Hands-free door locks for bathrooms?

mr chips

When the lockdown arrived, I was near the end of getting several bathrooms for customers installed at a campsite. At the moment, the doors are hung but no handles or locks have been fitted to them as yet. With the need to be extra careful about contamination now, I thought it would be a good idea to have foot-operated latches/locks altogether. Personally I always try to avoid directly touching the door handle when leaving any public toilet because I know there are too many lovely people out there who don't bother to wash their hands, so I'd love to see something like this rolled out everywhere! Can anyone recommend an off-the shelf product that's simple enough for a joiner to install, but still does the job? In other words, nothing e.g. infra-red or otherwise electronically operated that would require a whole lot of additional wiring and expense - just a mechanical pedal or latch people can use to not only close, but lock and unlock from the inside using their foot. All the search results I've got so far are just for something you can use to pull a door towards you, but they don't have a lock/unlock feature.

N.B. it would still need to be possible for me to unlock the bathroom from outside with a master key / allen key etc, in case of emergencies.

listermint

You'd probably find something without your NB bit at the end of your post.

You may have to forego that.

An option would be a depressable into the floor spring loaded bolt and have your doors open outwards and not in

Lumen

Does it need to be operable by someone in a wheelchair?

the_pen_turner

your biggest hurdle is opening it from the outside.

could you make a mechanism to operate a normal slide latch. something like a small see saw with a bare that goes vertically up to the latch . when you push one side of the see saw it moves that way and pulls the latch slider.
this way everything is still able to be used with your hand and from outside

mr chips

Thanks folks, interesting replies. The doors have been hung and they open into the bathrooms from an outside walkway - it wouldn't be possible from a safety perspective to open them out from instead of into the bathrooms, for fear that a door would bang into someone standing/walking outside at just the wrong moment. I can't see a way around the need to unlock from outside with a master key or allen key. If a customer fainted and hit their head off the toilet or sink, had a heart attack or whatever and paramedics needed to get in, I couldn't have a situation where the door needed to be broken into first.

There are two dedicated wheelchair-accessible bathrooms, so what I'm thinking of is only for the remaining ones which would be used by people without such mobility issues. At the moment, my plan for the wheelchair-accessible bathrooms is to mount a hand-sanitiser dispenser right beside the door handles for those, although if I come across a better solution I'll definitely consider it.

I was wondering alright about a bar (or enclosed cable) attached to a foot-pedal which might operate a normal thumb latch or similar, but it would have to be mounted on the inside surface of the door - or perhaps tracked up through it? - and might be a bit Heath Robinson-esque. If nothing better presents itself then I'll probably go with something along those lines, but I thought it'd be better if there was an off-the-shelf solution which I haven't found yet. Maybe there's a business opportunity in it for me!

Lumen

http://www.metiba.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lo0Dm7jzfR4

Some more details in the patent: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20130207406

Also

A Look at Foot-Operated Door Opening Mechanisms
https://www.core77.com/posts/61800/A-Look-at-Foot-Operated-Door-Opening-Mechanisms

mr chips

Cheers - I'd seen that Metiba video ok and found their site, but it's currently only available in Germany and in any case, I'd rather deal with a UK or Irish supplier in case of any issues. But that's the closest to the sort of thing I have in mind - the other ones like StepNpull etc are just a means to pull the door towards you using your foot, not to lock/unlock.

I'll keep digging for now but would welcome any other suggestions.

Lumen

Do you really need it double-sided?

A simple foot-operated spring bolt, mounted at the base of the door, could be manually operated from the outside by someone just reaching under the door, provided that there is a few inches of clear space.

If the door is sprung to open when the latch is disengaged, the action of opening the door from the inside would simply be disengaging the foot latch, causing the door to swing open. No hands required.

GinSoaked

Now this isn't going to be ideal but its what I first thought of and may lead to finding another product that is slightly less "agricultural" Stable Door Lock Kick Strap.

Another thought is that I always look for a way of using my elbows to open a door maybe there is a door catch that can be pushed open with an elbow. If the doors are slightly open at the bottom a foot can flick them open.

Andrea B.

Is the door heavy to pull open/have assisted closing mechanism/damper?

65535

"Personally I always try to avoid directly touching the door handle when leaving any public toilet because I know there are too many lovely people out there who don't bother to wash their hands, so I'd love to see something like this rolled out everywhere!"

Exactly why I would never even use the washing facilities in a public toilet and I would use my sleeve to open the door.
Washing hands entails turning on and off taps and using a paper towel dispenser in most cases.
My urine is sterile as far as I know...

Tree

A tissue dispenser and bin by the door also works.

Would you consider a longer handle that could be operated by an elbow rather than a foot pedal?? Not everyone has great balance.

listermint

65535 wrote: »

"Personally I always try to avoid directly touching the door handle when leaving any public toilet because I know there are too many lovely people out there who don't bother to wash their hands, so I'd love to see something like this rolled out everywhere!"

Exactly why I would never even use the washing facilities in a public toilet and I would use my sleeve to open the door.
Washing hands entails turning on and off taps and using a paper towel dispenser in most cases.
My urine is sterile as far as I know...

Wash your hands ya dirty fecker.

colm_mcm

Surely these are unnecessary if you’re talking about cubicles.
I’d take it as a given that the latch is filthy, but literally the next thing you do after touching it is wash your hands.

65535

listermint wrote: »

Wash your hands ya dirty fecker.

I do, always, I even have gloves and spiragel, however I refuse to use taps and door handles that are not cleaned.
After washing your hands you have to touch the tap, probably touch the dryer or paper dispenser then you have to handle the door, sorry but no.

colm_mcm

65535 wrote: »

I do, always, I even have gloves and spiragel, however I refuse to use taps and door handles that are not cleaned.
After washing your hands you have to touch the tap, probably touch the dryer or paper dispenser then you have to handle the door, sorry but no.

Most places either have sensors or a press valve on the taps.

Non sensor dryers are very rare.

65535

colm_mcm wrote: »

Most places either have sensors or a press valve on the taps.

Non sensor dryers are very rare.

Indeed you are right, I would use those facilities but still use my sleeve to get out of the main door.

colm_mcm

Same, probably both have manky sleeves!

65535

colm_mcm wrote: »

Same, probably both have manky sleeves!

Ha Ha - at the start of this virus pandemic I was thinking it's going to get a lot of people into the washing of hands ocd thing. Hopefully it won't !

listermint

65535 wrote: »

I do, always, I even have gloves and spiragel, however I refuse to use taps and door handles that are not cleaned.
After washing your hands you have to touch the tap, probably touch the dryer or paper dispenser then you have to handle the door, sorry but no.

So basically you piss. You piss on your hands as you put it's sterile and you don't wash your hands because the tap might be ikky.

You are the disgusting one in this scenario.

Take your hand towel first and turn the tap off with it if you need to.

But wash your hands . It's manky what your doing.

65535

listermint wrote: »

So basically you piss. You piss on your hands as you put it's sterile and you don't wash your hands because the tap might be ikky.

You are the disgusting one in this scenario.

Take your hand towel first and turn the tap off with it if you need to.

But wash your hands . It's manky what your doing.

Why would anyone 'Piss on their hands' - such an odd comment !
I would normally do it down the drain !

listermint

65535 wrote: »

Why would anyone 'Piss on their hands' - such an odd comment !
I would normally do it down the drain !

The irony of someone complaining about dirty tap handles and dirty door handles and also being proud of not washing their hands in the bathroom.


It's like your on another planet fella.


Your the problem and the reason the handles are dirty.

khalessi

Here is another suggestion, might be useful might not be.

A Co Monaghan-based construction company has designed a new anti-viral door handle to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 in schools across the country.

Carnehill Joinery, which is based in Scotstown, has also created an air purifying system, which it says kills airborne bacteria.

The door handles they have designed have a coating that is anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Once installed, they are checked every year to ensure they are still working.

Barry Cremin, Sales Manager with Carnehill Joinery, said the Government guidelines indicate that contact transmission has a massive part in the spread of Covid-19 and other viruses we might face down the line.


https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0430/1135866-monaghan-anti-viral-handles/

listermint

khalessi wrote: »

Here is another suggestion, might be useful might not be.

A Co Monaghan-based construction company has designed a new anti-viral door handle to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 in schools across the country.

Carnehill Joinery, which is based in Scotstown, has also created an air purifying system, which it says kills airborne bacteria.

The door handles they have designed have a coating that is anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Once installed, they are checked every year to ensure they are still working.

Barry Cremin, Sales Manager with Carnehill Joinery, said the Government guidelines indicate that contact transmission has a massive part in the spread of Covid-19 and other viruses we might face down the line.


https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/2020/0430/1135866-monaghan-anti-viral-handles/

Doesn't aluminium naturally do this ..

Lumen

listermint wrote: »

Doesn't aluminium naturally do this ..

No. Copper does though.

I imagine copper door handles in a campsite would bring a great deal of aesthetic pleasure for the 18 seconds before they were stolen.

listermint

Lumen wrote: »

No. Copper does though.

I imagine copper door handles in a campsite would bring a great deal of aesthetic pleasure for the 18 seconds before they were stolen.

Doubt you'd see a bent short piece of copper pipe taken anytime soon. It's not that valuable

65535

listermint wrote: »

The irony of someone complaining about dirty tap handles and dirty door handles and also being proud of not washing their hands in the bathroom.


It's like your on another planet fella.


Your the problem and the reason the handles are dirty.

Ha Ha Ha - typical boards - So I don't touch anything in the facility yet I cause the dirt ?
Think it through 'fella'

listermint

65535 wrote: »

Ha Ha Ha - typical boards - So I don't touch anything in the facility yet I cause the dirt ?
Think it through 'fella'

The dirt your afraid of is from people not washing their hands. You.. and your not washing hands buddies.

If everyone washed their hands then the tap and by extension door handle would be clean.

Yes. You are the problem. Weird that you can't see that.

I'd go out on a limb and say seat pissing isn't something you look down on considering your not touching anything...

Typical boards having to point out how manky people are

Lumen

This thread is doing a great job of persuading me never to leave the house again without a hazmat suit on.

Eric Cartman

https://www.locksonline.co.uk/Electronic-Door-Openers/LocksOnline-Standard-Easi-Auto-Opener-.html

plus short range PIR sensors on either side if you have room.

listermint

Eric Cartman wrote: »

https://www.locksonline.co.uk/Electronic-Door-Openers/LocksOnline-Standard-Easi-Auto-Opener-.html

plus short range PIR sensors on either side if you have room.

No offense Eric. Stupid idea.

No one wants the door opening when sitting on the bog.

Eric Cartman

listermint wrote: »

No offense Eric. Stupid idea.

No one wants the door opening when sitting on the bog.

bathrooms at a camp site, assuming multiple stalls in the bathroom and OP means the common door in which case there should be 2 meters fore and aft of the door for the PIR to only be activated within.

for the individual stalls, hang the doors at a slight angle to let the doors stay naturally opened when unlocked and people can just use a piece of toilet roll to turn the lock on the back.

GinSoaked

listermint wrote: »

No offense Eric. Stupid idea.

No one wants the door opening when sitting on the bog.

Ignoring that I doubt anyone wants to drop a grand on a bog door lock.

listermint

GinSoaked wrote: »

Ignoring that I doubt anyone wants to drop a grand on a bog door lock.

Never know. Some folks are... Flush...

sydthebeat

Sorted

https://www.materialise.com/en/hands-free-door-opener

65535

listermint wrote: »

The dirt your afraid of is from people not washing their hands. You.. and your not washing hands buddies.

If everyone washed their hands then the tap and by extension door handle would be clean.

Yes. You are the problem. Weird that you can't see that.

I'd go out on a limb and say seat pissing isn't something you look down on considering your not touching anything...

Typical boards having to point out how manky people are

Indeed - how manky people are indeed.
I am not the problem here, I go in without touching anything - leave without touching anything - I neither add nor subtract from the germs there, I only go there out of necessity same as if I had to stop on the side of the road.

Keep your germs to yourself !
I don't want germs from door handles or taps (as the OP requested information on)

I have alcohol gel in my car to clean my hands thank you very much.

listermint

65535 wrote: »

Indeed - how manky people are indeed.
I am not the problem here, I go in without touching anything - leave without touching anything - I neither add nor subtract from the germs there, I only go there out of necessity same as if I had to stop on the side of the road.

Keep your germs to yourself !
I don't want germs from door handles or taps (as the OP requested information on)

I have alcohol gel in my car to clean my hands thank you very much.

None of this is possible.

And you definitely piss on the seat.

loyatemu

whatever about the stalls, better to just get rid of the outer door and have a screen that people can walk around, plenty of campsites we've been on with this arrangement (or even with the stalls opening straight to the outside with a canopy over them and outside sinks). As for the stalls themselves, I mean you should be considering the handles/locks as "dirty" one way or the other unless there are sinks inside the stalls (even then...)

Lumen

65535 wrote: »

I have alcohol gel in my car to clean my hands thank you very much.

Alcohol gel doesn't clean, it disinfects. Disinfecting only works on clean hands. You have to wash them first.

65535

Lumen wrote: »

Alcohol gel doesn't clean, it disinfects. Disinfecting only works on clean hands. You have to wash them first.

Before I use the facilities my hands and indeed my body is clean.
So I use the gel to disinfect.

Lumen

65535 wrote: »

Before I use the facilities my hands and indeed my body is clean.
So I use the gel to disinfect.

How can you clean your hands without washing them? Do you wear surgical gloves all day?

loyatemu

Lumen wrote: »

How can you clean your hands without washing them? Do you wear surgical gloves all day?

maybe he means in a spiritual sense, "my hands and my body are clean, and my soul is pure"

65535

Lumen wrote: »

How can you clean your hands without washing them? Do you wear surgical gloves all day?

I wash my hands of course in places that I can trust to be clean, at home is one.
I would not use the facilities of any diner or road stop only if I had to and then I would get in and out quickly without touching anything there.

Again this is precisely why the OP has requested information.



If ye want to visit facilities and get germs then that's your own lookout, for me it's not something I do.

mr chips

Some quality replies and interesting discussion there folks, thank you! :pac: I reckon that 3-D printed yolk might do the job - it looks like it could be fixed to the kind of handles that are fitted to a wheelchair accessible bathroom, where it's pushed up to lock from the inside and pushed down to unlock and open. I could just go for those in all bathrooms.

Just to clear up some confusion - these are individual bathrooms, as opposed to having sets of toilet stalls & sets of shower stalls. There is no separate ladies or gents - each bathroom is self-contained with a toilet, wash-hand basin and shower (I did a fair bit of research as to which would be preferable, this or going for stalls and this was the more popular option by some margin - plus it's only a small campsite so this was actually the most efficient way of using the space). The taps for the sinks are the push-button kind which provide a stream of water for 20 seconds or so, meaning no need to touch them again to turn them off once you've finished washing your hands. There is only one door for each bathroom which opens to the outside*, so this has to be lockable by the user.

*The walkway immediately outside the bathrooms is screened so as to prevent any direct view into the bathrooms should anyone forget to lock the door!

PS I'm thinking of putting this up on every door ...

loyatemu

sounds a nice arrangement, though personally I'd install a few that are just loos as people use the loo a lot more often than they shower, and you'll have times of the day when all the showers are in use and then no-one can take a pee.

mr chips

Cheers! I was a bit back & forth alright about what you're saying re occupancy duration in terms of someone using a shower preventing someone else using that bathroom's toilet. But there are eleven bathrooms in total, two with wheelchair accessibility, so I'm reasonably confident that nobody will be taken short for too long, at least in my first season or two. I'm only going to have seven glamping units and - given that there will probably be a need for greater physical distancing for some time to come - probably only a dozen spots for pitching your own tent instead of the 20 or so I had been planning on, so it definitely won't be overcrowded in the short/medium term. If customer numbers increase then I probably will look at the possibility of adding a couple of extra loos alright, but I've only one enclosed space left to put them in and I was toying with the idea of turning that into a drying room, i.e. a place where you can hang your biking/outdoor gear overnight and have it nice & dry for the next morning. That entire space is only about 8' x 4', so realistically it's either two extra loos or one extra loo and a very small drying room.

loyatemu

sounds really nice, and the drying room is a good idea - make sure to have table-tennis too, no campsite is complete without it!

mr chips

No can do, sadly. There were so many hoops to jump through in order to get planning permission through for the project in the first place (I'm in NI), and one of the arbitrary restrictions was that the only permanent structures permitted onsite were the facilities blocks, i.e. bathrooms, small campsite kitchen, reception. Having a games room or similar is the sort of thing that I could probably get through in the future subject to an additional application, but at the time I had to just make sure I got the go-ahead at all.

But I do have a fire circle to sit around, fruit trees where you can pick your own cherries etc in season and outdoor cooking stations and a stream to fish in. Other than that, how about a game of quoits or outdoor Connect 4?!! :pac::pac::pac:

loyatemu

mr chips wrote: »

Other than that, how about a game of quoits or outdoor Connect 4?!! :pac::pac::pac:

who needs structures?

mr chips

I'd be bankrupted with replacing all the ping pong balls disappearing on a blowy day! :eek:
Joking aside, something like that might be an option when I've earned a bit of dough to pay for it, so thanks for the tip. Believe it or not, thanks to the planners I'm not allowed a children's playground with swings, seesaws etc so for the time being it'll have to be smaller games dotted around the place. That said, this is a bit of a micro campsite - there's only parking for about 26-27 cars and before the pandemic I was looking at setting the maximum occupancy for e.g. a bank holiday weekend at around 90, rather than accepting bookings to fill every single possible place, so it's never going to have all the facilities that bigger places do.