Are Your Floors and Grounds ADA Compliant?

Since July 26, 1991, when the original ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG)¹ were implemented, all public facilities and grounds have been striving to provide equal accessibility opportunities for individuals with disabilities under the Americans withAmericans with Disabilities Act (ADA)Disabilities Act (ADA)² of 1990. The condition of your floors and traffic areas is crucial to ADA compliance and in making visiting or working in your facility a positive experience for any customer or associate, regardless of their possible mobility limitations. Individuals with disabilities should be able to freely access, enter and leave applicable public and work areas. Where to start? Here's a quick list of items to pay attention to:

1.  Accessible routes: Examine routes connecting your parking areas to your building and within your facility. Ensure they comply with 4.3 (Appendix 4.3.1) of ADAAG guidelines. Understand how your customers or associates move through your facility and make necessary improvements. Remove any obstacles or protruding objects.

2. Surface condition: Look into the state of your floors and grounds along the accessible routes. Is your floor stable, firm and level? Moving a wheelchair through uneven or damaged concrete, gravel or stones may pose a severe challenge. Do you have  cracks or uneven areas on your sidewalks? According to ADAAG, shifts in floor level between 0.25 in and 0.5 in (6 mm and 13 mm) require a slope no greater than 1:2. Check out this ADA-compliant sidewalk repair video.

3. Don't forget slip resistance: Slippery floors are a danger to everyone. Consider slip-resistant protective coatings for indoor and outdoor applications to help minimize slip and fall accidents on your property. 

4. Parking and loading zones: Are your accessible parking spaces located on the shortest route to your building's entrance? Are they properly designed and visible to a driver? Check out our traffic solutions to help you improve your parking lots. 

5. Ramps, curb ramps, stairs: Ensure that surfaces, slopes, design and safety measures are ADA compliant. ADAAG provides detailed guidelines and illustrations to help you.

Need help bringing your facility's floors and traffic areas to ADA standards? Contact the experts at QuestMark, the largest commercial flooring contractor in North America. With decades of expertise in public service, retail, healthcare, manufacturing and other industries, our team deeply understands the importance of ADA compliance and the immense benefits of keeping your facility's floors and grounds safe and accessible. In addition to our services, we offer multiple DIY products like patches and resurfacers in our online shop to help you. 

Not sure which products or services you need? Contact us to schedule an inspection and evaluation. We will determine the current condition of the items noted above and outline any needed repairs, safety concerns or maintenance procedures that need to be addressed.