Plan for the Worst, Hope for the Best

The expression in week’s blog title should come as no surprise to any seasoned facility manager. After all, it applies exceptionally well to the case of outfitting and operating shared use spaces – especially public restrooms. We at Partition Plus have seen it demonstrated tens of dozens of times. It is an unfortunate reality that most human beings don’t treat shared resources as carefully as private resources. Accepting this is sometimes difficult, as we would all like to save the money, time, and worry associated with planning for others’ carelessness.

Assuming you accept this as truth, how should you respond? As it relates to bathroom planning and toilet partitions, the best course of action is to choose a more robust material when outfitting your restroom. Read on for an example and explanation.

One of the team here at Partition Plus recently came across this unfortunate situation in a restaurant bathroom. A nearly rusted-out urinal screen. When we come across something like this, we can’t help but wonder: what happened? Could it have been avoided? Is the product faulty? What could be done to fix it now?

Answering those questions brings us back to the axiom in the title. Even with a firm understanding of your physical space, your visitors, and other factors, it is wise to prepare for the worst-case scenario, while anticipating the most pleasant situation.

Whoever sold this business-owner these partitions must have offered little, or no, guidance during the purchasing process. Or the owner ignored the advice. A sales representative from Partition Plus would remind a restaurant owner, such as this one, that in the men’s rooms of establishments serving alcohol, opting for higher moisture resistance can be beneficial. Even without this specific insight, someone should have reminded the owner to plan for the worst.

What’s the Worst That Could Happen?

In this case, the worst meant significant overspray, limited cleaning resources, and limited replacement budget. To one of Partition Plus’ knowledgable reps, this is a situation demanding solid plastic or phenolic. Solid plastic may be more expensive than the powder coated steel that is currently rusting away in this bathroom, but it is impervious to moisture and stands up to rough usage. Solid plastic is also meant to last for years upon years. It would have been perfect for this situation.

Expert Recommendations from Partition Plus

Partition Plus sales representatives will always go above and beyond to recommend an excellent solution for your project. Our honest, helpful approach applies to partitions, bathroom accessories, division 10 products, and everything else we sell. We want you to find the best product for your circumstance and budget, be happy with your purchase experience, and enjoy what you’ve bought for as long as possible.