ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal Based on the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design 2011 www.ADAchecklist.org This checklist was produced by the New England ADA Center, a project of the Institute for Human Centered Design and a member of the ADA National Network. This checklist was developed under a grant from the Department of Education, NIDRR grant number H133A060092-09A. However the contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Questions or comments on the checklist contact the New England ADA Center at 617-695-0085 voice/tty or ADAinfo@NewEnglandADA.org For the full set of checklists, including the checklists for recreation facilities visit www.ADAchecklist.org. Copyright © 2016 ADA Checklist for Existing Materials. You can freely reproduce and distribute this content. Include proper attribution. But you must get permission before using this content as a fee-based product. How to Use this Checklist Get Organized Determine how many copies of each section of the checklist you will need. For example there may be more than one restroom to survey. Gather together a clipboard, pen or pencil, tape measure, 2 ft level and door pressure gauge. A camera is helpful. Decide who will conduct the survey. It’s easier to do with two or three people. Include people with various disabilities and accessibility expertise, to assist in identifying barriers, developing solutions and setting priorities. Obtain Floor Plans It is helpful to have the building floor plans before and during the survey. If plans are not available, sketch the layout of interior and exterior spaces. Conduct the Survey With three people surveying, one person takes measurements, one person fills in the checklist and the third person takes photos and notes items on the floor plan. Questions that require a measurement are marked with the ruler symbol. Think about each space from the perspective of people with physical, hearing, visual, and cognitive disabilities. How to Conduct an Accessibility Survey Get Organized Survey teams of two (or three) work best: one person to fill out the checklist, one person to take measurements and photos. Include people with various disabilities and accessibility expertise to assist in identifying barriers, developing solutions and setting priorities. Determine how many copies of each section of the checklist you need. For example most facilities have more than one restroom. Floor Plan A floor plan or sketch helps the survey team get oriented and know how many elements there are and where they are. If plans are not available, sketch the layout of interior and exterior spaces. (image of floor plan) Tools _Checklist _Clipboard makes it easier to write on the checklist _Tape measure _Door pressure gauge or fish scale for measuring door-opening force _Digital camera _Bag to hold all these items Measuring Some things are easy to measure, such as the height of a table. Some things are more complicated. Only the complicated items are included here Parking Spaces - Measure from the center of the lines. Include the full width of the line where parking spaces are not adjacent to another space or access aisle. Door clear width Open the door 90 degrees, measure from the face of the door to the edge of the door stop. Door opening force If you’re using a door pressure gauge place it where you would push open the door. If you’re using a fish scale place it where you would pull open the door. Accessible Route Slope You can measure slope with a 24 inch level and a tape measure. Put the level on the surface in the direction you are measuring. Put one end at the high point of the surface and raise the other end so that the bubble is in the middle of the level’s gauge. The level is now level. Measure the distance between the end of the level at its bottom point and the surface. For a ramp the maximum running slope allowed is 1:12. That means for every inch of height change there should be at least 12 inches of ramp run. If the distance between the bottom of the level and the ramp surface is 2 inches or less, then the slope is 1:12 or less (2:24 = 1:12 and 1.5:24 = 1:16 which is a more gradual slope than 1:12). If the distance is greater than 2 inches, the ramp is too steep. For example, if the distance is 3 inches, then the slope is 1:8 (3:24 = 1:8 which is a steeper slope than 1:12). For the parts of an accessible route that aren’t a ramp, the maximum running slope allowed is 1:20. That means for every inch of height change there must be at least 20 inches of route run. The distance from the bottom edge of the level to the surface should be no more than 1.2 inches (1.2:24 = 1:20). For the cross slope of an accessible route the maximum slope allowed is 1:48. The distance from the bottom edge of the level to the surface should be no more than ½ inch (.5:24 = 1:48). The cross slope of an accessible route is the slope that is perpendicular to the direction of pedestrian travel. Slopes may also be measured using a digital level. Be sure to read the instructions. Measure with the percent calculation rather than the degrees calculation. For a ramp the maximum running slope allowed is 8.33% (8.33% is a 1:12 slope). For an accessible route without a ramp the maximum running slope allowed is 5% (1:20). For the cross slope of an accessible route the maximum slope allowed is 2.083% (1:48). After the Survey List Barriers and Solutions Consider the solutions listed beside each question, and add your own ideas. Consult with building contractors and equipment suppliers to estimate the costs for making modifications. Develop an Implementation Plan Review the solutions with decision makers. Prioritize items and make a timeline. Where the removal of barriers is not readily achievable, consider whether there are alternative methods for providing access that are readily achievable such as XXXXXXXXX Maintain Documents Keep the checklist, notes, Implementation Plan and record of work completed. Make Changes Use the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. Check whether local and state building codes require greater accessibility. Follow Up Review the Implementation Plan each year to evaluate whether more improvements have become readily achievable. What is Readily Achievable Barrier Removal? The Americans with Disabilities Act requires public accommodations to provide goods and services (businesses and non profit organizations) to people with disabilities on an equal basis with the rest of the public. Public accommodations are to remove architectural barriers when it is “readily achievable” to do so; in other words, when barrier removal is easily accomplished and able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense. The decision of what is “readily achievable” is made considering the size, type, and overall finances of the public accommodation and the nature and cost of the access improvements needed. Determining what changes are readily achievable is an ongoing effort. Barrier removal that is difficult now may be readily achievable in the future as a public accommodation’s finances change.Under the ADA public accommodations are for-profit and non-profit private entities such as hotels, restaurants, retail stores, private schools, banks, doctors' offices, homeless shelters and other privately owned places that serve the public. People who own, lease, lease out, or operate places of public accommodation must comply with the barrier removal requirement. Public accommodations’ ADA obligations are in the Department of Justice’s ADA Title III regulations 28 CFR Part 36. Section 36.304 of those regulations addresses barrier removal. Federal tax deductions and credits are available to help absorb costs. 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design This checklist is based on the technical specifications in the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (2010 ADA Standards). The 2010 ADA Standards are part of the ADA Title III regulations. Full compliance with the 2010 ADA Standards is required only for new construction and alterations. The technical specifications are in this checklist to help determine what may be readily achievable barrier removal for existing facilities. This checklist does not include all sections covered by the 2010 ADA Standards. For example there are no questions about patient rooms in hospitals or holding cells in prisons. Consult the ADA 2010 Standards for situations not covered in this checklist. Safe Harbor – Construction prior to March 15, 2012 Elements in facilities built or altered before March 15, 2012 that comply with the 1991 ADA Standards for Accessible Design are not required to be modified to technical requirements in the 2010 ADA Standards. For example, the 1991 ADA Standards allow 54 inches maximum for a side reach range to a control; the 2010 ADA Standards lower that side reach range to 48 inches maximum. If a paper towel dispenser was installed prior to March 15, 2012 and the highest operating part is at 54 inches above finish floor, the paper towel dispenser does not need to be lowered to 48 inches above finish floor for barrier removal. Since the dispenser complies with the Standard that was in effect at the time it was installed, that Standard provides a “safe harbor.” New Elements in the 2010 ADA Standards The 2010 ADA Standards contain requirements that were not in the 1991 ADA Standards. These include recreation facilities such as swimming pools, fishing piers, play areas, exercise machines, miniature golf facilities, and boating facilities. Because these elements were not included in the 1991 ADA Standards, they are not subject to the safe harbor. On or after March 15, 2012 public accommodations must remove architectural barriers to these items when it is readily achievable to do so. For example, a hotel must determine whether it is readily achievable to make its swimming pool accessible by installing a lift or a ramp as specified in the 2010 ADA Standards. Purpose of this Checklist This checklist identifies accessibility problems and solutions. The Department of Justice recommends the development of an implementation plan, specifying what barriers will removed and when solutions will occur: "...Such a plan...could serve as evidence of a good faith effort to comply..." but such a plan is not required. What This Checklist is Not The ADA Title III regulations require more than barrier removal. The regulations include requirements for nondiscriminatory policies and practices and for the provision of auxiliary aids and services, such as sign language interpreters for people who are deaf and material in Braille for people who are blind. This checklist does not cover those requirements. Since this checklist does not include all of the 2010 ADA Standards it is not intended for new construction or facilities being altered. Priorities This checklist is based on the four priorities for barrier removal in the ADA Title III regulations: Priority 1 Accessible approach and entrance Priority 2 Access to goods and services Priority 3 Access to restrooms Priority 4 Access to other items such as water fountains and public telephones Resources U.S. Department of Justice ADA Information 800-514-0301 voice 800-514-0383 TTY www.ada.gov ADA National Network 800-949-4232 voice/TTY connects to your regional ADA Center www.adata.org U.S. Access Board 800- 872-2253 voice 800-993-2822 TTY www.access-board.gov ADA Title III Regulations 28 CFR Part 36 www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleIII_2010/titleIII_2010_regulations.htm 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design www.ada.gov/2010ADAstandards_index.htm 1991 ADA Standards for Accessible Design www.ada.gov/stdspdf.htm Tax Deductions and Credits for Barrier Removal www.ada.gov/taxincent.htm Acknowlegements Many of the illustrations are based on illustrations produced by the U.S. Access Board and the U.S. Department of Justice.