Blog
Manufactured Tubs & Showers with Integral Surrounding Walls – What Do You Need to Know About Their Grab Bars?
An item that has come up a number of times is tubs and showers that come with integral manufactured surrounding walls that do not necessarily meet the ADA requirements for grab bars even though the manufacturer states they do. It is important that grab bar blocking and its attachments be engineered to meet the vertical and horizontal force of 250 lbs. This is an important element that should not be left to rule of thumb and should be carefully engineered and tested to meet the exact regulation and code requirements.
Service, Support, & Assistive Animals – and California
There has long been discussion about the differences between Service Animals per the ADA Standards and Support Animals per FHA or even Service Animals under the Air Carrier Access Act. But in California, we like to be different.
Countertop Requirements for Accessible Kitchens Under ADA
Counters come in many varieties from transaction to service to work surfaces just to name a few. We will look closer at kitchen countertops located in dwelling units, employee lounges, and common-use spaces.
Restaurant, Bar, & Cafeteria Design Considerations
Some of the main issues for restaurant, bar, and cafeteria design have to do with circulation paths, accessible routes, and counters.
Protruding Objects – on a lighter note
I received an email today from someone at an Administrative Authority enquiring as to my opinion on protruding objects. Apparently they are reviewing a new construction project where the wall sconces are installed at less than 80″ above the finished floor, which is fine, but they project into the hallway more than 4″ which is not fine.
Lifts vs Elevators – Pros and Cons
The question has come up several times of why and where one would use a wheelchair lift versus an elevator and what would be the advantage of one over the other, presuming there is a choice.
On-Demand Accessibility Continuing Education Series Now Available
We are pleased to announce the official launch of our new on-demand webinar service that addresses access and aging.
Pop-Up Restaurants and What You Need to Know About Access
Janis Kent, Architect, FAIA, CASp © September, 2020 With the continuation of our on-going plague, many restaurants are taking their seating area out to the public sidewalks, parking areas, and even onto the streets. While the concept of pop-up restaurants has been around for a while, it has evolved as a temporary outdoor add-on to existing […]
Doors and Gates – What they need for ongoing maintenance
The question has come up as to whether manual doors need to be maintained to be accessible. And the answer is – yes, absolutely.
The Kitchen Sink – or everything you ever wanted to know about faucets
What do you need to provide for an accessible sink? One of the more difficult issues about making a kitchen sink accessible is reaching the faucet controls.