ADA Build-it-Right
Activities of ADA Build it Right, Inc

Courtesy Surveys of the following busines: Albany, OR -- Legal Aid Society - April 3,2003 See Report.

I tried a new approach on this survey -- the 6 attorneys and office manager all participated in the survey during their lunch hour. I gave them the survey forms to fill out and I just acted as tour guide through the process in my wheel chair.

I had them come out in the parking lot in the rain to see me use my side lift van and then follow me on the accessible route to the front door. I indicated the side clearance going in the door by putting my arms down beside my wheel chair. I pointed out the bare metal threshold (correct height) might be slippery for manual wheel chair in the rain.

I checked their public bathroom, my foot rests hitting the toilet paper rolls and supplies on the floor under the sink. The bathroom had been built to specifications. The large storage cabinet beside the toilet prevented side transfer and also made it difficult for me to turn around and go back out the door. The door didn't have the required space on the jam side of the door since the door came into the bathroom and needed to be pulled open to exit. I didn't need to say a word about the obstructions -- they all noticed and mentioned them.

They had a great low window shelf at the reception area, easy to reach from a wheel chair. The hallways were at least 36" wide. However, the office doors were tight - cleared my narrow wheel chair - I can get through 30 in. doors. Most office layouts didn't have room for a wheel chair and they didn't have a conference room that could work for disabled clients. We rearranged some offices, closed some projecting book shelf doors and got a few to work- except for the problem of the door width.

I spent about 20 minutes explaining the various enforcement mechanisms. About how the US DOJ would build a database of complaints, send a letter to the facility about the complaint, but probably not do anything else. I told them about how DOJ looks for patterns in the database and does go after big organizations and motel chains. And that usually these were settled with consent agreements which are on the DOJ web site. I said the building codes were more effective for remodeling and new construction if properly enforced.

I checked the back door for emergency disabled use - it had a small drop off (3/4 inch) down to the sidewalk. I thought it would work -- they need it occasionally when an abusive spouse comes in the front door when the client was in the offices.

Trying out a corporate slogan: "Let us be your tour guide to the disability access specifications." "We will make them real and come alive instead of being merely flat drawings."Wayne Yarnall
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Blank "do it yourself" Disability Access Quick Survey
by Wayne Yarnall, ADABuild.com
April 3, 2003
This is a quick guide to doing a cursory facility survey for compliance with the ADAAG specifications. We are only hitting the highlights and using estimating techniques rather than actual measurements. However having a yard stick or two available will be helpful.
We will start from the street outside the facility and assume we are arriving in a motor vehicle. It helps to arrive in a side-lift van and with at least one person in a wheel chair. Part of the process will be demonstration of how a person in a wheel chair would access the facility.
A. Parking -- Disabled Parking spot with access isle on passengers side. Is the access isle almost a wide as a parking spot? (8 ft. wide required for van accessible spot). Is the access isle closer to the width of a normal sidewalk? (Not van accessible -- 5 ft. wide). If there is only one disabled parking spot it must be van accessible.
Access Isle (circle) Wide Narrow Not on Drivers Side
Is the slop of the parking spot less than 2% ( 1 in. in 50")? YES NO
B. Accessible route to front door -- 36" minimum width, curb ramps maximum slope 1 in. in 20 in. run. Ramps maximum slope 1 in. in 12 inches.
Is there a clearly marked accessible route to the front door? YES NO
C. Getting in the door.
Is there sufficient flat landing space for a wheel chair? YES NO
Is there 18 to 24 inches space to the side of the latch/handle area? YES NO
Is it a power door? YES NO
Is it hard to pull open? YES NO
Is the threshold flat or low enough to roll easily? YES NO
Is there at least 32" of clear passage width? YES NO
The wheel chair person demonstrates opening the door and entering the building.
D. Getting to Reception?
Is there a clear obvious path to the reception area? YES NO
Any interior doors should all meet C. above.

E. Getting in and out of the bathroom?
Where is the trash can? ___________________________
Do the doors comply with C. above? YES NO

F. Using the bathroom?
Is the stall door easy to get into (difficulty, handles, latches) ? YES NO
Is the toilet 17 to 19 inches tall? YES NO
(Use wheel chair seat to estimate height -- should be about the same height within several inches.)
Is there 30 or more inches clear space beside the toilet for backing in a wheel chair? YES NO
There should be at least 60" width with the toilet to one side and depth of stall should be 56 to 92". Note: there are lower but less accessible dimensions for old construction or remodeled spaces.
Now, survey meeting spaces. Look for access to the room, clearance for wheel chair, easy table with kick space underneath for signing documents. Are the offices well lighted for the visually impaired? Are the spaces quiet when door closed. Is there room to close the door?

G. Survey conference room space

H. Survey office space.

That's it for now. Now get to work and improve anything required.