ADA Compliance

First passed in 1990, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) established standards for increased accessibility in public places for people who have a disability. The law covers a wide variety of situations, and it affects building codes across the country. Among the most important aspects of construction and building codes addressed by the ADA are elevators, and several ADA elevator requirements must be met for new construction or when existing buildings are being remodeled. Knowing the ADA requirements for elevators will help you ensure that your building is compliant, and it will make it easier for you to get the right elevator when it is time to purchase a new one.

Placement and Operation of Elevators

To comply with the ADA elevator requirements, elevators must be easily accessible to visitors in a public place. That means they have to be placed in areas that people can get to without much effort. In other words, they cannot be installed in out-of-the-way hallways or other places. An elevator will not be in compliance with the ADA if it is in an inaccessible portion of a building, even if it otherwise meets the required minimum elevator dimensions and stipulations.

ADA Elevator Button Height

When you are installing an ADA-compliant elevator, you will want to make sure that the elevator you purchase is an automatic elevator that will stop at a particular floor with the simple press of a button, like those that Nationwide Lifts carries. An ADA-compliant elevator will also be self-leveling: It will automatically raise its floor to be level with the floor on which it is stopping so that wheelchairs and other equipment can easily enter and exit the elevator. ADA elevator button height must be centered 42 inches from the floor, and call buttons should readily indicate the direction in which the elevator is traveling.

Minimum Elevator Size

When you order an elevator online, it must also have proper minimum elevator dimensions to allow wheelchairs to enter and maneuver around with ease. ADA elevator dimensions include several minimums. The minimum ADA door width for an elevator car is 36 inches. The depth of the car must be at least 51 inches, and the width must be at least 68 inches, unless the elevator has center-opening doors, in which case at least 80 inches are required.

Other Specifications for an ADA-Compliant Elevator

The elevators in our free catalog meet the aforementioned ADA standards as well as other ADA elevator requirements. For instance, floors must be slip-resistant. Carpet, if present, must be firmly attached. Emergency communications must also be present in the elevator in case the car stops and passengers need to call for assistance. An emergency call button must be in plain view, so make sure that is available so that your elevator complies with not only the wheelchair dimensions for ADA standards but also the other required elements of elevator construction.

Help Is Standing By

We want to help you get an elevator that is up to ADA dimensions, so feel free to call us with any questions. Our customer service associates can help you pick the right elevator. Whether your needs are large or small, we’re here to help!