Section 4 — Structures and Foundations

Accessibility Requirements for Buildings Affected by the Americans with Disabilities Act

IPE Engineering Practice IPE-EP-4-6-2

Document number: IPE-EP-4-6-2 · Section: 4 — Structures and Foundations

SCOPE

• This Practice covers mandatory requirements for access to plant building accessibility in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Requirements for new construction and alteration, as well as guidelines for when a plant building is affected by ADA are given. The basis for these requirements and guidelines is Federal Standard - 795, Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards..
• As specified in the Equal Employment Advisory Council's August 12, 1991 Memorandum providing guidelines for ADA implementation, existing commercial facilities are subject only to the new construction and alteration requirements of ADA. Newly constructed or altered buildings readily accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities shall be designed and constructed in accordance with this Practice.
• This Practice covers only ADA accessibility requirements, not personnel or human resource issues regarding employment of individuals with disabilities.
• Any deviation from this Practice must be made using the procedure described in EP 1-1-3. Deviations and formal revisions to this Practice should be done in consultation with the Human Resource group, Legal group or other applicable internal groups having ADA experience.
• An asterisk (*) indicates that a decision or approval by the Owner or the Owner's Engineer is required, or that additional information is furnished by the Purchaser.

2.0 REFERENCES

The latest edition of the following standards and publications are referred to herein.

STANDARDS AND PUBLICATIONS

DEFINITIONS

• Accessible - Describes a site, building, facility or portion thereof that complies with the Federal Standard and that can be approached, entered and used by persons covered by ADA.
• Alteration - As applied to a building or structure, a change or rearrangement in the structural parts or elements, or in the means of egress or in moving from one location or position to another. It does not include normal maintenance, repair, re-roofing, interior decoration, or other changes to mechanical or electrical systems.
• Direct Threat - A significant risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of the individual or others that cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation.
• Disability - A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of an individual, a record of such impairment, or being regarded as having such a impairment.
• Major Life Activity - Functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.
• Owner - Inflection Point Engineering, LLC.
• Owner's Engineer - A Inflection Point Engineering, LLC appointed engineer.
• Physical or Mental Impairment -Any physiological disorder, or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musco- skeletal, special sense organs, respiratory (including speech organs), cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genito-urinary, hemic and lymphatic, skin, and endocrine. Also, any mental or psychological disorder such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.
• Public Entrances - Entrances that are not loading or service entrances.
• Reasonable Accommodation - Modifications or adjustments to a job application process that enable a qualified applicant with a disability to be considered for the position; or modifications or adjustments to the work environment, or to the manner or circumstances under which the position held or desired is customarily performed, that enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of that position; or modifications or adjustments that enable an employee with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by other similarly situated employees without disabilities.
• Technically Infeasible -With respect to an alteration of a building or a facility, there is little likelihood that the alteration can be accomplished because existing structural conditions would require removing or altering a load-bearing member which is an essential part of the structural frame; or because other existing physical or site constraints prohibit modification or addition of elements, spaces or features which are in full and strict compliance with the minimum standards for new construction and which are necessary to provide accessibility.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

• The requirements of this Practice apply to new construction and alteration of general buildings at plant locations. The concept of direct threat shall be considered when evaluating whether new building construction or alterations of buildings inside the process area of the facility must comply with this Practice.
• The requirements of this Practice do not apply to new construction and alteration of buildings inside of the process areas of the plant, where direct threat can not be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodations.
• Accessibility is not required in areas accessed only by ladders, catwalks, crawl spaces, very narrow passages, or freight elevators, and frequented only by maintenance personnel for repair purposes.
• Normal maintenance, re-roofing, painting, wallpapering, and changes to mechanical and electrical systems are not considered alterations, and as such are not subject to ADA requirements, unless they affect the usability of the facility.
• General requirements for the design and construction of buildings are given in EP 4-6-1.
• The requirements of this Practice also apply to access routes immediately outside of the buildings covered by this Practice including, but not limited to, parking areas, sidewalks and ramps. Additional requirements for paved areas are given in EP 4-4-1.

REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION

• At least one accessible route shall be provided within the boundary of the site from accessible parking areas or public streets or sidewalks, to the building entrance. Specific design requirements shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• At least one accessible route shall connect accessible buildings, facilities or elements of accessible facilities on the same site. Specific design requirements shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• Restroom facilities shall comply with the Federal Standard. Accessible Restroom facilities shall be on accessible routes.
• Signage indicating directions to or information about the functional spaces of a building shall comply with the Federal Standard. These signs shall include, but not be limited to, designated parking areas reserved for persons with disabilities, accessible passenger loading zones, accessible entrances and accessible restrooms.
• Interior and exterior stairways connecting levels not otherwise connected by an elevator, ramp or other accessible means of vertical access shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• At least one door at each accessible entrance shall comply with construction details in the Federal Standard. Emergency egress doors shall also comply with details in this Standard.
• At least 50% of public entrances shall be accessible. At least one shall be a ground level entrance. If the only entrance is a service entrance, it shall be accessible.

• Entrances that are not accessible shall have signs indicating the location of the nearest accessible entrance in accordance with the details given in the Federal Standard.
• Accessible means of egress shall be provided in the same number as required by applicable local building and life safety regulations. Where a required exit from an occupied level above or below a level of accessible egress is not accessible, an area of rescue assistance complying with this Practice shall be provided in a number equal to that of required inaccessible exits. Areas of rescue assistance are not required in buildings having a supervised automatic sprinkler system.
• Where only one drinking fountain is provided on a floor, it shall be accessible to persons in wheelchairs or individuals who have difficulty bending, and shall comply with details given in the Federal Standard.
• If fixed or built-in shelving, storage or display units are provided in accessible spaces, at least one of each type shall comply with details given in the Federal Standard.
• The highest operable parts of a control on an accessible route shall be within the reach ranges given in the Federal Standard. Electrical and communication receptacles on walls shall be mounted no less than 15 inches above the floor.
• If emergency warning systems are installed, they shall have both audible and visual alarms complying with the details and locations given in the Federal Standard.
• If public, closed-circuit or other public telephones are provided, they shall comply with the number, location and details given in the Federal Standard.
• If fixed or built-in seating or tables are provided in accessible public or common use areas, at least 5%, but not less than one, of these seating areas or tables shall comply with the details given in the Federal Standard. An accessible route shall lead to and through such areas.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALTERATIONS

• No alterations shall be undertaken which decreases or has the effect of decreasing accessibility of a building below the requirements for new construction at the time of the alteration.
• If existing spaces or common areas are altered, elements shall comply with applicable provision for new construction in this Practice.
• No alteration shall impose a requirements for greater accessibility than that which would be required for new construction.
• If an escalator or stairway is planned or installed where none previously existed, and major structural modifications are necessary for such an installation, then a means of vertical access complying with the Federal Standard shall be provided.
• In alterations, the emergency egress requirements in the Section 5.0 of this Practice do not apply.
• If alterations are planned on an entrance and the building has an accessible entrance, then the entrance being altered is not required to comply with entrance requirements in Section 5.0 of this Practice, except to the extent that the areas shall comply with paragraph 6.9 of this Practice and appropriate signage indicating the location of the nearest accessible entrance shall be installed at or near the inaccessible entrance.

• If the alteration is limited solely to the electrical, mechanical or plumbing system, or to hazardous material abatement, or to automatic sprinkler retrofitting, and does not involve the alteration of any space required to be accessible per this Practice, then the requirements of paragraph 6.9 do not apply.
• If compliance with this Practice is technically infeasible for any alteration undertaken, then the alteration shall provide accessibility to the maximum extent feasible.
• In addition to the requirements of the remainder of this Section, an alteration that affects or could affect the usability of or access to an area containing a primary function shall be made so as to ensure that the path of travel to the altered area and the restrooms, telephones and drinking fountains serving the altered area are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, to the maximum extent feasible, unless such alterations are disproportionate to the overall alterations in terms of cost and scope (as determined by criteria developed by the Attorney General).
• Where it is infeasible to design alterations to ramps, handrails, clearing opening spaces, thresholds and other accessible route features in accordance with details in the Federal Standard, the Standard provides for the use of acceptable alternate details.
• Where it is technically infeasible to comply with Section 7.1 of this Practice, the installation of at least one unisex restroom per floor, located in the same area as existing restroom facilities may be permitted in lieu of modifying existing restrooms. Each unisex restroom shall have at least one water closet and one lavatory that comply with details in the Federal Standard. The door shall have a privacy latch.
• Where it is technically infeasible to install a required standard restroom stall or where building codes prohibit the reduction of fixture count, alternate stall details, given in the Federal Standard, may be provided in lieu of the standard detail.
• Where existing restroom or bathing facilities are being altered and are not made accessible, signage complying with this Practice shall be provided indicating the location of the nearest accessible restroom or bathing facility.
• Where it is technically infeasible to disperse accessible seating throughout an altered assembly area, accessible seating areas may be clustered. Each accessible seating area shall have provisions for companion seating and shall be located on an accessible route that also serves as a means of emergency egress.

DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS AND DETAILS

• Restroom Facilities

Construction details for new or altered restrooms shall be per the Federal Standard.

• Parking Areas and Passenger Loading Zones
• The minimum number of accessible parking locations for a parking lot containing less than 100 spaces shall be 1 per 25, but not less than one. At least one in every eight, but not less than one of the accessible spaces shall be served by an access aisle and shall be designated "van accessible".

• Accessible parking spaces shall be located on the shortest accessible route of travel from adjacent parking to an accessible entrance of the building they serve. In buildings with multiple accessible entrances with adjacent parking, accessible parking shall be dispersed and located as close as possible to the accessible entrances.
• Construction details for accessible parking spaces and associated areas shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• Paths of Travel
• All walls, hallways, corridors, aisle, skywalks, tunnels and other space that are part of an accessible route shall comply with this Practice.
• Construction details for accessible routes and all their components, such as doorways, shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• Gates shall meet all of the requirements for doors.
• Entrances required by this Practice to be accessible shall be part of an accessible route.
• If doorways have two independently-operated door leaves, then at least one leaf shall meet accessibility dimensional requirements given in the Federal Standard. This leaf shall be the active leaf.
• At least one accessible route shall be provided between parking areas, passenger loading zones, and the buildings they serve, preferably coinciding with the route used by the general public.
• At least one accessible route shall connect accessible buildings or facilities located on the same site.
• At least one accessible route shall connect accessible building entrances with accessible spaces within the building.
• Accessible routes serving accessible spaces shall also serve as means of egress for emergencies or shall connect to an accessible area of rescue assistance.
• Areas of Rescue Assistance
• Areas of rescue assistance shall consist of one of the following:
• A portion of a stairway landing with a smoke-proof enclosure, complying with local requirements.
• A portion of an exterior exit or balcony located immediately adjacent to an exit stairway when the balcony complies with local requirements for exterior balconies. Openings to the interior of the building located within 20 feet of the area of rescue assistance shall be protected with fire assemblies having three-fourths hour fire-protection rating.
• A portion of a one-hour fire resistive corridor located immediately adjacent to an exit enclosure, and complying with local requirements for fire-resistive construction.
• A vestibule located immediately adjacent to an exit enclosure and constructed to the same fire-resistive standards as required for corridors and openings.
• A portion of a stairway landing within an exit enclosure which is vented to the exterior and is separated from the interior of the building with not less than one-hour fire-rated doors.

• When approved by the local jurisdiction, an area or room which is separated from other portions of the building by a smoke barrier. Smoke barriers shall have a fire-resistive rating of not less than one hour and shall completely enclose the area or room. Doors on the smoke barrier shall be tight-fitting smoke and draft-control assemblies having a fire- protection rating of not less than 20 minutes and shall be self-closing or automatic closing. The area or room shall be provided with an exit directly into an exit enclosure that is required to be of more than one-hour fire-resistive construction. The room or area shall have the same fire-resistive construction, including the same opening protection as required for the adjacent exit enclosure.
• Constructions details for elements of areas of rescue assistance shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• Other Details for Accessible Routes
• Construction details for floor or ground spaces that serve as passage for wheelchairs shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• Ground and floor surface along accessible routes and in accessible areas shall be firm, stable and slip-resistant. Details shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• Handrails and other details for ramps, landings, drop-offs, and stairways along accessible routes shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• The use of and details for detectable warnings along accessible routes, such as raised bumps, shall comply with the Federal Standards.
• The use of and details for signage along accessible routes and in accessible spaces shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• Miscellaneous Requirements
• Alarm systems required in accordance with this Practice shall comply with the Federal Standard. At a minimum, visual signal appliances shall be provided in buildings in each of the following areas: restrooms, meeting rooms, hallways, lobbies and other common or general use areas.
• Details for accessible telephones required by this Practice shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• Details for accessible drinking fountains required by this Practice shall comply with the Federal Standard.
• Details for accessible fixed or built-in seating or table areas required by this Practice shall comply with the Federal Standard.

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