Employee work areas must be designed and constructed so that individuals with disabilities can approach, enter, and exit the work area.This chapter examines the design and construction of buildings to be accessible to physically disabled persons. All buildings and facilities are to be designed and constructed to be accessible with this code and ICC A117.1. I have included definition alerts and tables for added information. Do not assume that the code is the same from previous code books—there have been changes and it is your responsibility to be aware of such changes.
The following list covers places and sites where accessibility is required:
Employee work areas must be designed and constructed so that individuals with disabilities can approach, enter, and exit the work area.
Work areas or portions of that are less than 150 square feet in area and are elevated 7 inches or more above the ground or finish floor are exempt from all requirements, provided that the elevation is essential to the function of that space.
Accessible: A site, building, facility, or portion thereof that complies with this chapter. |
Walk-in coolers and freezers intended for employee use only are not required to be accessible.
Occupancies in Group U are exempt from the requirements of this chapter other than the following: in agricultural buildings, access is required to paved work areas and areas open to the general public, private garages or carports that contain required accessible parking.
In buildings where a day care facility (Groups A-3, E, I-4, and R-3) is part of a dwelling unit, only the portion of the structure used for the day care facility is required to be accessible.
The operable parts of fuel-dispensing devices must comply with ICC A177.1, Section 308.2.1 or 308.3.1.
The next list contains sites and places where accessibility is not required. This list and the one above are general lists of sites and places only. They are not intended to take the place of accessibility codes required for routes, entrances, and other requirements that will follow this section.
Detached one-and two-family dwellings and accessory structures, and their associated sites and facilities, are not required to be accessible.
Construction sites, structures, and equipment directly associated with the actual processes of construction including, but not limited to, scaffolding, bridging, materials, hoists, or construction trailers are not required to be accessible.
Raised areas used primarily for purposes of security, life safety, or fire safety including, but not limited to, observation galleries, prison guard towers, fire towers, or lifeguard stands are not required to be accessible or to be served by an accessible route.
Limited access spaces such as non-occupiable spaces accessed only by ladders, catwalks, crawl spaces, freight elevators, or very narrow passageways are not required to be accessible. This includes, but is not limited to, spaces frequented only by personnel for maintenance, repair, or monitoring of equipment such as elevator pits, water or sewage treatment pump rooms.
Single-occupant structures accessed only by passageways below grade or elevated above grade including, but not limited to, toll booths that are accessed only by underground tunnels are not required to be accessible.
Buildings of Group R-1 containing not more than five sleeping units for rent or hire that are also occupied as the residence of the proprietor are not required to be accessible.
In detention and correctional facilities, common use areas that are used only by inmates or detainees and security personnel, and that do not serve holding cells or housing cells required to be accessible, are not required to be accessible or to be served by an accessible route.
Accessible routes within the site must be provided from public transportation stops, accessible parking areas, accessible passenger loading zones, and public streets or sidewalks to the building’s accessible entrance being used. Other than buildings or facilities serving Type B units, an accessible route is not required between site arrival points and the building or facility entrance if the only means of access between them is a vehicular way not providing for pedestrian access.
When a building or portion of a building is required to be accessible, an accessible route must be provided to each portion of the building, to accessible building entrances that connect each accessible pedestrian walkways, and the public way. However, in assembly areas with fixed seating required to be accessible, an accessible route is not required to serve fixed seating where wheelchair spaces or designated aisle seats required on an accessible route are not provided.
CODE UPDATE |
At least 10 percent, but not less than one, of patient and visitor parking spaces provided to serve hospital outpatient facilities shall be accessible. |
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The only time a single accessible route may pass through a kitchen or storage room is in an accessible Type A or Type B dwelling unit. |
When discussing connected areas and walkways this includes employee work areas, which must have common use circulation paths within such work areas that must be accessible routes. See the following list of exceptions for common use circulation paths:
Any path located within work areas that are less than 300 square feet and have definite installed partitions, counters, casework, or furniture is not required to be an accessible route.
Any paths that are an integral component of equipment are not required to be accessible routes.
Work areas that are fully exposed to the weather are not required to be accessible routes.
An accessible route is not required to stories and mezzanines above and below accessible levels that have a total area of not more than 3000 square feet. This exception does not apply to the following:
Multiple tenant facilities of Group M occupancies containing five or more tenant spaces
Levels containing offices of health care providers
Passenger transportation facilities and airports, which are Group A-3 or B.
In Groups A, I, R, and S occupancies, levels that do not contain accessible elements or other spaces as required by this chapter are not required to be served by an accessible route from an accessible level. If your building is an air traffic control tower or a two-story building that has an occupant load of five or less people (as long as it does not contain public areas) you are not required to have an accessible route.
Accessible routes must happen together with or be located in the same area as a general circulation path. Where the circulation path is inside, the accessible path must be inside as well. If you have only one accessible route in a building, it cannot pass through kitchens, storage rooms, restrooms, closets, or similar spaces.
Accessible routes that are from parking garages and serve Type B dwelling units are not required to be located inside. If you have installed security barriers such as security posts and security check points, they are not allowed to obstruct a required accessible route or accessible means of egress. If the security barriers incorporate elements that cannot comply with these requirements, such as certain metal detectors or other similar devices, the accessible route will be allowed to provide adjacent security screening devices.
Any persons with disabilities who have to pass through one of these devices must be able to maintain visual contact with their belongings to the same extent as others do. One example of where this rule might apply is at an airport security checkpoint when baggage is being checked while going through an x-ray machine. People with disabilities must be able to have the same ability as others to watch their belongings pass through.
In addition to the provisions in this chapter regarding accessible entrances, at least 60 percent of all public entrances must be accessible. This does not apply to areas that are not required to be accessible and loading and service entrances that are not the only entrance to a tenant space. The following list includes public entrances that must be accessible.
!Definition alert |
Public entrance: An entrance that is not a service entrance or a restricted entrance. |
Parking garage entrances—Direct access for pedestrians from parking structures to buildings or facility entrances must be accessible.
Entrances from tunnels or elevated walkways—If direct access is provided for pedestrians from a tunnel or elevated walkway to a building or facility, at least one entrance from each tunnel or walkway must be accessible.
Restricted entrances—In situations where restricted entrances are provided to a building or facility, at least one restricted entrance to the building must be accessible.
Entrances for inmates or detainees—Buildings with entrances used only by inmates or detainees and security personnel at judicial facilities, detention facilities, or correctional facilities, must have at least one entrance that is accessible.
Service entrances—If a service entrance is the only entrance to a building or a tenant space in a facility, that entrance must be accessible.
Tenant spaces, dwelling units, and sleeping units—At least one accessible entrance must be provided to each tenant, dwelling unit, and sleeping unit in a facility, except for the following: an accessible entrance is not required for tenant spaces that are not required to be accessible and an accessible entrance is not required for dwelling units and sleeping units that are not required to be accessible units, Type A units or Type B units.
CODE UPDATE |
For every six accessible parking spaces provided at least one of them shall be van accessible. |
CODE UPDATE |
Mechanical access parking garages are required to provide at least one passenger loading zone at vehicle drop-off and vehicle pick-up areas. |
For buildings and structures that provide parking, accessible parking spaces must be provided. In cases where more than one parking facility is provided on a site, the number of parking spaces required to be accessible must be calculated separately for each parking facility. Note that this section does not apply to parking spaces that are used exclusively for buses, trucks, other delivery vehicles, law enforcement, or motor pools where lots accessed by the public are provided with an accessible passenger loading zone. The next paragraphs provides detailed information regarding the percentages that different groups or facilities must provide for parking.
For Groups R-2 and R-3, 2 percent, but not less than 1 percent, of each type of parking space provided for occupancies are required to have accessible parking. Type A or B dwelling or sleeping units must be accessible. In locations where parking is provided within or beneath a building, accessible parking spaces must also be provided within or beneath the building. Hospital outpatient facilities must provide 10 percent of accessible patient and visitor parking spaces for hospital outpatient facilities. For rehabilitation facilities and outpatient physical therapy facilities, 20 percent, and not less than one, of the portion of patient and visitor parking spaces must be accessible.
A percentage of accessible parking spaces must be dedicated to van-accessible parking. At least one must be a van-accessible parking space. For every accessible parking space, there are provisions regarding the location of these spaces. Accessible parking spaces must be located on the shortest accessible travel route from adjacent parking to an accessible building entrance. For parking facilities that are not provided for any particular building, accessible parking spaces must also be located on the shortest route to an accessible pedestrian entrance. For buildings that have multiple accessible entrances with adjacent parking, accessible parking spaces must be dispersed and located near the accessible entrances. Pay attention to the following exceptions:
In multilevel parking structures, van-accessible parking spaces are permitted on one level.
Accessible parking spaces are allowed to be located in different parking facilities if substantially equal or greater accessibility is provided in terms of distance from an accessible entrance or entrances, parking fee, and user convenience.
In addition to the other requirements of this chapter, occupancies having dwelling or sleeping units must be provided with accessible features in accordance with this section. Dwelling and sleeping units that are required to be accessible units and Type A and B units must comply with the applicable portions of ICC A117.1. Rooms and spaces that are used by the general public or available for use by residents must be accessible. Some examples of these rooms or spaces are:
Bathrooms
Kitchens
Living and dining rooms
Patios
Terraces and balconies.
This list of required rooms does not include recreational facilities in accordance with this chapter. The primary entrance of each of these accessible units, not rooms, must have at least one accessible route connecting the building or facility entrances. However, sometimes there are circumstances beyond your control. Say that either the slope of the finished ground level between the accessible facility and the building is more than one vertical unit in 12 or if physical barriers or legal restrictions prevent the installation of an accessible route. You are allowed, in accordance with the International Building Code, to install a vehicular route (with parking that complies with this chapter) at each public or common used facility or building in place of the accessible route.
CODE UPDATE |
All courtrooms shall be accessible. |
CODE UPDATE |
If a service or facility is provided in an area that is not accessible, the same service or facility shall be provided on an accessible level and shall be accessible. |
The next section, although brief, is in regards to Group I occupancies. There have been a number of changes for this category that you need to be aware of: At least 4 percent, but not less than one, of the dwelling and sleeping units must be accessible units. Group I-1 structures of Type B units that contain four or more dwelling or sleeping units intended to be occupied as a residence, must be accessible, and the number of Type B units is allowed to be reduced in accordance with this chapter. Group I-2 occupancies, nursing homes, must have at least 50 percent (but not less than one) accessible and Type B units. Accessible and Type B units must be provided for Group I-2, which include the following:
General-purpose hospitals
Psychiatric facilities
Detoxification facilities
Residential care/assisted living facilities.
Of all the dwelling and sleeping units in these facilities, at least 10 percent, again, no less than one, must be accessible units. For structures with four or more dwelling or sleeping units with the intention to be occupied as a residence, every unit must be a Type B occupancy. However, the number of Type B units is permitted to be reduced in accordance with this chapter. Group I-2 is classified as hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. These facilities must specialize in treating conditions that affect mobility, or include units which specialize in such treatment, and 100 percent of these dwelling units must be accessible units. The above code provisions pertain to Group I occupancies only.
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Team or player seating at a sports activity must provide at least one wheelchair space, except for team or player seating serving bowling lanes. |
Apartment houses, monasteries, and convents belong to Group R-2. Both Type A and B must be provided for this group. If this particular group contains more than 20 percent dwelling or sleeping units, at least 2 percent must be Type A, and all units on site will need to be considered when determining the total number of units. Two exceptions to this are: (1) the number of Type A units is permitted to be reduced and (2) existing structures on a site do not have to be included when calculating the total number of units.
In cases where there are four or more dwelling or sleeping units and they are intended to be occupied as a residence, they must be a Type B unit. Again, the number of Type B units is allowed to be reduced in accordance with this chapter. Not all Group R-2 occupancies are apartment houses, monasteries, and convents. Any other occupancy that falls under Group R-2 must provide accessible and Type B units.
The required number of Type A and Type B units does not apply to a site where the required elevation of the lowest floor or the lowest horizontal structural building members of non-elevator buildings are at or above the design flood elevation which results in the following:
A difference in elevation between the minimum required floor elevation at the primary entrances and vehicular and pedestrian arrival points within 50 feet over 30 inches
A slope exceeding 10 percent between the minimum required floor elevation at the primary entrances and vehicular and pedestrian arrival points within 50 feet.
In addition to other requirements of this chapter, the requirements of this section must be applied to special occupancies. Theaters, bleachers, grandstands, stadiums, arenas, and other fixed seating assembly areas must provide accessible wheelchair spaces that comply also with ICC A117.1. If such stadiums, and the like, provide audible public announcements, they must provide equivalent text information regarding events and facilities. For example, places or areas that have electronic signs must have the ability to display text that is being announced over a PA system, with the exception of announcements that cannot be pre-recorded.
One occupancy which has provisions for accessibility is performance areas. An accessible route must directly connect the performance area to the assembly seating area. Self-service storage areas must provide accessible individual self-storage space.
The final provisions for special occupancies that I want to review are judicial facilities. Each courtroom and central holding cell must be accessible. Where separate central holding cells are provided for adult male and juvenile males and adult and juvenile females, one of each type must be accessible. In places where central holding cells are provided, but are not separated by age or gender, at least one accessible cell must be provided. This is the same case for courtrooms.
CODE UPDATE |
In dining areas the dining surfaces for the consumption of food or drink are to have at least 5 percent, but not less than one, designed to be accessible. |
A very important area that must adhere to the International Building Code is bathrooms and bathing areas. Not only does this code provide for accessibility, but for facilities provided for both genders. All bathrooms and bathing facilities must be made accessible.
Where a floor level is not required to be connected by an accessible route, the only bathroom or bathing room provided cannot be located on the inaccessible floor. You must provide at least one of each type of fixture, element, control, or dispenser in each accessible bathroom/bathing room. There are several exceptions to these provisions, including:
Bathrooms or bathing facilities accessed only through a private office and not intended for common or public use are allowed to have doors that swing into the clear floor space, provided the door swing can be reversed.
The height requirements for the water closet in ICC A117.1 are not applicable.
Grab bars are not required and the requirements for height, knee, and toe clearance do not apply to a lavatory.
Where multiple single-user toilet rooms or bathing facilities are clustered at a single location, at least 50 percent but not less than one room for each use at each cluster must be accessible.
The provisions for unisex toilet rooms state that unisex toilet rooms must include only one water closet and only one lavatory. A unisex bathing room in accordance with this chapter will be considered a unisex toilet room. A urinal is allowed in addition to the water closet in a unisex toilet room. Unisex bathing rooms can include only one shower or bathtub fixture and only one water closet and lavatory. An accessible route is mandatory and there must be no more than 500 feet from any separate-sex bathroom to a unisex bathroom.
CODE UPDATE |
Jury boxes are required to be provided with a wheelchair space. |
Platform lifts are allowed to be part of a required accessible route in new construction where indicated in the following list:
An accessible route to a performing area and speaker platforms in Group A occupancies
An accessible route to wheelchair spaces required to comply with the wheelchair space dispersion requirements of this chapter
An accessible route to spaces that is not open to the general public with an occupant load of not more than five
An accessible route within a dwelling or sleeping unit
An accessible route to wheelchair seating spaces located in outdoor dining terraces in Group A-5 occupancies where the means of egress from the dining terraces to a public way are open to the outdoors
An accessible route to the following: jury boxes, witness stands, raised courtroom stations, judges’ benches, stations for clerks, bailiffs, deputies, and court reporters
An accessible route to load and unload areas serving amusement rides
An accessible route to play components or safe contained play structures
An accessible route to team or player seating areas serving areas of sport activity
An accessible route where existing exterior site constraints make use of a ramp or elevator infeasible.
This section focuses on the required accessible elements that are also required by the International Symbol of Accessibility. There are several locations where signs are mandated, including:
Accessible parking spaces required by this chapter except where the total number of parking spaces provided is four or less
Accessible passenger loading zones
Accessible areas of refuge
Accessible rooms where multiple singe-user toilet or bathing rooms are clustered at a single location
Accessible entrances where not all entrances are accessible
Accessible check-out aisles where not all aisles are accessible, the sign, where provided, must be above the check-out aisle
Unisex bath and bathing rooms
Accessible dressing, fitting, and locker rooms where not all such rooms are accessible.
Other signs indicating special accessibility provisions are signs that are at each door to an egress stairway, exit passageway, and at all areas of refuge.
