ADA Checklist for Readily
How to Use
Achievable Barrier Removal this Checklist
What is Readily Achievable Barrier Removal?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires public
accommodations (businesses and non-profit organizations) to provide
goods and services to people with disabilities on an equal basis with
the rest of the public.
Businesses and non-profit organizations that serve the public are to
remove architectural barriers when it is readily achievable to do so;
in other words, when barrier removal is easily accomplishable and
able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense.
The decision of what is readily achievable is made considering the
size, type, and overall finances of the public accommodation and the
nature and cost of the access improvements needed. Barrier removal
that is difficult now may be readily achievable in the future as
finances change.
This checklist is intended to assist public accommodations as the first
step in a planning process for readily achievable barrier removal.
Public accommodations ADA obligations for barrier removal can be
found in the Department of Justices ADA Title III regulations 28 CFR
Part 36.304.
Priorities for Barrier Removal
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Get Organized - One person can
conduct a survey, but its easier with two
people. One person can take
measurements and the other person can
fill out the checklist and take photos.
Obtain Floor Plans - A floor plan
or sketch helps the surveyors get
oriented and know how many
elements, such as drinking fountains
and entrances, there are and where
they are. If plans are not available,
sketch the layout of interior and
exterior spaces.
Make Copies of the Checklist
-Determine how many copies of each
section of the checklist you need. For
example, most facilities have more than
one toilet room.
Gather Tools Checklist
Clipboard makes it easier to write on
the checklist
Tape measure
Electronic or carpenters level - 24
inches
Introduction
The ADA Title III regulations recommend four priorities for barrier
removal. The purpose of these priorities is to facilitate business
planning. The priorities are not mandatory. Public accommodations
may determine the most effective mix of barrier removal measures to
undertake in their facilities.
Priority 1 - Accessible approach and entrance
Conduct the Survey
Start Outside - Start from site
Priority 2 - Access to goods and services
Priority 3 - Access to public toilet rooms
Priority 4 - Access to other items such as water fountains and public
telephones
2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
This checklist is based on the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible
Design (2010 Standards). The specifications are in this checklist to
help determine what may be readily achievable barrier removal for
existing facilities. This checklist does not include all sections of the
2010 Standards. For example there are no questions about patient
rooms in hospitals or guest rooms in hotels. Consult the 2010
Standards for situations not covered in the checklist. Full compliance
with the 2010 Standards is required only for new construction and
alterations. The web address for the 2010 Standards is in the
Resources section.
Safe Harbor Construction Prior to March 15,
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Door pressure gauge or fish scale for
measuring door-opening force
Digital camera
Bag to hold these items
[Link]
arrival points such as drop-off areas
and public sidewalks and determine if
there is an accessible route to an
accessible entrance. If there is a
parking lot or garage check for the
correct number of accessible parking
spaces, including van-accessible
spaces. Is there an accessible route
from the accessible parking spaces to
an accessible entrance? Next survey
the entrances. If there is an accessible
entrance, determine if there are signs
at inaccessible entrances directing
people to the accessible entrance. Go
inside and continue through the facility
and the checklist.
Keep Good Notes - Write on the
front of each checklist where you are
surveying. You may end up with six
toilet room checklists. When you get
back to your office youll want to know
which one is the checklist for the first
floor womens room. If there isnt an
accessible entrance youll want to
Introduction
2012
Elements in facilities built or altered before March 15, 2012 that
comply with the 1991 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (1991
Standards) are not required to be modified to specifications in the
2010 Standards. For example, the 1991 Standards allow 54 inches
maximum for a side reach range to a control such as the operating
part of a paper towel dispenser. The 2010 Standards lower that side
reach range to 48 inches maximum. If a paper towel dispenser was
installed prior to March 15, 2012 with the highest operating part at 54
inches, the paper towel dispenser does not need to be lowered to 48
inches. Since the dispenser complies with the 1991 Standards, that
Standard provides a safe harbor.
New Elements in the 2010 ADA Standards
The 2010 Standards contain elements that are not in the 1991
Standards. These elements include recreation facilities such as
swimming pools, team or player seating, accessible routes in court
sports facilities, saunas and steam rooms, fishing piers, play areas,
exercise machines, golf facilities, miniature golf facilities, amusement
rides, shooting facilities with firing positions, and recreational boating
facilities. Because these elements were not included in the 1991
Standards, they are not subject to the safe harbor exemption. Public
accommodations must remove architectural barriers to these items
when it is readily achievable to do so. For example, a hotel must
determine whether it is readily achievable to make its swimming pool
accessible by installing a lift, a sloped entry or both as specified in
the 2010 Standards.
indicate how many steps there are and
how much space is available to install a
ramp or lift. This is a good time to take
photographs.
Take Good Measurements When in doubt write it down. Its better
to have too much information than not
enough. Even if something is in
compliance its helpful to have exact
measurements.
Parking Spaces
Measure from the
inside edge of the
painted line to the
inside of the opposite
painted line or edge
of space.
Door Clear Width
Open the door 90
degrees, measure
from the face of the
door to the edge of
the door stop.
Door Opening
Force
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Introduction
If youre using a door pressure gauge
place it where you would push open the
door.
What this Checklist is Not
The ADA Title III regulations require more than barrier removal. The
regulations include requirements for nondiscriminatory policies and
practices and for the provision of auxiliary aids and services, such as
sign language interpreters for people who are deaf and material in
Braille for people who are blind. This checklist does not cover those
requirements.
Since this checklist does not include all of the 2010 Standards it is not
intended to determine compliance for new construction or facilities
being altered.
What are Public Accommodations?
Under the ADA public accommodations are private entities that own,
lease, lease to or operate a place of public accommodation. This
means that both a landlord who leases space in a building to a tenant
and the tenant who operates a place of public accommodation have
responsibilities to remove barriers.
A place of public accommodation is a facility whose operations affect
commerce and fall within at least one of the following 12 categories:
1) Places of lodging (e.g., inns, hotels, motels, except for owneroccupied establishments renting fewer than six rooms)
2) Establishments serving food or drink (e.g. , restaurants and bars)
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If youre using a fish
scale
place it
where you would pull
open the door.
Accessible
Slopes
You can measure
slope with a 24 inch
level and a tape
measure. Put the
level on the surface in the direction you
are measuring. Put one end at the high
point of the surface and raise the other
end so that the bubble is in the middle of
the levels gauge. The level is now level.
Measure the distance between the end
of the level at its bottom point and the
surface.
For a ramp the maximum running slope
allowed is 1:12. That means for every
inch of height change there should be
at least 12 inches of ramp run. If the
distance between the bottom of the
Introduction
3) Places of exhibition or entertainment (e.g. , motion picture houses,
theaters, concert halls, stadiums)
4) Places of public gathering (e.g. , auditoriums, convention centers,
lecture halls)
5) Sales or rental establishments (e.g. , bakeries, grocery stores,
hardware stores, shopping centers)
6) Service establishments (e.g. , laundromats, dry-cleaners, banks,
barber shops, beauty shops, travel services, shoe repair services,
funeral parlors, gas stations, offices of accountants or lawyers,
pharmacies, insurance offices, professional offices of health care
providers, hospitals)
7) Public transportation terminals, depots, or stations (not including
facilities relating to air transportation)
8) Places of public display or collection (e.g. , museums, libraries,
galleries)
9) Places of recreation (e.g. , parks, zoos, amusement parks)
10) Places of education (e.g. , nursery schools, elementary, secondary,
undergraduate, or postgraduate private schools)
11) Social service center establishments (e.g. , day care centers,
senior citizen centers, homeless shelters, food banks, adoption
agencies)
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level and the ramp surface is 2 inches
or less, then the slope is 1:12 or less
(2:24 = 1:12 and 1.5:24 = 1:16 which
is a more gradual slope than 1:12). If
the distance is greater than 2 inches,
the ramp is too steep. For example, if
the distance is 3 inches, then the slope
is 1:8 (3:24 = 1:8 which is a steeper
slope than 1:12).
For the parts of an accessible route
that arent a ramp, the maximum
running slope allowed is 1:20. That
means for every inch of height change
there must be at least 20 inches of
route run. The distance from the bottom
edge of the level to the surface should
be no more than 1.2 inches (1.2:24 =
1:20).
For the cross slope of an accessible
route the maximum slope allowed is
1:48. The distance from the bottom
edge of the level to the surface should
be no more than inch (.5:24 = 1:48).
The cross slope of an accessible route
is the slope that is perpendicular to the
direction of pedestrian travel.
Slopes may also be measured using a
digital level. Be sure to read the
instructions. Measure with the percent
calculation rather than the degrees
calculation. For a ramp the maximum
running slope allowed is 8.33% (8.33% is
Introduction
12) Places of exercise or recreation (e.g. , gymnasiums, health spas,
bowling alleys, golf courses).
Resources
a 1:12 slope). For an accessible route
without a ramp the maximum running
slope allowed is 5% (1:20). For the cross
slope of an accessible route the
maximum slope allowed is 2.083%
(1:48).
U.S. Department of Justice ADA Information
800-514-0301 voice
800-514-0383 TTY
[Link]
ADA National Network
800-949-4232 voice/TTY connects to your regional ADA Center
[Link]
Check that You Got Everything Before you leave the site review all the
checklists. Make sure you know which
checklist goes with which entrance and
which toilet room and that youve got all
the information you need. It is better to
do it now than to have to go back.
After the Survey
U.S. Access Board
800- 872-2253 voice
800-993-2822 TTY
[Link]
List Barriers and Solutions -
ADA Title III Regulations 28 CFR Part 36
[Link]/regs2010/titleIII_2010/titleIII_2010_regulations.htm
Consider the solutions listed beside each
question on the checklist and add your
own ideas. Consult with building
contractors and equipment suppliers to
estimate the costs for making
modifications.
2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
[Link]/2010ADAstandards_index.htm
Develop an Implementation
Plan - Although an implementation
1991 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
[Link]/[Link]
Tax Deductions and Credits for Barrier Removal
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plan is not required, the Department of
Justice recommends such a plan,
specifying what barriers will be removed
and when solutions will occur: "...Such a
plan...could serve as evidence of a good
faith effort to comply..." Prioritize items,
Introduction
[Link]/[Link]
Acknowledgements
Many of the illustrations are from the U.S. Department of Justice and
the U.S. Access Board or are based on illustrations produced by the
U.S. Access Board and the U.S. Department of Justice.
make a timeline and develop a budget.
Where the removal of barriers is not
readily achievable, consider whether
there are alternative methods for
providing access that are readily
achievable such as curbside takeout
service at a restaurant with an
accessible intercom system outside.
Make Changes - Use the 2010 ADA
Standards for Accessible Design. Note:
Until March 15, 2012 the 1991 ADA
Standards for Accessible Design may be
used for readily achievable barrier
removal. Check whether local and state
building codes require greater
accessibility when alterations are
undertaken.
Follow Up - Review the
implementation plan each year to
evaluate whether more access
improvements have become readily
achievable.
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Introduction
