BathSelect Healthcare & Senior Living Handwashing Systems

Match the Handwashing Station to the Care Function

Healthcare and senior living buildings contain very different handwashing environments. A public lobby restroom, resident apartment, staff toilet room, patient-room sink and clinical handwashing station do not necessarily share the same risk assessment or specification. Product selection must begin with the room’s purpose, users and facility policies.

BathSelect can support appropriate public, residential-style, staff and selected care-area applications. Clinical suitability, infection-prevention requirements and regulatory acceptance must be determined by the facility’s multidisciplinary project team.

Accessibility, Water Management and Infection Prevention Intersect

Residents and patients may have limited mobility, dexterity, reach or temperature sensitivity. Staff require reliable access to hand hygiene supplies. Facility teams must also manage premise plumbing, splash, drainage, cleaning and service interruptions. A decision that improves one objective can affect another.

Infection prevention, facilities, clinical leadership, accessibility specialists and engineering should review handwashing locations and fixture details together rather than in sequence.

Six BathSelect Categories for Care Projects

Touchless
Faucets Automatic Soap
Dispensers Coordinated
Handwashing Accessible
Faucets Bathroom
Sinks Bathroom
Accessories

Handwashing Systems by Care Setting

Fixtures Support a Broader Facility Program

Reliable water and soap access supports handwashing, but fixtures alone do not establish an infection-prevention program. The facility determines when soap and water, alcohol-based hand rub or other approved methods are required. Placement, supply availability, cleaning and staff practice remain essential.

Use the CDC’s healthcare hand-hygiene guidance and current facility policies when defining clinical and staff applications.

Reduce Splash Through Intentional Station Design

Spout reach, stream direction, basin depth, drain position and water pressure affect splash. In patient-care applications, the facility team should assess the relationship between the faucet outlet, drain and nearby care surfaces. CDC healthcare water guidance recommends intentional sink choices, including adequate depth and avoiding discharge directly onto the drain where applicable.

Mock up critical pairings and observe them at maximum intended flow. Keep patient-care and personal items away from splash zones according to facility policy.

Confirm Outlet Performance for the Intended Care Area

Flow rate and stream character should be verified at the model level. Some healthcare applications may call for a non-aerated or laminar-style outlet under project criteria, while other public or residential applications may use different configurations. Do not apply one outlet assumption across the entire facility.

The infection-prevention and engineering teams should approve aerators, flow controls and service procedures for each application.

Plan for Limited Reach, Dexterity and Mobility

Touchless activation can reduce the need to grip or turn controls, while well-designed manual levers may provide familiar feedback. Whichever method is used, the activation point, soap and drying must remain reachable. Coordinate clear floor space, knee and toe clearance, protected pipes and caregiver assistance where appropriate.

The U.S. Access Board lavatory guide provides accessibility context for covered facilities. Senior living projects must also follow their applicable licensing and building requirements.

Coordinate Comfortable Water with Scald-Risk Controls

Older adults and some patients may have reduced sensation or slower response. Establish temperature limits and mixing strategy with the plumbing engineer and facility team. Central tempered water, point-of-use controls and model-specific mixing components have different operational implications.

Locate mixing devices and shutoffs for maintenance without reducing accessible clearances. Verify performance under the facility’s actual pressure conditions.

Integrate Fixtures with the Building Water Program

Healthcare facilities should evaluate fixture selection within the premise-plumbing and water-management program. Low-use outlets, additions, renovations, extended shutdowns and remote branches can affect water age and flushing requirements. Sensor settings and automatic features must align with the facility’s approved control measures.

CDC’s current healthcare water-management guidance emphasizes multidisciplinary risk assessment and intentional sink design.

Coordinate Formulation, Dose and Refill Procedures

Automatic dispensers should use manufacturer-approved soap types and viscosity ranges. The facility must also confirm that the formulation aligns with its hand-hygiene policy. Document dose, refill access, priming and cleaning. Do not mix formulations or dilute products unless expressly directed.

Centralized soap supply may reduce refill labor in public or staff banks, but clinical suitability and hygiene procedures require facility review.

Test the Complete Station with the Care Team

Verify sensor response, manual operation, temperature, flow, soap dose, splash, drainage and accessibility. Include infection prevention, facilities and representative users in critical-area review. Confirm settings and approved cleaning procedures before turnover.

Document faucet model, outlet type, power, temperature control, soap, filters, shutoffs and water-management actions associated with the station.

Preserve Service Without Interrupting Care

Standardized components, labeled shutoffs and accessible control boxes reduce service time. Establish inspection intervals for leaks, sensors, batteries, flow outlets, soap and drainage. Replacement activity should follow facility infection-control and water-management procedures.

Keep critical parts available and record all changes that could affect approved flow, temperature or water-management settings.

Healthcare & Senior Living FAQs