Adult-Size Changing Tables To Be Required At Major Airports

Many airports will soon be required to provide changing tables for adults with disabilities. Now federal officials are looking for input on how to go about implementing the new mandate.

Under the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, all medium and large airports seeking federal airport development project grants must have at least one private universal changing station in each terminal starting in 2030.

The adult-size changing tables, which are larger and studier than the ones meant for babies, are intended for individuals with disabilities who need assistance from a caregiver with toileting and dressing.

In the run-up to the law’s implementation, the U.S. Access Board is now seeking public comment as it works to develop technical standards for universal changing stations.

The federal board is considering whether to adopt an existing industry standard or establish a new one outlining the necessary size, capacity, height adjustability, maneuvering clearances, side rails and other particulars of the changing tables expected at airports, according to a notice issued recently in the Federal Register.

The board said it is also seeking comment on what the rooms should look like where airports provide universal changing stations in terms of privacy, accessibility and sanitation.

Without access to universal changing tables, individuals with disabilities often have to lie on the bathroom floor to be changed. This poses hygiene issues and moving a person from a wheelchair to the floor and back again can be dangerous for caregivers and individuals with disabilities, the notice indicates.

Adult-size changing tables have become increasingly available in recent years, with some states adding them to highway rest areas or mandating them at certain types of public venues.

The Access Board is accepting comments until April 20.