The Ultimate Guide To Making Sure Your Business Is ADA Compliant

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that equal opportunities are created for people with disabilities and the general public by non-profit organizations, businesses, as well as state and local governments. This means that public spaces and companies must be accessible to everyone. 

All types of businesses need to be ADA compliant, according to the law, and this includes any business that deals with the public. Business owners can take a few steps to ensure that their business and property are ADA-compliant.

What Is ADA Compliant Store?

An ADA-compliant store is a store that ensures that all areas of its premises are accessible to those with disabilities.

This includes the entrance to the building, having sufficient ADA signage that is visible to everyone, ensuring that there is adequate parking for persons with disabilities close enough to the entrance of the building, ramps to accommodate individuals in wheelchairs and that any elevators on the premises are accessible to persons with disabilities. 

How Do I Make Sure My Business Is ADA Compliant?

You will need to incorporate a few changes to ensure your business is ADA compliant. 

Signage

You should have signage at each relevant point in your business. The International Symbol of Accessibility must be displayed. The signage should contain braille and tactile characters. It should be displayed at all accessible entrances, parking, bathrooms, and elevators. And, more importantly, the text must be a contrasting color from its background. 

Building Entrances

Assess the entrance/s to the building. There must be an accessible entrance that is available during business hours. In the event that there is more than one entrance to the premises, the company may have both accessible and non-accessible entrances provided that there is clear signage indicating where the accessible entrance is. Door handles and doorbells must be accessible to people with mobility issues.

Parking

The law requires that there is at least one handicapped or accessible parking space for every 25 parking spots in a parking area. The parking spots should be closest to the entrance and have an access aisle five feet wide for cars and eight feet wide for vans. 

Elevators

If there are elevators on the premises, the elevators must be able to accommodate persons with disabilities by being both wide and long enough. The elevator’s entrance should be big enough so that individuals with mobility scooters or wheelchairs can easily access the elevator. In addition, the elevator door must reopen immediately if someone is obstructing the entrance. 

Ramps

Ramps should be available for people with disabilities. The ramps should meet the slope requirements, which indicate that the slope should be at least 36 inches wide. 

Additional steps include going over the policies of the company to ensure that they are not discriminating against anyone. Ensure that proper terminology is used in the company and that there are no discriminatory practices in any of the departments. Incorporate an employee training program that teaches other employees how to help employees with disabilities in the company. 

In addition, assess all areas in the company in the event that you may need to rearrange furniture so that it is not blocking the way for anyone. 

Categorised in: ADA Compliance

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