The ADA — short for the Americans with Disabilities Act – is in place to ensure those with disabilities are protected under the law. This law was signed in 1990 by then-President Bush to protect the civil rights of the disabled, similar in nature to the protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act prohibited the discrimination of anyone due to their race, religion, skin color, national origin or sex.
The ADA governs many aspects of our lives these days, and for good reason – and that even includes elevators. If you own a building (other than a shopping center) that is more than three stories tall or that has more than 3,000 sq ft., you must comply with this law. Mowrey does all it can to faithfully abide by the ADA in relation to the elevators and accessories we sell, install and repair. That’s why you’ll see we always include exact dimensions for our cabs, handrails, car buttons and more.
Examples of ADA Law in Relation to Elevators
Elevators in the USA have to comply with the ADA in regards to:
- Braille plates must be located at the jambs of entrances and adjacent to buttons.
- Hall and car buttons must be at 42 inches.
- Call buttons must have a diameter of at least 0.75 inches.
- Each cab must have the capability of fitting a wheelchair and accommodate its 360-degree turn.
- Chimes must announce the cab’s arrival at each floor or as it passes each floor, even if no stoppage occurs.
- Handrails should be located at 30 inches.
- Doors have to have the capacity to re-open with no physical contact.
- Emergency buttons must be situated at least 35 inches from the floor.
The ADA site has a lot more information on compliance, so be sure to visit them. You can find out more details on the requirements for your building’s elevator, including floor plans, hall lantern fixtures, signal timing, and door delays.
Guidelines You Must Adhere To
As a building owner or property manager, many factors must be addressed by your building or facility that has any number of elevators. Your elevators must follow these guidelines:
- Placement and Operation of Elevators: Visitors have to be able to access elevators comfortably in all public spaces. Elevators could be considered non-ADA compliant if located in an inaccessible portion of the facility or building.
- Car Size: Must be able to accommodate a certain number of people, including those bound to wheelchairs, so that all may enter comfortably and turn around easily.
- Self-Leveling: Elevators have to raise the cab floor—automatically — so it is flush with the floor where it stops.
- Flooring: All elevators must include slip-resistant flooring. If carpet is present, it must be securely attached with no folds, grooves or wrinkles.
Contact Mowrey Elevator
If you would like to learn more about Mowrey’s ADA elevator compliance, call us today to review the compliance process and how we go about adhering to it.