The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) recognizes that people with disabilities must have equal access to workplaces, transportation, restaurants, and other businesses. As a business owner, it’s up to you to ensure that your business is ADA-compliant. Most businesses install a wheelchair ramp for easy accessibility to their location. However, you can’t just install any kind of ramp. The ADA requires wheelchair ramps to fit certain criteria. If you’re a business owner, here’s some considerations to keep in mind when installing a wheelchair ramp.
Width Requirement
To be in compliance with the ADA, all commercial wheelchair ramps must have a clear width of 36 inches. That means there must be at least 36 inches between the ramp’s handrails. Any commercial wheelchair ramp that is less than 36 inches wide is not ADA-compliant.
Slope Requirements
The ADA requires curb wheelchair ramps for commercial buildings to have a slope no more than a 1:12 ratio or no greater than a 8.33% slope. That means for every inch of height change, there cannot be more than 12 inches of ramp run. Wheelchair ramps are also required to have slopes that are consistent from end to end. There are only a few exceptions to these rules – one includes cross-sloped ramps. The maximum ratio for a cross-slope wheelchair ramp is 1:48.
Landings
Wheelchair ramps are required to have landings at the top and bottom. They must be at least 60 inches long and 36 inches wide. Additionally, its level must not exceed a 1:48 ratio. Handrails, vertical posts, edge protectors, and other elements cannot obstruct the path. Handrail extensions are also required at the top and bottom of a run and must be at least 12 inches long.
Location
Choosing the right spot to build a wheelchair ramp can be difficult. With slope and width requirements, finding the right location for an ADA-compliant ramp is no easy task. So before you decide on installing a wheelchair ramp, take some time to consider where you can put it. If there is no available location that grants the ramp adequate slope and width, you may need to consider an alternative solution.
Material
Wheelchair ramps come in different materials. They’re usually constructed out of wood, concrete, steel, or aluminum. Every material comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. Most businesses opt for aluminum wheelchair ramps since they are one of the easiest to install and are extremely durable. Aluminum ramps also do not require much maintenance, which is important for businesses.
ADA-Compliant Ramps at Freedom Mobility Solutions
Here at Freedom Mobility Solutions, we have a wide range of ADA-compliant wheelchair ramps. No matter if you need a threshold ramp, portable ramps, modular ramps, or commercial ramps, we have the right one for your business. Click here to browse through our collection of wheelchair ramps, or contact us today to speak to one of our specialists and schedule an appointment to visit our Hanover, MD, showroom.