Common ADA Violations
February 27, 2012
I'm Dan Hounsell, editor of
Maintenance Solutions magazine. Today's topic is, common ADA violations.
Where do the most common violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act occur in institutional and commercial facilities? Truth be told, violations occur in nearly every area of a facility. Consider these examples:
The built environment. Violations range from ramps that are too steep to a lack of marked parking spaces with marked access aisles and signs. Ground markings don't count because visitors can't see them at night or when it has just snowed.
Restrooms. The most common violations include toilets that are not mounted the correct distance from wall or partition, as well as flush valves for toilets that are on the wrong side. In the latter case, if the handle isn't on the wide side, a user must reach over the toilet to flush it.
Operations. Many common violations are operational in nature, meaning they were not designed or constructed that way.
For example, a housekeeper places a garbage can next to a restroom exit door. Clear space next to a door gives a wheelchair user the space to approach the door, reach the handle and open it, but this is not possible if the garbage can is in the way. A worker also might place a garbage can directly in front of an elevator's call buttons, which hampers the ability of someone using a wheelchair or a walker to reach the buttons.
Also, in some facilities, on walls in the circulation route workers mount objects that project 4 inches or more from the wall. If the objects are between 27 inches to 80 inches from the floor, a person with a visual disability will miss the item when doing a cane sweep and walk into the object, risking injury and a lawsuit.
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