ada bathroom designs

this animation explains requirements for protrudingobjects in the ada and aba standards. objects that protrude into circulation pathsfrom walls or posts can be hazardous to people with vision impairments. common examples include shelves, sconces,signs, kiosks, drinking fountains, and monitors. the ada and aba standards set limitson the projection of such objects depending on their mounting height. since people with vision impairments maynot need to travel along accessible routes, requirements for protruding objects apply to allcirculation paths, including inaccessible routes. unlike most other provisions in the standards,they are not limited to

accessible routes or spaces and encompass all waysof passage for pedestrian travel, including walks, hallways, stairways, ramps,elevators and lifts, and courtyards. the requirements apply to the entire widthof circulation paths. both interior and exterior circulation pathsare covered by these provisions. people who are blind or who have low visionsometimes travel along walls for orientation or wayfinding,particularly in unfamiliar environments. this technique is known as "trailing" or "shorelining". objects that protrude into circulation paths fromwalls, columns, and other surfaces that are above the standard sweep of long canesare hazardous unless properly treated.

objects that are mounted above a height of80 inches provide minimum headroom clearance and can protrude any amount. those with leading edges at or below 27 inchesabove the floor or ground can project any distance from wall surfaces because they canbe detected by long canes without body contact. providing detectability at heights well below27 inches will allow more response time, especially for people of short stature, children,and users of short canes. protruding objects with leading edges above27 inches but no more than 80 inches high are within the hazard zone. they are limited to a protrusion of 4 inchesor, in the case of handrails, 4 1/2 inches.

objects in this range that exceed this limitmust be properly treated so that they do not pose safety hazards. one option for elements not required to bewithin reach is to locate them so that they provide a headroom clearance of at least 80 inches. examples include signs not required to betactile and sconces. another solution is to limit an object'sprojection into circulation paths to 4 inches, such as a counter at a service window. or the counter can be partially enclosed sothat it is detectable within the 27" high maximum cane sweep.

the leading edge of the counter cannot projectmore than 4 inches from the detectable portion that is within cane sweep. a side approach for wheelchair access is permittedto sales and service counters. however, at other elements where a forwardapproach is required or preferred, solutions cannot obstruct required clearancesfor knees and toes. side panels provide a solution that will accommodateaccess for a forward approach. in all cases, solutions must be fixed or built-inso that they remain reliably in place. in new construction and alterations,movable elements or furnishings are not acceptable alternatives intreating protruding objects.

extended wall surfaces and fixed cabinetsor enclosures below protruding objects can be used at other elements such as monitors. treatments must extend to within 4 inchesof the leading edge of the protrusion. note that some solutions may impact the heightof operable parts or controls that are required to be within accessible reach range. the maximum height is reduced whenthe reach extends over an obstruction beyond a certain depth. another option is to recess objects so thatthe projection into circulation paths does not exceed 4 inches.

this is often a good solution for cabinets,shelves, and display cases. fixtures such as cantilevered drinking fountainscan be recessed in alcoves. fixed objects such as benches, planters, orpartitions can be used to recess objects and to provide barriers on both sides ofa protruding object. when recessing other types of elements in alcoves,be sure to accommodate the clear floor space that is requiredfor wheelchair access. wheelchair accessible drinking fountainsmust provide a knee clearance at least 27 inches high. if they are located so they provide, but donot exceed, this clearance, they do not require

treatment as a protruding object since theleading edge is on the boundary of cane detection. wheelchair accessible units or bowls providinga knee clearance of exactly 27 inches can be used to enclose one side ofcantilevered drinking fountains that are above the 27 inch heightto serve standees. these requirements are not limited to wall-mountedobjects. they also apply to objects mounted to partitions,columns, counters, and other elements such as standpipes. stand-alone objects that are fixed or built-inare covered as well where they protrude into circulation paths.

examples include some types of kiosks and sculptures. in the case of a fixed sculpture, a platform or base can be used to provide cane detectability at hazardous protrusions. the platform or base should be high enoughso that it is not mistaken for a curb or step. a height of about a foot will be sufficient,although the standards do not specify a minimum. railings and similar elements that providea leading edge no higher than 27 inches also can be used. barriers or bases must extend to within 4inches of protrusions in the hazard zone. even better, consider extending them up toor beyond the leading edge of hazardous protrusions.

the standards also address protruding objectsmounted on posts or pylons, such as signs. as with wall-mounted objects, restrictionsapply to objects with leading edges within the 27 inch to 80 inch height range. these objects, however, are limited to a12 inch protrusion into circulation paths. it is advisable to limit their projection to 4 inchesas is required for wall-mounted objects. a 4 inch limit is also specified for post-mountedor free-standing objects along streets and sidewalks in new guidelines the board isdeveloping for public rights-of-ways. at an element such as a map or display onposts, compliance can be achieved by limiting projections from posts to 12 inches.

leading edges located within 27 inches fromthe floor, like a horizontal rail, also will suffice in providing detectabilitywithin cane sweep. if the object is mounted so that theleading edge is no higher than 27 inches, no additional treatment is required. maintaining a 27 inch clearance will accommodateknee clearance which is important where forward approach access to an element is required. in this case, such clearance will providea closer approach for wheelchair access to the display. these requirements apply to all sides of an objectthat can be approached from circulation paths.

headroom clearance of at least 80 inches isrequired along all circulation paths. objects suspended from ceilingsor mounted on walls cannot protrude into this minimum clearance. treatments for detectability are required wherethe vertical clearance along circulation paths is less than 80 inches, such as belowstairways that are not enclosed. this can be achieved with fixed or built-inobjects like planters, benches, railings, and other elements that provide an effectivebarrier. platforms or similar treatments should behigh enough so that they are not mistaken for a step.

it is important that solutions be designedso that they do not pose tripping hazards. these requirements also apply to curved orsloped walls that reduce vertical clearance below 80 inches along circulation paths. when railings are used, they must be mounted so thatthey provide a defined and detectable edge that is located no more than 27 inches high. in the case of sloped walls, if the depth does notexceed 4 inches up to a height of 80 inches, further treatment is not required. otherwise if the depth exceeds 4 inches,railings or other barriers are must be provided. further guidance on protruding objects andother requirements in the ada and aba standards

is available from the u.s. access board. this animation was developed by the u.s. access board in cooperation with the federal agencies that issuethe ada and aba standards.

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