Accessibility Beyond ADA Compliance

The Americans with Disabilities Act, also called ADA, is the law that prevents discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday settings. If you're a business owner or manage a commercial space, you may already be familiar with this law. The ADA helps ensure that businesses maintain accessibility through universal and inclusive design elements.

ADA compliance is a permitting requirement when building and remodeling, but going above and beyond helps ensure that your facility is as inclusive as possible. Hiring a contractor with experience with ADA compliance can help ensure success for your project. A good commercial contractor will know creative ways to go beyond the legal minimum and make your business more welcoming and accessible.

Above And Beyond ADA Accommodations

General Accessibility

Accessibility starts with good building design. These features make navigating and accessing buildings easier for customers and staff.

• Elevators: Elevators aren't a requirement in every building because they're expensive to install and maintain. However, if your building has multiple floors and is not required to have an elevator, you may consider installing one anyway to improve building accessibility. Can't afford an elevator? Consider a vertical platform lift as a less expensive alternative. These lifts assist individuals who need help navigating short staircases.
• Automatic doors for every room: Automatic doors that open with the push of a button make it easier for people with mobility challenges to enter and exit rooms independently. Another way to make rooms more accessible is to include zero-threshold doorways to make entering and exiting rooms easier for people using a wheelchair or walker.
• Adjustable height counters and desks: Adjustable height counters and desks make accessibility easy for everyone, including those who are sitting, standing, or using a wheelchair.

Restrooms

Restroom design is an important component in standard ADA compliance. There are ways to go beyond standard ADA compliance to make restrooms more inclusive for everyone.

• Single-occupancy restrooms with an adult changing table: Single-occupancy restrooms with room to maneuver make it easier for those who require extra privacy and space when using the restroom. Adult changing tables are rarely included in public restrooms, but are important for older children and adults who need a changing table rather than a toilet.
• Sensors for everything: Sensors make using the bathroom easier and cleaner. While sensors are common on faucets and towel dispensers, placing sensors or buttons in other locations, like the bathroom door, makes it easier to get into and out of the restroom.

Communication

Communicating in public spaces can be difficult for people who have hearing or vision-related disabilities.

• Raised print/Braille signage: Raised print and Braille signage can help the blind and severely vision-impaired. Tactile maps can help those who need to find their way around as well.
• Hearing Loops (Induction Loops): A hearing loop can help people with hearing aids communicate with others in public spaces like meeting rooms, lobbies, and theaters. Whether you represent a government entity that has public meetings or a private company that rents out space where meetings take place, installing a hearing loop can make it much easier for people who have hearing disabilities to understand those around them.

Sensory Considerations

Excessive stimulation can be overwhelming for people with autism. Installing acoustic treatments such as sound-absorbing ceiling tiles can help reduce echoing and ambient noise in loud spaces. Additionally, following predictable layouts when constructing your building, including clear sight lines and minimal clutter, can help people navigate your space while controlling their anxiety response.

Accessibility for All Reading Abilities

Not everyone can read or follow written language. Installing signage with pictograms that provide clear icons to navigate public spaces can help ensure everyone can find their way around your building. If you must use words (like on a menu), keep the language simple and clear.

Parking and Transportation Accessibility

The parking lot is another space where accessibility matters. Include accessible van parking with a side-load access and extra buffer zones. Additionally, building pick-up and drop-off zones is helpful as well.

More About ADA

For more information about ADA compliance, you can consult the revised ADA regulations from 2010. If you're not comfortable reading laws and determining how your building can be compliant with ADA regulations, there's good news. An experienced architect and contractor will know the code requirements and will be able to design your remodel or new construction building to ensure that it's compliant with ADA requirements.

If you have an older building that is not completely up to code with ADA requirements, you will not need to bring your building into compliance until you remodel the part of the structure that is out of compliance. Sometimes ADA compliance is straightforward, and sometimes it isn't. In complicated cases, your contractor can connect you with a code specialist with deep understanding of ADA compliance. The code specialist will help your business work with the permitting officer to create a design that is ADA compliant.

Improve Your Building's Accessibility with a Reputable Connecticut Contractor

Hiring the right contractor for your commercial remodel or new building construction project can help ensure that it will be a success. To learn more about hiring a Connecticut contractor, download the Litchfield Builder's Guide to Hiring a Contractor. As a commercial contractor with over 25 years of experience in the industry, we can help ensure that your projects are ADA-compliant, passing inspections with flying colors. Contact us today to get started with a consultation.