Many businesses are required by law to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In this post, we’ll discuss how that applies to doors and what you can do to ensure you comply.
Why ADA Compliance is Important
First, making your business accessible to more people allows you to do business with a broader group of people. You don’t want to be turning people away at your door.
It is also the law. In 1990, the ADA was signed into law as a federal statute. It states that people with disabilities must have equal access to services and employment. Everyone must also be able to exit the building in the event of an emergency. All businesses with more than 15 employees, public buildings, and commercial facilities are required to comply, and not complying could result in a $55,000 to $150,000 fine.
ADA Compliance for Doors
A door is considered ADA-compliant if it meets or exceeds the following criteria:
- Width – The opening, including the door, door frame, and any parts, must allow 32 inches of clear space when the door is open 90 degrees.
- Height – Doors must be at least 80 inches tall.
- Closing speed – The door should take at least 1.5 seconds to close from being open to 70 degrees. If the door has closers, it should take 5 seconds or longer for it to close from 90 degrees to 12 degrees.
- Surface – The surface on the pushing side of the door must be smooth, 10 inches from the ground.
- Projections – Any projections on the door must be 34 inches or higher from the ground and must not extend further than 4 inches from the door.
- Hardware – Door pulls, handles, and locks must be between 32 inches and 48 inches from the ground, able to be opened with 5 pounds of force, and operable with a loose grip or closed fist.
- Thresholds – On new construction, the thresholds must be ½ inch high or less. On existing buildings, the threshold may be as high as ¾ inch if the edges are beveled with a 50% or less gradient.
- Kick plates – If the door has a kick plate and it causes a cavity, the cavity must be filled.
Sixty percent of entrances in a new construction business must be ADA-compliant, and at least one employee entrance must be accessible. One door from each parking lot must be accessible.
Compliance is required on usable sides of the door. Doors that can be opened in both directions must be accessible from both directions, but doors that only open one way have to be compliant on one side only.
Call Cypress Door & Glass
We are door experts, so we can help you find the perfect door for your style, accessibility, function, and budget needs. Know that you’re getting exactly what you want and need by contacting us for your door and window projects.