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Placement Guide

Guide to Placing Permanent Hand Sanitizing Fixtures

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Benefits of permanent hand sanitizing fixtures

• Protect the health and wellness of occupants
• Reduce the environmental impact of single-use plastics
• Complement the building’s design
• Streamline the building’s labor and logistic operation

We know everyone should wash their hands, but…

1 in 5 people don’t wash their hands

80%

of illness-causing germs are spread via hands

Incorporating permanent hand sanitizing fixtures into building design is essential to help stop the spread of germs in your space.

Key factors for placement

1. Where shared touchpoints can’t be avoided, dispensers should be placed within the line of sight with clear signage.

2. When hand sanitizing fixtures are permanent, you don’t need as many. Why?

  • Proper maintenance ensures that permanent dispensers always have enough sanitizer. Thus there is no need for redundancy.
  • Lighting and signage can draw users in from farther away.
  • Built to complement the style of any space, permanent fixtures can be placed prominently and not hidden.

CODES & REGULATIONS

Codes and regulations impact how placement is determined in a building. While you must consider all applicable local codes, the following are nationally recognized requirements for installing dispensers. Government agencies may require the availability of hand sanitizers in every building.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Title III requires that new construction be accessible to people with disabilities.
• Dispensers should require less than 5 pounds of force to operate
• Sanitizer must be located at least 27 in (68.6 cm) above the floor
• Corridors must be at least 4 ft (1.2 m) wide

ADA REACH REQUIREMENTS

ADA LIMITS FOR PROTRUDING OBJECTS

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Adherence to fire code ensures the safety of your building and the occupants.

NFPA Spacing and Volume Rules by Area Type
• Dispensers must be at least 1 in (2.5 cm) from an ignition source
• Not more than 10 gal (37.8 L) of alcohol-based hand sanitizer shall be in use in a single smoke compartment, outside of a storage cabinet
• In locations with carpeted floors, dispensers are permitted only in sprinklered smoke compartments

General Placement Guidelines

Hand sanitizing fixtures should be placed in high-touch, high-traffic areas. Click on photo to see detailed guidelines for each placement.

Entrances

Hand sanitizing fixtures should be placed at commonly used entrances and exits for two reasons:

1. This benefits the building operator and staff for people entering the building to clean their hands upon arrival, forming a layer of biosecurity.

2. When visitors and staff are leaving the building, they want to clean their hands to remove any germs before going on with their day. This is the primary use for perimeter hand sanitizing fixtures, which should be placed where they can be easily identified and accessed.

RULE: Identify your primary entrances and exits. Orient at least one fixture per entrance/exit to be most convenient for those exiting the building.

If the entrance leads to a lobby that is greater than 2,000 square feet (186 meters), then consider including a fixture centrally located within the space.

Hand sanitizing fixtures should be primarily built into the building. This reduces trip hazards and simplifies logistics. More than one fixture may be needed in large entryways. Columns are great locations.

Check-In/Front Desk
Anywhere people exchange physical objects is a key area to locate sanitizing fixtures. Rule: Install a fixture at the exit point.

Restrooms

Some of the most often-used sanitizing fixtures in a building are located near restrooms. People in a rush are more inclined to use the sanitizer, rather than wash their hands with soap and water.

RULE: Place at least one fixture on an outside wall near restrooms.

The best location is immediately outside the restroom.

If men’s and women’s restrooms are connected by a common corridor, then one fixture can be used instead of two.

Waiting Areas/Lounges/Break Rooms

Waiting areas and lounges are full of high touchpoints. For occupants to feel safe and comfortable, they need to know that they are in a clean environment.

RULE: Locate at least one sanitizing fixture per entrance to lounge areas.

These areas often involve drinking and eating. People in these areas may not want to find a restroom to clean their hands, but they will use a strategically placed sanitizing fixture.

Elevators

Elevators require touching exterior buttons, handrails and interior buttons.

RULE: At least one fixture per elevator bank per floor. Wider elevator banks may necessitate multiple fixtures.

The best place to locate a fixture is near the elevator buttons.

Stairs & Escalators

Out of safety, most people hold on to hand rails of stairs and escalators, making them high-touch. For frequently-used stairs, sanitizer should be available between floors. Staircases primarily available for emergencies do not require sanitizer.

RULE: Include fixtures near the exit of the handrail of escalators and stairs that are centrally located and frequently used.

Specific Space Needs

Click on link to see detailed guidelines for each facility.

Hotels

Restaurants

Education

Medical Facilities

Airports

Stadiums

Entertainment

Hotels

In hotels, two different spaces that require fixtures might be close enough to each other that they can share one fixture. For example, a coffee bar may be adjacent to a lounge area. A fixture placed at the end of the line for the coffee bar could also serve the lounge area.

RULE: Follow common area rules while trying to consolidate fixtures that can be located between two different high-traffic areas.

Restaurants

Restaurants are mostly served through the general guidelines for restrooms and waiting areas.

RULE: One additional fixture per intersection between back and front of house.

Sit-down restaurants should have sanitizer available for service staff to use between the kitchen and dining area.

Fast casual restaurants should have a fixture at some point along the ordering line.

Education

Schools have many unique needs. A typical school contains several locations that need at least one fixture. Offering sanitizer near high-traffic, high-touch areas, such as the gym, cafeteria and auditorium, should be a priority.

Medical Facilities

Preventing the spread of infection is critically important in healthcare settings. Workers need access to hand sanitizing fixtures before and after interacting with patients.

Add one unit per 2,000 sq ft (186 sq m). Bias locations toward high-traffic entrances and walkway intersections.

Airports

Air travelers experience unique high-touch situations, such as security checkpoints and baggage claim. Sanitizing fixtures should be readily available in these areas. Travelers are also entering and exiting high-density waiting areas and airplanes. Additional fixtures placed near restrooms and eateries will service these situations.

RULE: Place fixtures roughly every 250 ft (76.2 m), starting with restrooms and eating areas.

Stadiums

Sanitizing fixtures should be placed outside of restrooms and food stations located in covered areas. Stadium private viewing areas offer another opportunity for permanent sanitizing fixtures.

RULE: One fixture per private viewing space (box, lounge, etc.)

Entertainment

For high-touch, high-traffic entertainment venues, sanitizing fixtures should be placed in both entryways and at exit of indoor areas. Indoor attractions, such as rides and games, should offer at least one fixture before and particularly after use.

Vaask's Recognition


What They Said

  • “Vaask is doing exactly what it’s meant to do. Get people’s attention and encourage them to sanitize their hands.”

    Patty Williams, property manager of Muse Nashville (Tennessee)

  • “Vaask is the first company to address the germ problem in an elegant way. While everyone else is producing plastic jugs, Vaask decided to bring (a solution) into the 21st century.”

    Emily Smith, lead designer of ES Design Group (Tennessee)

  • “Vaask blends right in with our sophisticated, modern interiors and makes cleaning your hands quite the experience instead of an afterthought.”

    Melody McLeod, lead designer of LG Development (Illinois)

  • “Vaask is the only hand sanitizer company that’s done something this beautiful. It looks like we designed around them.”

    Jack Olshan, managing director of Hotel Versailles (Ohio)

  • “I liked the high-quality finishes of the product and how the touchless sensor works so well and also warns users if the gel level inside is low.”

    Leslie Fossler, Lead Designer, Leslie Fossler Interiors

  • “Vaask is very eye-catching and would complement any modern home. It added a nice ‘wow’ factor to my new home construction.”

    June King, Owner, June King Custom Homes

  • “It’s really front and center so people are intrigued by it. It’s really apparent what it is. It’s the prettiest hand sanitizer anybody’s ever seen.”

    Caryn Paradis, Lead Designer, Caryn Paradis Interior Design

  • “Vaask fits our lobby and fits our décor. It’s easy to use and easy to maintain. We don’t have to jump through hoops and can refill it with any sanitizer, if we choose to.”

    Chris Kosor, General Manager, Origin Austin Hotel

  • “One of the biggest selling points was being able to use any sanitizer gel, which solved our refill supply problems and lowered costs. Our company is also very focused on being eco-friendly, and using Vaask lets us cut down on plastic and battery waste.”

    Timothy Wagner, Facilities Manager for a 2-million-square-foot warehouse

  • “Vaask was exactly what we were looking for, in terms of the clean visuals and design lines, while also being super functional.”

    Kimberly Orr, Lead Designer, Kimberly O Design

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