See Minimum Requirements Summary Sheets I and J for special requirements and exceptions which may be allowed in alterations and historic preservation. See also ADAAG 4.1.6 and 4.1.7.
4.1.3(5) EXCEPTION 1: Elevators are not required in facilities that are less than three stories or that have less than 3,000 square feet per story unless the building is a shopping center, a shopping mall, or the professional office of a health care provider, or another type of facility as determined by the Attorney General.* The elevator exemption set forth in this paragraph does not obviate or limit in any way the obligation to comply with the other accessibility requirements established in section 4.1.3. For example, floors above or below the accessible ground floor must meet the requirements of this section except for elevator service. If toilet or bathing facilities are provided on a level not served by an elevator, then toilet or bathing facilities must be provided on the accessible ground floor. In new construction if a building or facility is eligible for this exemption, but a full passenger elevator is nonetheless planned, that elevator shall meet the requirements of 4.10 and shall serve each level in the building. A full passenger elevator that provides service from a garage to only one level of a building or facility is not required to serve other levels.
*Note: The term "professional office of a health care provider" and "shopping center or shopping mall" are further defined in the Department of Justice regulations at 28 CFR Section 36.401(d)(1) for new construction and 28 CFR Section 36.404(a) for alterations. The Attorney General has also designated any terminal, depot, or other station used for specified public transportation, or an airport passenger terminal as not eligible for the elevator exception. (See 28 CFR Sections 36.401(d)(2) and 36.404(a).) In such a facility, any area housing passenger services, including boarding and debarking, loading and unloading, baggage claim, dining facilities, and other common areas open to the public, must be on an accessible route from an accessible entrance.
| Section | Item | Technical Requirements | Comments | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1.3(5) | Exception 1 Elevator Exception: | Is the building eligible for the elevator exception in 4.1.3(5) above? | |||
| Eligible Building: | If the building is eligible for the elevator exception, does the floor above or below the accessible ground floor comply with all the other requirements in 4.1.3 for new construction? (See Minimum Requirements Summary Sheets D through G) | ||||
| If the building is eligible for the elevator exception and toilet rooms or bathrooms are provided at a level not served by an elevator, are toilet rooms or bathrooms also provided on the accessible floor? (See Minimum Requirements Summary Sheet F: Toilet Rooms and Bathrooms) | |||||
| If the building is eligible for the elevator exception but a full passenger elevator is nonetheless planned, does the elevator comply with 4.10 (see below) and serve each level in the building? (A full passenger elevator that provides service from a garage to only one level of a building is not required to serve other levels.) | |||||
| 4.1.3(5) 4.10.1 |
Ineligible Building: | If the building is not eligible for the elevator exception, does an elevator serve each level, including mezzanines, unless otherwise noted below? | |||
| If more than one elevator is provided in a building not eligible for the elevator exemption, does each full passenger elevator comply with 4.10 (See below)? | |||||
| Shopping Center or Shopping Mall: In a facility housing a shopping center or a shopping mall, does an elevator serve each floor level housing (or designed or intended for use by) at least one sales or rental establishment? (See 28 CFR Sections 36.401(d)(1)(ii) and 36.404(a)(2)) | |||||
| Professional Office of Health Care Provider: | In a facility housing the professional office of a health care provider, does an elevator serve each floor level housing (or designed or intended for use by) at least one health care provider? (See 28 CFR Sections 36.401(d)(1)(i) and 36.404(a)(1)) | ||||
| Transportation Facility: | In a terminal, depot, or other station used for specified public transportation, or an airport passenger terminal, is each area housing passenger services, including boarding and debarking, loading and unloading, baggage claim, dining facilities, and other common areas open to the public connected by an accessible route from an accessible entrance? (See 28 CFR Section 36.401(d)(1)(iii)) | ||||
| 4.10.2 | Automatic Operation: | Is the elevator operation automatic? | |||
| 4.10.2 | Self-leveling: | Is the elevator self-leveling and does the floor of the elevator automatically come within 1/2 inch of the floor landing at each stop? | |||
| 4.10.9 | Horizontal Gap: | Is the horizontal gap between the car floor platform and the landing edge no greater than 1-1/4 inches? | |||
| 4.10.3 | Hallway Call Buttons: | Are the hallway call buttons centered at 42 inches above the floor? Are the buttons at least 3/4 inches in the smallest dimension? | |||
| Visual Indicators: | Do the buttons have visual signals to indicate when each call is registered and answered? | ||||
| Is the button designating the "up" direction above the "down" button? | |||||
| Are the buttons raised or flush (not recessed)? | |||||
| Clearance: | If there is an object below the buttons, does it project no more than 4 inches into the elevator lobby? | ||||
| 4.10.4 | Hall Lanterns: | Is there a visible and audible signal at each hoistway entrance to indicate which car is answering a call? | |||
| Audible Signals: | Do audible signals sound once for "up" and twice for "down," or do they have verbal annunciators that say "up" or "down"? | ||||
| Visible Signals: | Are visible signals also provided and are they: Mounted so that the centerline is at least 72 inches above the floor; At least 2-1/2 inches in the smallest dimension; and, Visible from the vicinity of the hall call button? |
||||
| 4.10.5 | Raised and Braille Floor Designations: | Does each elevator hoistway entrance have raised floor designations on each door jamb centered 60 inches above the floor? | |||
| Are the floor designation letters or numerals 2 inches high? | |||||
| 4.10.5 4.30.4 |
Raised Characters: | Are the letters or numerals raised at least 1/32 inch upper case, and sans serif or simple serif type? | |||
| Braille: | Are the letters or numerals accompanied with Grade II Braille? | ||||
| 4.10.6 | Doors: | Do the elevator doors open and close automatically? | |||
| Do they re-open automatically without contact if an obstruction passes through the opening between 5 inches and 29 inches above the floor? Does this reopening device remain effective for at least 20 seconds? | |||||
| 4.10.7 | Door and Signal Delay: | Is the time from when the elevator's arrival is signaled until the doors begin to close at least 5 seconds? | |||
| If any hoistway door is farther than 7.5 feet from the hall call button, does the time increase according to Figure 21? | |||||
| 4.10.8 | Do the elevator doors remain fully open for at least 3 seconds? | ||||
| 4.10.9 | Floor Surfaces: | Does the floor area of the car allow maneuvering room for wheelchair users to enter the car, reach the controls, and exit? (See Figure 22) | |||
| 4.10.10 4.5 |
Are the floors in and adjacent to the elevator stable, firm, and slip-resistant? | ||||
| 4.10.11 | Illumination Levels: | Is the illumination level at the car controls, the platform, and the car threshold and landing sill at least 5 footcandles? | |||
| 4.10.12(1) | Car Controls: | Are the car control buttons at least 3/4 inch in their smallest dimension? | |||
| Are the controls raised or flush? | |||||
| 4.10.12(2) 4.30.4 |
Raised Characters: | Are the controls designated by raised standard alphabet characters, arabic numerals, or standard elevator symbols that are placed immediately to the left of the buttons? | |||
| Character Height: | Are the raised characters and numbers at least 5/8 inch high and raised at least 1/32 inch? Are the raised characters and numbers upper case, and sans serif or simple serif? | ||||
| Braille: | Do the controls also have Braille designations in Grade II Braille? | ||||
| 4.10.12(2); 4.30.5 Contrast: Do the numbers and characters contrast with the background (light-on-dark or dark-on-light)? | |||||
| Main Entry Designation: | Is the button for the main entry floor designated by a raised star? | ||||
| 4.10.12(2) | Visual Indicators: | Do the floor buttons have visual indicators to show when each call is registered and are they extinguished when each call is answered? | |||
| 4.10.12(3) | Height of Controls: | Are the floor buttons no higher than 54 inches above the floor for side approach and no higher than 48 inches for front approach? | |||
| Emergency Controls: | Are the emergency controls grouped at the bottom of the panel with centerlines no less than 35 inches above the floor? | ||||
| Control Location: | If the cars have side opening doors are the controls located on the side or front wall adjacent to the doors? If the cars have center opening doors, are the controls located on the front wall? | ||||
| 4.10.13 | Car Position Indicators: | Is there a visual car position indicator above the car control panel or over the door to indicate the floor level? | |||
| Size: | Are the numerals at least 1/2 inch high? | ||||
| Visible Signals: | Do the numerals illuminate? | ||||
| Audible Signals: | Does an audible signal sound as the car passes or stops at a floor or is there an automatic verbal announcement? Is the audible signal at least 20 decibels and the frequency no higher than 1500 Hz? | ||||
| 4.10.14 | Emergency Communications: | If an emergency two-way communication system between the elevator and a point outside the hoistway is provided, does it comply with ASME A17.1-1990? | |||
| Height: | Is the highest operable part of the communication system no higher than 48 inches above the floor? | ||||
| 4.10.14 4.30.4 |
Raised Characters and Braille: | Is the communication system identified by a raised symbol and lettering located adjacent to the device? | |||
| Is the raised symbol and lettering between 5/8 inch and 2 inches high and raised at least 1/32 inch? | |||||
| Is the raised lettering upper case, and sans serif or simple serif? | |||||
| Is the raised lettering accompanied by Grade II Braille? | |||||
| 4.10.14 4.30.5 |
Do the symbol and lettering contrast with the background (light-on-dark or dark-on-light)? | ||||
| If the system uses a handset, is the length of the cord from the panel to the handset at least 29 inches? | |||||
| Is the communication system usable without voice communication? | |||||
| 4.10.14 4.27 |
Controls: | If the communication system is in a closed compartment, is the hardware on the compartment door operable with one hand, and without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist? | |||
| Is the force required to operate controls no greater than 5 lbf? |
***
Diagram (a) illustrates an elevator with a door providing a 36 inch (915 mm) minimum clear width, in the middle of the elevator. The width of the elevator car is a minimum of 80 inches (2030 mm). The depth of the elevator car measured from the back wall to the elevator door is a minimum of 54 inches (1370 mm). The depth of the elevator car measured from the back wall to the control panel is a minimum of 51 inches (1291 mm).
Diagram (b) illustrates an elevator with door providing a minimum 36 inch (915 mm) clear width, located to one side of the elevator. The width of the elevator car is a minimum of 68 inches (1730 mm). The depth of the elevator car measured from the back wall to the elevator door is a minimum of 54 inches (1370 mm). The depth of the elevator car measured from the back wall to the control panel is a minimum of 51 inches (1291).
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