Volume IV Number 12  December 2009
Doors
 Doorways are sometimes confusing to design for accessibility. There are many possibilities, from the way you approach the door, to the direction of the door itself.  This newsletter will discuss landings at doors, doors at residential situations where a disabled person lives there, and maneuvering clearances at the pull side.
Landing at Doors
TAS and ADA 4.13 requires a level landing (no greater than 2%) that is 5'-0" deep in front of the door.  This is so that a person in a wheelchair can have a level area for them to open the door and maneuver through it. 
 
If the door does not have a level landing, then the wheelchair would roll back as soon as it would stop to open the door. 
 
One way to correct this, if the landing cannot be made level, is to have an automatic door opener (also located at a level area) which would open the door automatically and would allow a person in a wheelchair to go through without having to stop and maneuver around the doors. 

 
sloped landing
Doorways at residences
  
"Aging in Place" is a new initiative that believes a person, as they age, should be able to remain at their house by re-modeling it for accessibility. 
 
One of the challenges a disabled person faces is that most residential doors are less than 32" wide, especially in bathrooms where they can be 24" wide.  A wheelchair cannot enter or exit a room that has a door smaller in width than 32" wide.  Remodeling a home to enlarge the doorways may be just a matter of replacing the door with pocket doors, or even curtains, in order for a person in a wheelchair to avoid the maneuvering problems.
 
Certified Aging in Place (CASPs) designers and remodelers assist home owners by helping to remodel their homes with Universal Design criteria. 
 
See this informative video about the initiative (we do not endorse any product or agency that is advertised in the video)
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x4IrSMS-4Q&feature=player_embedded#
trhough
 
In This Issue
Landings at Doors
Doorways at Residences
Inspector's Corner: Pull side of door
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Inspector's Corner: Pull side of door

The ADAAG has established manuevering clearances at the doorway depending on the approach.  For a door that is approached at the handle side and needs to be pulled open, there needs to be 60" in front of the door in order to manuever.
 
The door shown in this picture does not have the proper manuevering due to the proximity of the counter to the door.  As you can see, the door is open and it is almost touching the counter.  A person in a wheelchair will not be able to turn to face to door and pull it open because there is not enough room
 

pull side

 The following series of pictures shows how a person in a wheelchair requires the manuevering clearances at the pull side of the door
 
pullside1 pullside2
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In the spirit of the season and all the needy people that are out there, consider giving to a charity.  Here are a few that are in great need:
 
 
 
Wishing everyone a very happy holidays and a very prosperous 2010

Sincerely,
 
Marcela Abadi Rhoads, RAS #240
Abadi Accessibility
214. 403.8714