The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was established to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, business owners must build their facilities so that people with disabilities can also access them.
The ADA rule doesn’t only apply to toilets and bathrooms, it also applies to building entrances, hallways, and other public areas.
Also, the ADA rule isn’t restricted to only business places, homeowners can make their restrooms and bathrooms ADA-compliant. It has the same process as installing the normal bathroom and restroom fixtures except that it follows a different guideline.
Guidelines for ADA Bathroom Stalls
- Disabled Access Doors
The ADA-compliant bathroom requirements are put in place to ensure that the bathroom is accessible to people with any kind of disabilities. Hence, the requirements for an ADA bathroom door are that the door opens to at least 90 degrees, has handles that do not require too much force to move, and can be grasped with one hand. Also, ADA bathroom doors should be at least 32 inches wide.
- ADA Design Space
An ADA-compliant bathroom must be designed so that there’s enough space for people using any kind of special aid to maneuver their way around the bathroom. In single-use bathrooms, there should be a clear space of at least 56 inches from the rear wall and 60 inches around the side wall so that wheelchair users can maneuver around the bathroom. While in multi-use bathrooms, all stalls must be designed with the appropriate space for movement.
- High Toilets for Handicapped
In an ADA-compliant toilet, the flush valves must be installed so that they do not require strength, pinching, tight grasping, or twisting of the wrist. Also, there’s a specified height for an ADA-compliant toilet seat. The toilet seat should be installed at a height of 17-19 inches from the floor.
- ADA Bathroom Grab Bars
Grab bars are instrumental for people with disabilities; they help them maintain balance and prevent them from falling. According to the ADA guideline for bathroom stalls, the grab bars must be easy to hold and should be able to withstand at least 250 pounds of pressure. The grab bars must have a gripping surface of at least 1.25 inches and should be installed at a height of 33-36 inches above the floor and at least 1.5 inches from the wall.
- ADA Compliant Sinks
The sink in an ADA-compliant bathroom should be mounted at a height of 34 inches above the floor. Also, there should be a knee clearance below the sink; the space below the sink should be at least 30 inches wide, 27 inches high, and a depth of 11-25 inches in depth.
- ADA Compliant Faucets
Faucets should be installed so that users do not have to exert more than 5 pounds of pressure to operate, nor should they have to pinch, grasp, or twist the wrist. Faucets should be lever-operated or controlled with a push or electronics. Also, it must be installed at a height of at most 48 inches.
Conclusion
ADA bathroom requirements are necessary to make the space easily accessible to people with disabilities. Everything starts from the entrance of the bathroom, which is why the doors must meet all ADA restroom door requirements.
However, not everyone is properly equipped to build an ADA-compliant bathroom. Hence, you need to hire a professional contractor capable of building an ADA-compliant bathroom.
At All Things Inspector, we help our clients build a well-equipped ADA-compliant bathroom that grants easy access to users with disabilities. We make sure to use quality materials and fixtures for your ADA-compliant bathroom.
Contact us today to learn more about our services!