A Practical Guide to 2010 ADA-Compliant Restroom Design

This course is no longer active
[ Page 2 of 6 ]  previous page Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 next page
Sponsored by The ASI Group
Jeanette Fitzgerald Pitts

For example, the 2010 ADA Standard mandates that “where toilet compartments are provided, at least one toilet compartment shall comply with 604.8.1.” Section 604.8.1 details the specifications for a wheelchair-accessible stall. So another way to read the ADA mandate is that wherevesr toilet compartments are provided, at least one toilet compartment shall be wheelchair accessible, as defined by the ADA. The standard also states that one ambulatory stall is required for every six water closets located in the toilet room or when the combination of urinals and water closets totals six or more fixtures.

The standard also imposes strict regulations on the lavatory area in a restroom. “Where lavatories are provided, at least one shall comply with ADA Section 606 and shall not be located in the toilet compartment” (2010 ADA Standard, Section 213.3.4). Section 606 addresses important topics such as mounting height, turning room, clear floor space requirements, etc. Generally speaking, the ADA sphere of influence is so broad that unless the building or project space is specifically identified as an exception, at least one ADA-compliant sink and toilet compartment is required for each restroom.

Image courtesy of The ASI Group adapted from the 2010 ADA Standard

The 2010 ADA Standard requires that highest edge of the changing deck be no higher than 34 inches AFF. The baby changing station shown here is non-compliant.

It is important to note that the ADA is not a building code; it is civil rights legislation, so the potential penalties for non-compliance carry some significant bite. Beyond delaying a Certificate of Occupancy, facilities that are found to be in violation of the ADA standard can incur steep fines and even be targeted in lawsuits by the Department of Justice (DOJ). Regarding fines, the first offense can carry a civil penalty of $55,000 and a second offense $110,000 and so on. The DOJ has the ability to bring class action lawsuits on behalf of individuals with disabilities, and if there's a finding of liability, there could be a significant monetary burden on a facility. The DOJ can also seek damages for people who are aggrieved and injunctive relief that will force a facility to make the required changes.

In short, the 2010 ADA Standard applies to many of the restrooms standing, under construction or currently being designed in the United States. Compliance is important not only to ensure that individuals with permanent or temporary disabilities can use the space, but also to protect the facility and its ownership from the potential fines and legal action that non-compliance can invite.

Image courtesy of The ASI Group adapted from the 2010 ADA Standard

The new acceptable, unobstructed reach range is now between 15 and 48 inches AFF, according to the 2010 ADA Standard.

Changes in the 2010 ADA Standard that Apply to Restrooms

The 2010 ADA Standard contains significant changes to the original ADA stipulations and many of those modifications apply to designing accessible restrooms. The restroom-specific changes include: lowering the maximum reach range, increasing the clear floor space required around a water closet, and changing the placement requirements for the centerline of the water closet itself.

New Reach Ranges

The 2010 ADA Standard defines a reach range with minimum and maximum heights for the operable mechanisms on fixtures and accessories. The intent of the reach range is to ensure that a disabled person, perhaps sitting in a wheelchair or using a cane, will be capable of reaching and operating the paper towel dispenser, baby changing table or other restroom equipment.

The reach range defined in the 2010 ADA Standard incorporates significant changes to the reach range mandated by the 1991 standard. Under the 1991 standard, the reach range was dependent upon the type of approach that would be used. The maximum height for an unobstructed side approach was 54 inches above finished floor (AFF), whereas an unobstructed front approach had a lower maximum height of 48 inches AFF. The 2010 ADA Standard has consolidated the two reach ranges into one. Now the maximum acceptable height for hand dryer push buttons, or any other operable mechanism, is 48 inches AFF and the lowest acceptable height is 15 inches AFF, regardless of approach.

Compliance issues can arise when a designer is detailing the mounting heights of restroom equipment and forgets that the reach range mandates the position of the operable mechanism (i.e., the towel slot, the push knob) and not the top or bottom of the accessory. Many times accessories shown on interior elevation drawings are positioned in terms of the top or bottom of the accessory, instead of detailing the maximum dimension to the operating part.

 

[ Page 2 of 6 ]  previous page Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 next page
Originally published in Architectural Record
Originally published in September 2012

Notice

Academies