Continuing the discussion on ADA compliance, it's important for us all to understand the concept of universal design. This concept embraces not only the recognition that we must make our buildings accessible, but takes it a step further to do more to eliminate barriers. For example, designing ramps in place of steps even if the ramp is not required to meet the letter of the law.
I asked in the previous blog "how accessible is your school?". One exercise that I do with my students when I am lecturing on accessibility is to borrow a wheelchair and take them around the building we are in to have them experience first hand what it is like. It's a real eye opening experience for most. The simple act of pulling up to and opening a door is enough for them to realize why the ADA is so specific about this operation. You must have 18" of clearance on the side of the door if it opens towards you, the force to pull the door open cannot exceed 5ft/lbs, the handle must be the type that does not require a grasping and twisting motion and the door must have a clear opening of 32" min.
One common violation that I see is the placement of room signage. Often times it is attached to the door, which is not correct. In order for the signage to be in compliance it must be attached to the wall on the strike side of the door, mounted at 5ft to the center of the sign, contain the room name and number in braille, and be located no more than 8" from the door frame. This is so that a blind person can locate the room. If the door is in the open position, they would not be able to find the room number. Or if the signage is up too high to reach, again they would not be able to find the room.
Another common violation occurs when the lavatory for the handicap does not have the exposed plumbing lines covered under the fixture. The drain line and the water lines all must be covered with insulation. This is specified in order to protect the person in the wheelchair as they pull up to the lavatory so that their legs and feet are not injured by the exposed pipes.
One more item to be aware of is the side slope on sidewalks. The side slope cannot exceed a 2% grade on the width of the walk. Probably the most common injury for ambulatory people is loosing their balance and falling because of excessive side slope on walks.
Take universal design to heart. Tour your school campus and see what you can do to make your building more user friendly for all people.
Michael D. King AIA
Your exercise with your students is brilliant. One of the most challenging parts of design is to have the ability to not only see space, but see the space as those you are designing for see it. This is never as important as when dealing with ADA requirements.
ReplyDeleteFrom my experience, most design studios treat ADA as a "necessary evil" that is tacked on at the end of brief. Instead, it should be treated as a major design feature. In the best designs, ADA is like a good referee, vital but invisible.
Terry Tucker
LAR/RCP
KSU
That is why a good architect is vital in listening to the districts needs and creating a faiclity that compliments what the district is wanting and yet complying with ADA. I think ADA for a new facility design is a natural part of the design process. From my perspective anyway. I just headed up a design committee within my district and the architect was great in creating a design that met the needs of all students.
ReplyDeleteKeeping structures ADA-compliant while implementing good design is especially challenging with older structures. It is much harder to maintain the architectural integrity of an historic building while adding ADA-required features than it is to design the building as ADA from square one. Implementing ramps, rails, doors and such into a building from the beginning of the design phase while making it look good seems to be relatively easy. So many of these older building simply aren't built to be wheelchair accessible: tall stairs leading to the entrance, no room for elevators, narrow corridors, and limited potential for structural changes. And the architectural features tend to visually clash with the ADA-compliant ones. It can be a challenge to say the least.
ReplyDeleteM. Bennett
LAR/RCP
Kansas State University
Making historical buildings is very challenging as mbennet has stated. Here in Texas we are governed by the Texas Accessibility Standards (TAS) as well as the federal ADA. There is a process that TAS allows owners to go through if the letter of the law cannot be obtained. For instance if removing a plumbing fixture to allow for the 5 foot space of the handicap stall violates the plumbing code, then a variance can be sent in to the State and an alternate stall design would most likely be approved. If a desired change is determined to be 'technically infeasible' then an alternate design is worked out with the State. Variances are not granted automatically however, most are turned down. You must prove to the reviewer the reason that the code cannot be met.
ReplyDeleteThere is not a process for variances for the Federal ADA from what I understand. I would hope the State standards and their variance process would be taken into account if you are filed against by someone seeking a course of action through the ADA.
Michael King AIA
This article is very informative and should be taken to heart by everyone. As a former teacher of the visually impaired I am aware of the need to be able to orientate oneself to ones environment. Having the room signage in an accessible location is a necessity. Another exercise you could do with your students is having them travel throughout the building blind folded. This is an eye opening experience.
ReplyDeleteI see first hand how difficult it is to maneuver throughout the high school campus that I am at by watching individuals that are in wheelchairs. I emphasize with the discomfort and frustration this does cause.
The sad side of this is ADA compliances of removing barriers are required when readily achievable. Readily achievable will vary form business to business and one year to the next year. In some instances, especially in older buildings, it may not be readily achievable to remove some architectural barriers. However, I am thankful that all new facilities must comply, and the revised ADA regulated that businesses must comply by March 15, 2012 with the 2010 Standards.
A. Agunbiade (Tarleton State University)
I had posted in an earlier discussion about Dublin trying to pass a bond for our junior high that was built in 1913. This building does not meet ADA requirements. It is a three-story building with no ramps, elevators, etc. for accessibility for the handicapped. Although we have tried to pass a bond twice and have failed, I am surprised that the state doesn't come in and require us to update our building or put more pressure on the town to build a new facility.
ReplyDeleteBuildings built pre-ADA had to make "reasonable accommodation" to the needs of the disabled, "reasonable accommodation" would be a nearby wheelchair-accessible table.
ReplyDeleteI work across a large urban school district with several buildings dating back to reconstruction era of the 1920's. Although all have been made techinially ADA compliant, I often have wondered how impractical many of the improvements were implemented when trying to push carts and such that cannot climb steps. Often students with wheels chairs are requried to have to cross into newly constructed portions/additions of buildings in order ot access upper levels.
ReplyDelete