Two, H4P3 - Personal hygiene and other facilities; NCC Volume One, F4F1/F4P1).
3. Provision by building class (high level):
4. Class 1 buildings: Suitable sanitary and laundering facilities appropriate to function are required in accordance with NCC Volume Two, H4P3.
5. Class 2, 4 parts, Class 9a, 9b, 9c: Specific requirements for laundering and food preparation facilities where applicable (NCC Volume One, F4F2 and F4F3).
6. Class 5-9 buildings: Sanitary facilities and minimum numbers where cohort sizes exceed thresholds - see Table provisions in NCC Volume One Part F4 (for accessible facilities and minimums) and F4D series for accessible requirements.
7. Minimum numbers and distribution (selected rules and notes):
8. The NCC sets minimums for closets (toilet pans), washbasins and showers depending on building class and number of occupants; for small patron numbers some facilities need not be supplied if total persons accommodated is not more than 20 (NCC Volume One, Table notes under F4D series).
9. For Class 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 buildings where F4D4 requires closet pans: at least 1 closet pan on every storey containing sanitary compartments and for storeys with more than one bank of male/female sanitary compartments, at least 50% of those banks must have a closet pan (NCC Volume One, F4D6(1)(d)(i-ii)).
10. Accessible facilities:
11. Where a building is required to be accessible, accessible unisex sanitary compartments and accessible unisex showers must be provided per F4D5 - Accessible sanitary facilities and F4D7 - Accessible unisex showers (NCC Volume One). Specific requirements include:
12. Accessible unisex sanitary compartment must contain a closet pan, washbasin, shelf or bench top and means of sanitary product disposal (NCC Volume One, F4D5(d)).
13. Circulation spaces, fixtures and fittings of accessible sanitary facilities must comply with AS 1428.1 (NCC Volume One, F4D5(e)).
14. An accessible unisex sanitary compartment must be located so it can be entered without crossing an area reserved for one sex only (NCC Volume One, F4D5(f)).
15. Ambulant disability provision:
16. At each bank of toilets where there is one or more toilets in addition to an accessible unisex sanitary compartment at that bank, at least one ambulant disability sanitary compartment for males and one for females must be provided in accordance with AS 1428.1 (NCC Volume One, F4D5(c)).
17. Sanitary compartment design:
18. A sanitary compartment must have sufficient space or other means to enable an unconscious occupant to be removed from the compartment (NCC Volume Two, H4P3(4); NCC Volume One, F4F4).
19. Lighting:
20. Sanitary compartments, bathrooms, shower rooms, laundries and the like must have artificial lighting providing an illuminance of not less than 20 lux where natural light of suitable standard is not available (NCC Volume Two, H4P4(2)).
21. Standards referenced:
22. Circulation, fixtures and fittings for accessible facilities must comply with AS 1428.1 - Design for access and mobility (NCC Volume One, F4D5(e)).
23. Water supply, drainage and sanitary plumbing work generally must be designed and installed in accordance with AS/NZS 3500 series (plumbing and drainage) where referenced by state plumbing legislation (NCC cross-references plumbing regulations through state acts).
24. Where showers or accessible compartments require particular fittings and layout, refer to AS 1428.1 for dimensions and clearances.
25. Exact clause references (examples):
26. NCC Volume One, F4P1 - Personal hygiene facilities.
27. NCC Volume One, F4D5 - Accessible sanitary facilities; F4D6 - Accessible unisex sanitary compartments; F4D7 - Accessible unisex showers.
28. NCC Volume One, F4F1 - Sanitary facilities; F4F2 - Laundry facilities; F4F3 - Food preparation facilities; F4F4 - Removal of unconscious occupant.
29. NCC Volume Two, H4P3 - Personal hygiene and other facilities; H4P4 - Lighting for sanitary areas.

Residential vs Commercial

1. Residential (Class 1 and associated Class 10): NCC Volume Two (H4P3) requires suitable sanitary facilities, laundering space and a food preparation facility appropriate to the function and use of the dwelling. The emphasis is on providing the amenities expected for domestic occupation rather than fixed minimum counts as in many commercial uses. A sanitary compartment must allow removal of an unconscious occupant (H4P3(4)).
2. Multi-residential (Class 2): Where sanitary compartments are provided in common areas of Class 2 buildings, the NCC requires not less than 1 accessible unisex sanitary compartment in certain circumstances; other minimums are imposed when communal facilities are used (NCC Volume One, F4D6 and Table notes). Laundering requirements (F4F2) apply to Class 2 where appropriate.
3. Commercial / public buildings (Class 5-9): NCC Volume One provides specific prescriptions for the number and distribution of closets, washbasins and showers in many Class 5-9 occupancies depending on occupant load, gender provision and accessibility requirements. Accessible facilities, ambulant compartments and unisex sanitary compartments are required where the building is required to be accessible (F4D5-F4D7).

Exceptions and Exemptions

1. Small occupancies: Sanitary facilities may not be required for patrons if the total number of persons accommodated in the building is not more than 20 (NCC Volume One, Table notes under F4D series).
2. Storeys not required to be accessible: An accessible unisex sanitary compartment or accessible unisex shower need not be provided on a storey or level that is not required by NCC D4D4
3. (f) to be provided with a passenger lift or ramp complying with AS 1428.1 (NCC Volume One, F4D5(i)).
4. Health-care exceptions: Certain requirements do not apply within ward areas of Class 9a health-care buildings (for example, some closet pan distribution rules) - consult the specific clauses in F4D6(2) and the health-care provisions in NCC Volume One.
5. State or project-specific alternative solutions: Where compliance with a Deemed-to-Satisfy provision is impracticable, an alternative solution may be proposed and proven to meet the Performance Requirements. This typically requires expert justification and evidence.

State and Territory Variations

1. The NCC includes state and territory Schedules (Schedules 4-12 in NCC Volume One) that may modify or add requirements for a particular jurisdiction. Users must check the relevant schedule for their state or territory when applying national provisions.
2. Example notes:
3. Victoria: some F4 provisions have state variations (see VIC F4P2 in NCC Volume One), and states commonly adopt particular plumbing codes or additional accessibility requirements.
4. Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and ACT: each may have local plumbing or public health legislation that affects installation details, registration of trades, backflow prevention and referenced versions of plumbing standards (AS/NZS 3500). Always verify state schedules and local regulations.

Practical Compliance Tips

1. Check building class first - Identify whether the project is Class 1, 2 or Class 5-9. The relevant provisions sit in NCC Volume Two for Class 1/10 and Volume One Part F4 for Class 2-9 (NCC Volume Two, H4P3; NCC Volume One, F4P1).
2. Prioritise accessibility - If the building is required to be accessible, design accessible unisex sanitary compartments and ambulant compartments to the dimensions and fixture locations in AS 1428.1 and NCC Volume One, F4D5.
3. Plan for unconscious occupant removal - Ensure sanitary compartments have clear space or alternate means to remove an unconscious person as required by NCC Volume Two, H4P3(4) and NCC Volume One, F4F4.
4. Follow plumbing standards and local plumbing rules - Use the AS/NZS 3500 series for sanitary plumbing design and check state plumbing legislation for required versions and plumbing approval processes.
5. Avoid under-provision - Don’t rely on the “20 persons” exception unless you can demonstrate the building’s maximum accommodated number will remain below 20; otherwise provide the full required sanitary facilities.
6. Coordinate with certifiers early - Where an alternative solution is proposed for non-standard arrangements, engage a certifier or relevant authority early and prepare evidence the alternative meets Performance Requirements.
7. Document citations on drawings and specifications - Show the NCC clauses and Australian Standard references (for example, NCC Volume One F4D5, AS 1428.1) on documentation so certifiers can quickly verify compliance.

Sources: NCC 2022 Volume One - Building Code of Australia (F4P1, F4F1-F4F4, F4D5-F4D7, F4D6) and NCC 2022 Volume Two - Building Code of Australia (H4P3, H4P4).