In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a law that ensures people with disabilities have the same opportunities and access to services and facilities as everyone else. One of the areas covered by the ADA is building design, and specifically, entrances and exits. In this article, we will explore the ADA requirements for doors and how you can ensure your building is accessible to everyone.
Door Width
The first requirement to consider is the width of your doors. According to the ADA, all doors that are part of an accessible route must be at least 32 inches wide when measured between the door face and the stop. If the door is automatic or power-operated, the minimum width is reduced to 28 inches.
Door Thresholds
Another important consideration is the height of the door threshold. The ADA requires that thresholds be no higher than 1/2 inch at all accessible doorways. This ensures that people with mobility devices, such as wheelchairs, can easily navigate through the doorway without encountering an obstacle.
Door Hardware
The hardware on your doors is also subject to ADA requirements. Door handles or pulls must be mounted between 34 and 48 inches above the floor, and they should not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist to operate. Additionally, door hardware should be easy to grasp and operate with one hand without the need for tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist.
Door Openings
The ADA also requires that doors be easy to open. This means that the maximum force required to open a door should be no more than 5 pounds for interior doors and 10 pounds for exterior doors. Additionally, doors should be equipped with hardware that allows them to be opened with a closed fist or an open palm.
People Also Ask
What is the ADA?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a law that ensures people with disabilities have the same opportunities and access to services and facilities as everyone else.
What is an accessible route?
An accessible route is a path of travel that allows people with disabilities to get from one place to another, such as from a parking lot to the entrance of a building.
What is the maximum height for a door threshold?
The maximum height for a door threshold under the ADA is 1/2 inch at all accessible doorways.
What is the maximum force required to open a door under the ADA?
The maximum force required to open a door under the ADA is 5 pounds for interior doors and 10 pounds for exterior doors.
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Conclusion
Ensuring that your building is accessible to everyone is not only a legal requirement under the ADA, but it is also the right thing to do. By following the ADA requirements for doors, you can ensure that everyone who enters your building can do so safely and easily.
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