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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was made in 1990, but the changes and updates have been ongoing. It prohibits discrimination based on disability. The legislation has become more critical than ever as the population ages and our buildings grow more complex. As a commercial business owner, you have to comply with the ADA if you offer certain goods or services to the public in your building. If you are looking for various ways to ensure your commercial doors are ADA compliant, check out these easy tips:
1. Accessible and wide entryways
Doors must be located between 5-7 feet apart. A clear floor space of at least 36 inches wide should be provided on both sides of the doorways. This width is enough for people who use wheelchairs to enter and exit your business quickly. Doors must also be wide enough to allow two adults to pass each other with their arms extended. It’s also important to note that if someone has mobility issues, it’s more difficult for them to get through an area where their mobility would be limited by the design of the area (like narrow aisles). So make sure there are adequate areas for those customers as well.
2. Clear signage
The most important thing you can do is put up signs that clearly state your commercial door’s compliance with ADA regulations. It is good to ensure that your door panels have an easily visible marking or sign at the top and bottom corners of the door frame that says “push” or “pull.” This is an easy way to avoid any misinterpretation in the future. If a disabled customer gets into your business and sees no signage, they will assume that the door isn’t ADA compliant and won’t enter the area.
3. Marking accessibility features
Another compliance requirement is providing an appropriate accessible route if someone who uses a wheelchair gets lost within your commercial establishment. In other words, you need to have a proper path they can follow so they don’t get stuck somewhere where they cannot go any further.
4. Install Grab Bars
A grab bar is designed to support those using wheelchairs or who have difficulty bending down from a seated position. Another good option is to install an automatic door opener on your front entrance if the main entrance is not level with the ground and is too steep for wheelchair use.
5. Consider using push bars
Push bars can help people with disabilities easily get through doors without having to worry about getting into an awkward position or struggling with the door handle itself. These push bars also improve safety overall because they reduce the risk of someone accidentally falling off a chair while trying to push.
6. Think about safety features
Safety is always essential, especially if you’re looking to make your doorway ADA compliant. It would be helpful if you considered adding features like emergency lights and alarms that will automatically get turned on when the power goes out, so no one gets trampled by someone trying to get through your doorway in the dark.
If you follow these tips, then you should have no issue complying with ADA regulations.
