Imagine what your days would be like if you couldn’t enter or navigate stores, restaurants, hotels, gyms, and movie theaters. It’s difficult if not impossible to fully participate in public life without access to these types of businesses.
That’s why nearly all facilities that serve the general population must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a federal regulation safeguarding the civil rights of people living with disabilities, according to ADA.gov.
If you own, rent or lease a commercial property, here’s what you need to know about physical accessibility standards, ADA compliance for commercial buildings, and how to ensure your property is accessible for people with disabilities.
Why Accessibility Matters for Commercial Buildings
People with disabilities account for over 1 in 4 adults in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The ADA includes regulations and design standards for businesses open to the public and commercial facilities to ensure people living with disabilities have equal access to goods, services and employment opportunities.
Title III of the ADA ensures that public accommodations and commercial facilities are accessible for people with disabilities. This portion of the law applies to businesses and nonprofits that serve the public and sets specific standards for physical accessibility that you must follow when initially constructing a structure, renovating a building, or removing pre-existing architectural barriers.
Note: Title III also includes requirements for business operations, such as communicating effectively with people with disabilities. Please visit ADA.gov for details about compliance standards beyond physical accessibility.
Commercial facilities that don’t directly provide goods or services to the public – such as factories, warehouses, and office buildings – are only required to comply with the ADA Standards for Accessible Design for new construction or renovations, according to ADA primer for small businesses.
How Do You Make a Building Accessible?
The ADA Standards for Accessible Design detail requirements for removing architectural barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully accessing your business’s goods and services, according to the small business primer. These requirements were first published in 1991 and then revised in 2010.
Based on the ADA Standards, here are some of the most vital ways to make your building accessible. Please note that this isn’t an exhaustive list or comprehensive compliance guide.
- Eliminate physical barriers. For example, you might make doorways wider or install an entrance ramp for people with wheelchairs.
- If your property provides parking, ensure one out of every six spaces is van accessible and has an access aisle for people with wheelchairs and mobility devices.
- Make sure your business has an accessible entrance for people with walkers, canes, wheelchairs and other mobility devices.
- Pathways to goods within your business, such as aisles, must be wide enough for mobility devices and not blocked by machines, displays, or other obstacles.
- Facilities like restrooms and dressing rooms should be large enough and have features like grab bars to accommodate people with disabilities.
- You should have at least one check-out or service counter that people utilizing mobility devices can comfortably access (i.e., the aisle isn’t too narrow, and the counter isn’t too high).
- If you run a restaurant, you should have accessible service lines, tables, counters, and food and beverage stations.
If you want more guidance on ADA compliance for commercial buildings, the New England ADA Center – a member of the ADA National Network – has created this ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities. The U.S. Access Board is another helpful resource.
If you’re constructing an accessible commercial building or modifying an existing property to improve accessibility, we offer property development and commercial construction services. Get started by visiting our Contact Us page, calling 847-506-1000, or emailing info@avalonreal.com.