Building code requirements
Requirements from US building codes and accessibility standards, each with its numbers and the section they come from, checked against the code itself.
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ADA compliance
- ADA Bathroom RequirementsIn an ADA bathroom, the toilet's centerline is 16 to 18 inches from the side wall and its seat 17 to 19 inches high. The toilet needs a clear space 60 inches wide by 56 inches deep and grab bars 33 to 36 inches high. The room needs a 60-inch turning circle or a T-shaped turning space.
- ADA Counter Height RequirementsSales, service and reception counters need a portion no higher than 36 inches. It must be at least 36 inches long for a side approach, or 30 inches long with knee and toe space for a forward approach. It runs the full depth of the counter top. Dining and work surfaces must be 28 to 34 inches high.
- ADA Door Clearance RequirementsAn ADA door needs 32 inches of clear width, measured from the face of the door open 90 degrees to the stop. It also needs maneuvering space on both sides: on the pull side of a front approach, 60 inches deep and 18 inches beyond the latch. Thresholds are ½ inch high at most.
- ADA Grab Bar Height and RequirementsADA grab bars mount 33 to 36 inches above the floor, measured to the top of the gripping surface. Beside a toilet, the side bar is 42 inches long minimum, starting 12 inches or less from the rear wall, and the rear bar 36 inches minimum. Bars are 1¼ to 2 inches across, 1½ inches from the wall.
- ADA Parking RequirementsA lot with 1 to 25 spaces needs 1 accessible space, 51 to 75 needs 3, and 101 to 150 needs 5. At least 1 in 6 must be van accessible. Car spaces are 96 inches wide and van spaces 132 inches, each with a 60-inch access aisle. Signs are mounted with the bottom edge at least 60 inches up.
- ADA Ramp RequirementsAn ADA ramp slopes 1:12 at most (1 inch of rise per foot), with a cross slope of 1:48 at most. Each run rises 30 inches at most, is at least 36 inches wide between handrails and has a level landing at least 60 inches long at each end. Ramps rising more than 6 inches need handrails on both sides.
- ADA Shower RequirementsA transfer shower is exactly 36 by 36 inches inside, with a seat 17 to 19 inches high. A standard roll-in shower is at least 30 by 60 inches with a 60-inch entry, and an alternate roll-in at least 36 by 60 inches. Grab bars sit 33 to 36 inches high, and the controls 48 inches high at most.
- ADA Sink and Lavatory Height RequirementsAn accessible lavatory or sink must be no higher than 34 inches, measured to the front of its rim or counter, whichever is higher. It needs knee space at least 27 inches high, with a 30 by 48 inch clear floor space in front. A mirror above it needs the bottom of its reflecting surface at 40 inches maximum.
Means of egress
- Area of Refuge RequirementsAn area of refuge is a protected space at an exit stair or elevator where people who can't use stairs wait for help. Each needs one 30 by 52 inch wheelchair space per 200 occupants, two-way communication and an AREA OF REFUGE sign. Buildings sprinklered throughout are exempt, but still need two-way communication at elevator landings.
- Handrail and Guardrail Height RequirementsHandrails must be 34 to 38 inches high, measured vertically from the line through the stair nosings or from the ramp surface. Guardrails must be at least 42 inches high (under the IBC) and at least 36 inches high (under the IRC).
- Stair Riser Height and Tread Depth RequirementsCommercial stairs (IBC) need risers between 4 and 7 inches and treads at least 11 inches deep. Stairs in houses (IRC) allow risers up to 7¾ inches and treads down to 10 inches. In both codes, the tallest and shortest riser in a flight can differ by no more than ⅜ inch.
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