Complying With the Americans With Disabilities Acts

This doctor's office uses a vertical platform lift to ensure that their facilities are accessible by patients in wheelchairs.While many people believe that federal regulations require every building that has steps to also have an elevator or ramp, the fact is that there are still a number of buildings that do not. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has greatly improved conditions for those who rely on scooters, power chairs and wheelchairs for their mobility, but there are still buildings that are not handicapped accessible. And while some of these are legally exempt from the requirement, many of them are not.

For instance, according to the ADA, buildings with less than three stories, or less than 3000 feet per story, are not required to provide elevators. Exceptions to this rule are those buildings which contain stores, professional offices, or physician offices, or that are used for the purposes of public transportation. Regardless of their size, they are required to have an elevator or ramp. Also, all buildings are required to provide access to the ground floor, even if that means installing a vertical wheelchair lift at the entryway.

Another exception to elevator rules is the rare circumstance in which it is structurally impossible for the building to house an elevator. Regulations only apply to new and altered buildings, and existing structures are governed by a slightly different set of rules regarding accessibility. The owner does not have to make a building handicapped accessible if it would create a great financial hardship for them. However, there are many options that would comply with federal regulations and not create a hardship. For example, depending on the structure of the building, a vertical wheelchair lift or inclined platform lift will be both effective and relatively inexpensive.

This vertical platform lift is used to make a split-level layout accessible in a commercial building's interior.In fact, the ADA states that in such a case where an elevator installation is not feasible, even though the building (or the upper levels) would not be wheelchair accessible, people with other disabilities should still be able to access the whole building. Most often, a vertical platform lift is the most inexpensive and effective way to meet such a requirement.

The general rule of thumb in complying with the ADA is that every public building should be accessible to wheelchairs as much as is reasonable. That will vary on a case by case basis.

Vertical-Platform-Lifts.com will work closely with all parties involved to ensure that their vertical platform lift installations comply with all applicable federal, state and local codes regarding accessibility and building modifications. Because each municipality will differ slightly in their ordinances, please contact the appropriate government offices for your area to obtain applicable code requirements before calling our specialists. Call 1 (800) 791-6831 to speak with a vertical platform lift specialist who will answer any questions you might have and help you with your lift installation.

 

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