Summarizing ADA Regulations/Standards
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Finding Info about ADA Standards & Regulations:
A Quick How-To
You are responsible for your customers, all of them. By law and common decency, you’re required to see to the needs of your customers who are physically or mentally disabled. You need to have your staff and premises up to code to avoid legal penalties. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 by the U.S. Congress to protect U.S. citizens with physical and mental disabilities; the section you and your company should be most concerned with is the latest and revised 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design which applies to Title II and Title III of the ADA. Those sections cover public transportation, public places and commercial entities.
2010 ADA Standard for Accessible Design
The link above takes you to the ADA’s webpage that has links to the new and revised standards and the guides about them. The first thing you should take note of is that the material is available in several different forms. The page is divided into two sections; one for the new standards and one for guidance on the new standards. Each section gives you several options for viewing the information. A standard HTML mode and two PDF format options; one can be downloaded for the screen and the second is available in print mode (at a slightly larger file size). Clicking on one will take you to new standards.
This guide provides the scope and technical requirements for new construction and alternations required by the new revisions. The document is 279 pages long in print mode and it is divided into easy-to-understand sections. The introduction introduces you to the revised regulations for Title II and III of the ADA. There are two main sections; 2010 Standards for Local and State Facilities Title II and 2010 Standards for Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities. Each section has a contents page where each topic is linked so you can skip right to it if you know what you’re looking for. After clicking on one of the headers; you’ll be taken to where the subject is and informed of the requirements. If the topic connects to another area, then that section named will also be linked. If it is necessary, there will also be a graphic or chart. Each section is easy to read and clearly labeled.
ADA Regulations and Technical Assistance Materials
This page is filled with important links regarding the ADA and issues surrounding it. The first section covers legal documents about the ADA; including texts about the ADA; the second section is filled with general ADA publications and information; such as guides to ADA agencies, Q&A’s and guides to your rights and instructional videos. The section you should be most concerned with is for businesses and non-profit service providers. It has business briefs, technical guides, videos, guides to filing a complaint, Q&A’s, information on tax incentives and other information. The final sections is for state and local governments; there guides to communicating with deaf people, policies for law enforcement, guides for medical care and how small towns can be ADA compliant.
Both these pages are the best online resource regarding the ADA and how the regulations and standards can affect you and your business.
Title II and Title III:
Let’s quickly go over what Title II and Title are about. Title II covers public entities and public transportation; it prohibits discrimination at the local and state levels. So that disabled people have access to all programs and services offered by public entities; Title II also covers public housing, housing assistance and housing referrals. Title III covers public accommodations such as inns and hotels and anywhere that offers recreation, dining or public displays. It also covers commercial facilities so no individual can be denied goods and services based upon disability. Both have been revised recently, so it’s important to keep track; the 2010 Title II ADA Standards and the 2010 Title III ADA Standards
For your convenience, here a link guide to each section of the revised standards:
Title II:
Design and Construction
Alterations
Accessibility Standards and Compliance Date
Scope of Coverage
Social Service Center Establishments
Housing at a Place of Education
Assembly Areas
Medical Care Facilities
Curb Ramps
Facilities with Residential Dwelling Units for Sale to Individual Owners
Detention and Correctional Facilities
Title II: 2004 ADAAG
Application and Administration
Scoping Requirements
Building Blocks
Accessible Routes
General Site and Building Elements
Plumbing Elements and Facilities
Communication Elements and Features
Special Rooms, Spaces and Elements
Built-In Elements
Recreation Facilities
Title III:
36.401: New Construction
General
Commercial Facilities Located in Private Residences
Exception for Structural Impracticability
Elevator Exemption
36.402: Alterations:
General
Alteration
To the Maximum Extent Feasible
36.403: Alternations: Path of Travel:
General
Primary Function
Alterations to an Area Containing a Primary Function
Landlord/Tenant
Path of Travel
Disproportionality
Duty to Provide Accessible Features in the Event of Disproportionality
Series of Smaller Alterations
36.404: Elevator Exemption
36.405: Alterations: Historic Preservation
36.406: Standards for New Construction and Alterations
Accessibility Standards and Compliance Date
Scope of Coverage
Places of Lodging
Social Service Center Establishments
Housing at a Place of Education
Assembly Areas
Medical Facilities
Observing and implementing the ADA standards and regulations is especially important to small businesses, because two issues; fines and customer relationships. Large corporations can weather fines with greater ease then small businesses; Wells-Fargo suffered a huge ADA infraction fine several years ago but they made the necessary corrections and that was the end of it. Your business might not be so lucky; you could find it impossible to dig yourself out from behind a large fine. But even that is not as important as your devotion to customer service. The smaller your business, the most likely that you’ll know individual customers on a personal level; and there is a strong chance that some will have a physical or mental disability. You are legally and morally obliged to assist them to the best of your ability and to the letter of the law.
That’s why we’re suggesting you read this ADA primer for small businesses. It covers everything from wheelchairs and service animals to alterations to the fixtures and altering your environment. The primer also covers tax credits, compliance dates, staff training and assessment. It’s a great resource for you and your staff.
Reading and following government standards can be intimidating but using the correct resources makes all the difference. Obeying the revised standards and regulations is right for you and your customers; that why K.L. Security wants to supply you with the right materials to light the way. To learn more about ADA compliant safes and depositories you can click here. Click here for ADA Compliant receptacles for apartment buildings and complexes