Introduction ADA

THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES
ACT OPENS THE DOORS OF ALL FACILITIES

The Guide Now Includes ICC/ANSI A117.1-1998 Standards.
These new standards replace CABO/ANSI A117.1-1992 which have been adopted by many states. A transition to the new standards is expected; please check with the appropriate agency in your state.

The ADA has opened the doors of all facilities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities by ensuring them equal access to goods and services. It recognizes inaccessible facilities as one form of discrimination, since these facilities can prohibit participation by people with disabilities. The regulations for implementing the ADA include detailed design specifications, originally known as ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG). The Guidelines were developed by the US Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (the Access Board) using sections of the American National Standard for Buildings and Facilities—Providing Accessibility and Usability for Physically Handicapped People (ANSI A117.1-1986) and the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS), with additional text for amplification and some new guidelines. In order to make the ADAAG enforceable, the Guidelines were subsequently amended and adopted by the US Department of Justice as the ADA Standards for Accessible Design (the Standards). The law applies to most buildings and facility types nationwide regardless of state or local code requirements, but it is not a building code in and of itself.

While Canada has a single nationwide building code, the United States until now has had a federal standard for federal buildings and programs only, and each state and local government has established its own building codes. The ADA has changed that by setting federal standards for all public accommodations, including transportation systems, and portions of commercial facilities. Authority has been left with each state and local government to adopt and enforce its own building codes, but the office of the U.S. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights has the authority under the ADA to certify that a state or local building code meets or exceeds the minimum requirements of ADA, and such certification of equivalency can be used as rebuttable evidence in any subsequent litigation. To help everyone with legal compliance, the federal government has established Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTAC) in each region of the country.

Public washrooms are one of the most critical building amenities with regard to accessibility and function for people with disabilities. With one in four persons becoming disabled sometime during their life, washrooms need to be responsive to a wide range of human needs and abilities: including people without disabilities as well as those using wheelchairs and walking aids, people with sight or hearing disabilities, impaired coordination, cardiac or pulmonary disorders, and even people affected by temporary illness, pregnancy, or advanced age.

The ADA requires that all washrooms, whether newly constructed or remodeled, be usable by people with disabilities. This means that some of each type of fixture or feature must meet barrier-free requirements. Therefore, Bobrick Washroom Equipment, Inc.; has prepared this Guide for use by planners, architects, designers, specifiers, and building owners. In addition, Bobrick’s Architectural Representatives are available to assist with code interpretation and application of appropriate product specifications and installation criteria. All building plans, however, should be confirmed with local jurisdictions to ensure job compliance. For public accommodations and commercial facilities, the ADAAG, or a state or local building code that has been certified as equivalent to ADAAG by the Assistant Attorney General must be used. For state or local government buildings, either ADAAG or UFAS standards must be used. Since many states have adopted all or parts of UFAS, ANSI A117.1-1986, or CABO/ANSI A117.1-1992 into their building codes there will be significant overlap on some projects. The ADAAG, UFAS, and ANSI standards are similar; however, there are significant differences in the scope of their requirements and some differences in technical specifications. Therefore, unless working from a certified local code, it is imperative that all relevant standards be used in conjunction with this advisory planning guide to ensure legal compliance. The dimensions in this Planning Guide are taken from the ADAAG. However, because the ICC/ANSI A117.1-1998 is the least similar in technical specifications to the other standards, ICC/ANSI dimensions are also shown where they deviate significantly or where complying with the ADAAG would not accomplish the same result. Of interest, ICC/ANSI A117.1-1998 washroom requirements tend to be in between ADAAG and CABO/ANSI 92.

The ADA and Universal Design.
The ADA Title III requires all new construction of public accommodations and commercial facilities meet or exceed ADAAG specifications. All additions and substantial alterations to functional spaces in existing public accommodations are considered new construction and subject to the same ADAAG requirements; and the entrances, toilet facilities, and accessible routes that service the additions or altered spaces may also have to be brought up to ADAAG standards.

Existing public accommodations are required by the ADA Title III to remove barriers that are “readily achievable” based on an organization’s size, resources, and the type and complexity of the barriers in question. The regulations for the law do not precisely define the term readily achievable; however, they do provide details on how to modify existing buildings and they give building owners logical flexibility in coming up with alternative solutions to providing equal services for people with disabilities if it is deemed that removal of existing barriers is not readily achievable.

Since the ADA mandates widespread accessibility nationwide, it supports the concept of universal design that suggests designers and manufacturers include the necessary characteristics and/or options in all products, building elements, and spaces to ensure that they are usable to the greatest extent possible by people with all types and levels of ability. This more universally usable design approach would include and surpass the minimum requirements of current standards and guidelines.

Universal Design can be accomplished in some instances by simply using the same item for everyone; sometimes by positioning an item differently; at other times by modifying or replacing a single manufactured feature of an item; and in some circumstances by replacing an item with one that is more adjustable or adaptable. Universal design eliminates radically different looking items and special labels (e.g., handicapped), and the stigma associated with them, while providing choices for all users.

Special Issue of Left- and
Right-Hand Accessibility
Some people with disabilities can only use certain features if they can approach them from the left or right side. This limitation affects the usability of toilet and shower compartments and washroom accessories that are not symmetrical. The ADAAG standards do not require that both left- and right-handed facilities be available in all washrooms; however, the concept of universal design suggests that when washrooms are planned, both left- and right-handed versions should be provided to the greatest extent possible (see Clear Floor Space below).