As a commercial property owner, you are responsible for ensuring the safety of anyone on the property, whether they are customers, tenants, or employees. The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) is a federal law that requires commercial properties to be accessible and have accommodations for disabled persons. It can be confusing to navigate ADA guidelines, especially if your commercial property is in an older building that was built before ADA was passed in 1990. So, how do you make your commercial property ADA compliant? Here’s how the DRYCO team can help you ensure that your commercial property meets ADA compliance guidelines.
Who has to follow ADA guidelines?
Any commercial property owner has to follow ADA guidelines for the building and parking lot, including:
- Stores
- Restaurants
- Museums
- Parks
- Schools
- Hotels
- Public transportation
- Medical buildings
- Offices
If you own a commercial property, there can be serious consequences for not following ADA compliance guidelines, including costly fines or being forced to close until improvements are made.
What are the basic ADA requirements of commercial buildings?
There are some factors that do not change for commercial properties to comply with the ADA guidelines:
- Doors: Doorways need to be a minimum of 32 inches wide.
- Parking Spaces: Two percent of all parking spaces in a lot need to be handicap accessible, and one in every six needs to be van accessible.
- Water Fountains: Need a spout outlet a maximum of 36 inches from the ground.
- Railings and Grab Bars: Rails should be on both sides of stairs and ramps should be continuous along the entire flight of stairs.
- Ramps or Curb Cuts: For wheelchairs to get into and around the building.
- Flooring: Floors should be clear and not impede movement.
- Bathrooms: Accessible stalls and clear floor spaces at every fixture. The accessible stalls need to be 30 inches by 48 inches minimum, so wheelchair users can rotate their chairs.
- Signage: Signs need a matte finish and a 70% contrast between touchable letters and the background. Braille should go on signs with permanent spaces.
- Hardware and fixtures: Hardware and fixtures need to be openable with a closed fist or loose grip. U-shaped pulls and levers are popular for this reason.
Who’s Responsible for ADA Compliance?
For ADA compliance in a commercial building, some of the responsibilities fall to the landlord and others to the tenant. It can be hard to figure out who is responsible for what, especially in some situations that hold both responsible, so let’s take a look at the rules.
ADA Compliance: Tenant’s Responsibility
The tenant is typically responsible for any operational issues regarding compliance, such as hanging ADA compliant signage.
ADA Compliance: Property Owner’s Responsibility
The property owners are responsible for ensuring that the property is accessible to everyone. They are in charge of ensuring everyone has a safe and clear travel route through the building. When a building is renovated, the property owner is responsible for fixing any compliance issues. The owner bears responsibility for:
- Accessible parking
- Building entry
- Public parts of the building that are not covered by a lease, like a lobby or shared hallways.
If there ends up being a dispute about compliance concerning building upgrades, the Department of Justice typically has the final decision on the issue.
ADA Compliance: Both Are Responsible
The landlord and tenant share responsibility for physical compliance issues. For example, they share responsibility for installing a wheelchair ramp and elevators.
How DRYCO Can Help Improve ADA Compliance
Now that we have a better understanding of ADA compliance and who is responsible for what, let’s take a look at how DRYCO can help improve your parking lot for compliance.
New Pavement
How old is the asphalt in your parking lot? Asphalt pavement needs to be maintained regularly, or it can eventually become a safety hazard. If you are already getting some parking lot upgrades for your commercial building to meet ADA compliance guidelines, it can be worthwhile to get new asphalt pavement in the lot first.
Parking Lot Striping Services
All of your handicapped parking spaces need to be clearly marked. Each parking space needs clear lines, and the symbol needs to be painted on the ground. The striping to keep your van-accessible spaces clear also needs to be clear to read. DRYCO’s pavement striping services are perfect for making all of your spaces clearly marked.
Parking Lot Maintenance
Parking lots that are full of potholes and cracked pavement need to be repaired regularly. All of your accessible spaces especially need to be kept clear of obstructions. Investing in regular parking lot maintenance can help address any paving issues before they become too big and expensive.
Concrete Services
Does your sidewalk have a curb cut for a wheelchair user to access the entries? Or are your designated pathways non compliant? If there is not an easy way to access your walkways, DRYCO’s concrete services team can design new walkways for you to give you the curb cut you need for ADA compliance.
Wheelchair Ramps
The ADA requires curb cuts or wheelchair ramps at the entrances to commercial properties. If your property does not currently have any, DRYCO can create a concrete curb cut with truncated domes (non-slip safety bumps) to improve safety.
Hand Rail Installation
A commercial property needs to have handrails along some of the exterior walkways and along stairs. This is an important safety feature for everyone who visits your property. DRYCO can install those for you to help your property’s ADA compliance.
Final Thoughts
Ensuring your commercial property meets ADA compliance guidelines is crucial to any property owner since failure can result in expensive consequences like fines and lawsuits. That is why it is so important to make sure any compliance issues are addressed quickly and efficiently. We hope our guide has helped you determine what compliance issues your property may currently have. If you need paving, concrete, or fencing for your commercial property, contact DRYCO for a quote today!