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Office of Disability Rights

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Priority 2 - Access to Goods and Services

Access to Goods and Services

Ideally, the layout of the building should allow people with disabilities to obtain materials or services without assistance.

ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities - Priority 2: Access to Goods and Services
Access Type	Questions	Yes	No	Possible Solutions
Horizontal Circulation (ADAAG 4.3)	Does the accessible entrance provide direct access to the main floor, lobby, or elevator?	___	___	___ Add ramps or lifts. __ Make another entrance accessible.
	Are all public spaces on an accessible route of travel?	___	___	___ Provide access to all public spaces along an accessible route of travel.
	Is the accessible route to all public spaces at least 36 inches wide?	___ width: _____	___	___ Move furnishings such as tables, chairs, display racks, vending machines, and counters to make more room.
	Is there a 5-foot circle or a T-shaped space for a person using a wheelchair to reverse direction?	___ width _____	___	___ Rearrange furnishings, displays, and equipment.
Doors (ADAAG 4.13)	Do doors into public spaces have at least a 32-inch clear opening?	___ clear opening: _____	___	___ Install offset (swing-clear) hinges. ___ Widen doors.
	On the pull side of doors, next to the handle, is there at least 18 inches of clear wall space so that a person using a wheelchair or crutches can get near to open the door?	___ clear space: _____	___	___ Reverse the door swing if it is safe to do so. ___ Move or remove obstructing partitions.
	Can doors be opened without too much force (5 lbf maximum for interior doors)?	___ force: _____	___	___ Adjust or replace closers. ___ Install lighter doors. ___ Install power-assisted or automatic door openers.
	Are door handles 48 inches high or less and operable with a closed fist?	___ height: _____	___	___ Lower handles. ___ Replace inaccessible knobs or latches with lever or loop handles. ___ Retrofit with add-on levers. ___ Install power-assisted or automatic door openers.
	Are all threshold edges 1/4-inch high or less, or if beveled edge, no more than 3/4-inch high?	___ height: _____	___	___ If there is a threshold greater than 3/4-inch high, remove it or modify it to be a ramp. ___ If between 1/4- and 3/4-inch high, add bevels to both sides.
Rooms and Spaces (ADAAG 4.2, 4.4, 4.5)	Are all aisles and pathways to materials and services at least 36 inches wide?	___ width: _____	___	___ Rearrange furnishings and fixtures to clear aisles.
	Is there a 5-foot circle or T-shaped space for turning a wheelchair completely?	___ width: _____	___	___ Rearrange furnishings to clear more room.
	Is carpeting low-pile, tightly woven, and securely attached along edges?	___	___	___ Secure edges on all sides. ___ Replace carpeting.
	In circulation paths through public areas, are all obstacles cane-detectable (located within 27 inches of the floor or higher than 80 inches, or protruding less than 4 inches from the wall)?	___ height/ protrusion _____	___	___ Remove obstacles. ___ Install furnishings, planters, or other cane-detectable barriers underneath.
Emergency Egress (ADAAG 4.28)	If emergency systems are provided, do they have both flashing lights and audible signals?	___	___	___ Install visible and audible alarms. ___ Provide portable devices.
Signage for Goods and Services (ADAAG 4.30) Different requirements apply to different types of signs.	If provided, do signs and room numbers designating permanent rooms and spaces where goods and services are provided comply with the appropriate requirements for such signage? Signs mounted with centerline 60 inches from floor. yes___ no ___ height: _____ Mounted on wall adjacent to latch side of door, or as close as possible. yes___ no ___ Raised characters, sized between 5/8 and 2 inches high, with high contrast (for room numbers, rest rooms, exits). yes___ no ___ character height: _____ Brailled text of the same information. yes___ no ___ If pictogram is used, it must be accompanied by raised characters and braille. yes___ no ___	___	___	___ Provide signs that have raised letters, Grade II Braille, and that meet all other requirements for permanent room or space signage. (See ADAAG 4.1.3(16) and 4.30.)
Directional and Informational Signage The following questions apply to directional and informational signs that fall under Priority 2.	If mounted above 80 inches, do they have letters at least 3 inches high, with high contrast, and non-glare finish?	___ letter height: _____	___	___ Review requirements and replace signs as needed, meeting the requirements for character size, contrast, and finish.
	Do directional and informational signs comply with legibility requirements? (Building directories or temporary signs need not comply.)	___	___	___ Review requirements and replace signs as needed.
Controls (ADAAG 4.27)	Are all controls that are available for use by the public (including electrical, mechanical, cabinet, game, and self-service controls) located at an accessible height? Reach ranges: The maximum height for a side reach is 54 inches; for a forward reach, 48 inches. The minimum reachable height is 15 inches for a front approach and 9 inches for a side approach.	___ height: _____	___	___ Relocate controls.
	Are they operable with a closed fist?	___	___	___ Replace controls.
Seats, Tables, and Counters (ADAAG 4.2, 4.32, 7.2)	Are the aisles between fixed seating (other than assembly area seating) at least 36 inches wide?	___ width: _____	___	___ Rearrange chairs or tables to provide 36-inch aisles.
	Are the spaces for wheelchair seating distributed throughout?	___	___	___ Rearrange tables to allow room for wheelchairs in seating areas throughout the area. ___ Remove some fixed seating.
	Are the tops of tables or counters between 28 and 34 inches high?	___ height: _____	___	___ Lower part or all of high surface. ___ Provide auxiliary table or counter.
	Are knee spaces at accessible tables at least 27 inches high, 30 inches wide, and 19 inches deep?	___ height: _____ width: _____ depth: _____	___	___ Replace or raise tables.
	At each type of cashier counter, is there a portion of the main counter that is no more than 36 inches high?	___ height: _____	___	___ Provide a lower auxiliary counter or folding shelf. ___ Arrange the counter and surrounding furnishings to create a space to hand items back and forth.
Vertical Circulation (ADAAG 4.1.3(5), 4.3)	Are there ramps, lifts, or elevators to all public levels?	___	___	___ Install ramps or lifts. ___ Modify a service elevator. ___ Relocate goods or services to an accessible area.
	On each level, if there are stairs between the entrance and/or elevator and essential public areas, is there an accessible alternate route?	___	___	___ Post clear signs directing people along an accessible route to ramps, lifts, or elevators.
Stairs (ADAAG 4.9) The following questions apply to stairs connecting levels not serviced by an elevator, ramp, or lift.	Do treads have a non-slip surface?	___	___	___ Add non-slip surface to treads.
	Do stairs have continuous rails on both sides, with extensions beyond the top and bottom stairs?	___	___	Add or replace handrails if possible within existing floor plan.
Elevators (ADAAG 4.10)	Are there both visible and verbal or audible door opening/closing and floor indicators (one tone = up, two tones = down)?	___	___	___ Install visible and verbal or audible signals.
	Are the call buttons in the hallway no higher than 42 inches?	___ height: _____		___ Lower call buttons. ___ Provide a permanently attached reach stick.
	Do the controls inside the cab have raised and braille lettering?	___	___	___ Install raised lettering and braille next to buttons.
	Is there a sign on both door jambs at every floor identifying the floor in raised and braille letters?	___	___	___ Install tactile signs to identify floor numbers, at a height of 60 inches from floor.
	If an emergency intercom is provided, is it usable without voice communication?	___	___	___ Modify communication system.
	Is the emergency intercom identified by braille and raised letters?	___	___	___ Add tactile identification.
Lifts (ADAAG 4.2, 4.11)	Can the lift be used without assistance? If not, is a call button provided?	___	___	___ At each stopping level, post clear instructions for use of the lift. ___ Provide a call button.
	Is there at least 30 by 48 inches of clear space for a person in a wheelchair to approach to reach the controls and use the lift?	___ clear space: _____		___ Rearrange furnishings and equipment to clear more space.
	Are controls between 15 and 48 inches high (up to 54 inches if a side approach is possible)?	___ height: _____	___	___ Move controls.