Commercial Baby Changing Tables

Why do you Need a Baby Changing Unit?

Baby changing units are an essential part of public washrooms. They offer a convenient and safe place for men and women to change their babies’ nappies, whilst making sure it is done as safely and hygienically as possible.

Why Should all Public Washrooms Have a Baby Changing Unit?

With 70,000 new babies being born every year in the UK, baby changing units are essential. New parents (and new customers) will feel extremely isolated and uncared for if the needs of their children are not met. An absence of a baby changing unit reflects poorly on a business’s brand, as they are not meeting the needs of all consumers. A safe and clean baby changing unit will set you apart from other businesses who lack one, allowing all customers to visit your workspace. Not only will a changer provide a suitable place for changing to take place, but it also provides peace of mind to any adult taking their child outside of their homes.

Where Should Baby Changing Units be Placed?

It is an extremely outdated view that baby changing units should only be fitted in female washrooms. In order to meet with the needs of all parents, a baby changing unit should be fitted in both male and female washrooms, or a dedicated baby changing space. This will allow both male and female parents to access these units, without leaving the job to women (which many companies do, as their female toilets are the only room that contains adequate baby changing units!)

Once you’ve established that baby changing tables need to be used in both male and female washrooms, you need to decide where to fit the units on your washroom walls. We recommend fixing your baby changing table to a wall that has plenty of space around it, that is clear of any other fixtures that may get in the way of members of the public, and that is easy to clean. Due to most units being able to fold up into a compact size, the unit themselves will not take up much room at all! Simply make sure the user has enough room to use the feature once folded down, and the product will remain discrete, without causing any hazards in your washrooms.

Hygiene and Safety Regulations

It is incredibly important that your chosen baby changing unit is safe for the public to use. Changing a babies nappy can be a very stressful situation, therefore providing your customers with the correct tools to do so will prevent them from feeling as overwhelmed and anxious as they would do without.  For example, they must be fitted secu rely, have enough room for the adult to work around, and have little to no gaps between them and the wall to avoid babies’ fingers from being trapped. Our best-selling Bambino Commercial Heavy Duty Horizontal Baby Changing Table has been tested and complies with the following regulations: EN12221-2:2008 +A1:2013 ,EN71-1:2014, EN71-2:2011+A1:2014 and EN71-3:2013+A11:2014. This will allow you to buy a baby changer unit that you know will be safe and secure for anyone who may use your facilities.

Hygiene is another important factor that must be taken into account when installing and caring for a baby changing unit. The unit must be installed in an easy to clean area (on a wall or on top of a counter), as baby changing consists of some very unhygienic waste products! A waste bin, suitable for disposable nappies, must be installed – allowing the public to dispose of their waste products in a safe and hygienic manner before the next customer wishes to use it. In addition, the space surrounding the baby changer and the changer itself must be cleaned daily, in order to remove any bacteria that may cause harm to the babies themselves, or the adults changing the nappy.

In addition, the best baby changing units will provide a hook nearby for changing bags to be placed, as well as having enough space on the table or a separate flat surface for parents to place spare nappies, wipes and any other products they may wish to use.

Risks and How They Can be Prevented

Changing nappies definitely comes with some risks – babies can kick and roll around while being changed, but a quality baby changer will be designed with soft, secure straps and a barrier for your customers’ peace of mind. Nappies are classed as ‘offensive waste’ and by law, they must be disposed of in a way that does not harm any people who come into contact with them or the environment. Therefore, as previously stated, an offensive waste bin must be installed. This will allow your washroom remains a safe and regulated area.

Which Baby Changing Unit is Best for Your Company?

Whether your washrooms are spacious or small in size, Hygiene Supplies Direct stocks the baby changing unit that’s right for you.

If your washroom is small, and without much free space to fit a changing unit, our fold-away, vertical changers are ideal. Easy to install, without taking up much room, these changers can be fitted on a narrow wall, folding outwards when they need to be used. This allows for a changing unit to be installed, without taking away much needs space in an already cramped room. These changers can even be fitted above a toilet, or inside a cubicle. This means any washroom will be able to use one of these baby changers, as they work around the space you already have – just make sure they’re cleaned regularly!

For larger washrooms, our vertical baby changing units may be better for you. With more wall space, these vertical units will allow them to be used on wider wall areas, allowing for more space when they are folded down. Ultimately, these changing units allow for more space around the area – which is suitable for larger washrooms that will facilitate a larger space for parents to use.

If your washroom has spare surfaces, they will provide the perfect base for our countertop changers. Simply place the changer on top of the surface, and this will create an ideal baby-changing space. This will also allow no additional space to be taken, whilst also providing a sturdy and safe space for parents to change their children’s nappies.

Baby changing units are an extremely important feature for all washrooms to have. Take a look at our extensive range of changers to find the one that best suits your - and your customers’ - needs best.