3 Common ADA Violations & How to Avoid Them

The last thing any property owner wants is to face a costly ADA lawsuit because they have one or more ADA violations on the property. That is why when you hire a contractor; you need to look for ADA pros who will make sure everything is in order for you. Did you know? 25% of the work carried out by Protrk Construction is resolving ADA work that was done incorrectly by a less knowledgeable contractor. A further 50% of our work is resolving violations following a lawsuit. Don’t let yourself get caught out unnecessarily. Let’s take a brief look at some of the most common ADA violations and what needs to be done to resolve them.

1 – Parking

One of the most common barriers that come up in ADA lawsuits is parking. Often even when a property has a marked accessible parking bay, it does not meet the appropriate ADA regulations. You can avoid potential legal issues by making sure the contractors you choose are ADA pros.

One of the significant violations in parking relates to the slope of the parking stalls and adjacent aisles. To be ADA compliant, slopes must not exceed 2.08% when measured in all directions. Pavement slopes can actually shift due to temperature changes, so this needs to be taken into consideration. This is another reason why it is crucial to have ADA pros handling your construction.

It is also essential that your parking signage is easily visible to a driver and that you use the International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA)"

2 – Curb Ramps

The next most common ADA violation that tends to come up is curb ramps that are steeper than the maximum 1:12 slope. According to ADA requirements, ramps should be no steeper than that, and there must be a flat top landing large enough for a wheelchair user to turn around completely. If you neglect to include a curb ramp where your accessible route crosses a curb, you will restrict a disabled person’s ability to reach your property, which could result in a lawsuit. Hiring contractors who are ADA pros can help to resolve this potential problem.

3 – Doors & Doorways

Doors are another considerable barrier for disabled people when it comes to accessing buildings. Many people think that all they need to do is make sure their doorways are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair, but the requirements are far more complicated than that, and you will need ADA pros to make sure you check all of the boxes. Just a few of the regulations that you need to take into consideration concerning your doors include:

• The amount of pressure needed to open or close an interior door must be no more than 5 pounds. This applies to hinged, folding or sliding doors alike.
• Once doors have a control button to push, the force required to operate the button must not exceed 5 pounds.
• If an automatic closer is incorporated onto the door or gate, there are specific requirements for the timings to ensure a disabled person has ample opportunity to pass through.

These are just a handful of the many ADA requirements relating to doors and doorways. There are also regulations regarding the hardware, the clearance, the width, and more.

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Design | Build | Certified

Why Wait to be "Forced" into ADA Compliance. If you are a public business or public property owner, save money, lawsuits, time and headaches by being prepared and avoiding it all in the first place. It’s time to call in the ADA pros. Use Protrk, an ADA construction expert, to Get it Done Right Prior to Forced Compliance. 

Call 415-813-9877 today or visit www.protrkconstruction.com for more details.