Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Latest Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Revisions Reflect "Removal Of Barriers"; Restroom Floor Space And Counter Height Are Areas Of Concern

  • Toilet clear floor space: The 1991 standards required 48 inches wide of clear floor space around a toilet. The new 2010 standards require 60 inches of clear floor space around the toilet. Things such as grab bars, toilet paper dispensers and seat protector dispensers are allowed to hang over into that space, but more obtrusive items such as urinals or cabinets are not.
  • Lavatory comparable counter space: Accessible rooms are required to have counter space comparable to that of nonaccessible rooms. “Various people have different needs for countertop space,” Anderson said. “My wife has the need for a lot of countertop space, and having that small little room around the accessible sink really doesn’t meet her needs. So it’s not comparable.”
  • Sales and service counters: The 1991 standards allowed for auxiliary sales and service counters built on to existing desks. The new 2010 standards require accessible counters of full, standard depth—not just ledges or other auxiliary spaces.

For more:  http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx/7719/New-ADA-changes-could-prove-costly

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2 Responses to Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Latest Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Revisions Reflect "Removal Of Barriers"; Restroom Floor Space And Counter Height Are Areas Of Concern

  1. If your properties have standard baths at 14″ or 15″ in height, then your property could be subject to fines. Now that means part of your 4% not all rooms. Seachrome Corp is the only manufacture of tub seats for this situation. Seacrhome has removable seats that comply with the ADA standards.

  2. If your properties have standard baths at 14″ or 15″ in height, then your property could be subject to fines. Now that means part of your 4% not all rooms. Seachrome Corp is the only manufacture of tub seats for this situation. Seacrhome has removable seats that comply with the ADA standards.