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Work Areas
According to the ADA the definition of an employee work area is:
Employee Work Area. All or any portion of a space used only by employees and used only for work. Corridors, toilet rooms, kitchenettes and break rooms are not employee work areas.
Work Area Equipment. Any machine, instrument, engine, motor, pump, conveyor, or other apparatus used to perform work. As used in this document, this term shall apply only to equipment that is permanently installed or built-in in employee work areas. Work area equipment does not include passenger elevators and other accessible means of vertical transportation.
Per the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design:
203.9 Employee Work Areas. Spaces and elements within employee work areas shall be designed and constructed so that individuals with disabilities can approach, enter, and exit the employee work area.
An example of a work area that only requires an approach, enter and exit would be a janitor's closet. Elements within the janitor's closet such as the faucet for the mop sink will not be required to comply.
An exam room is partially a "work" area and partially a "patient" area. The area that is only used by the doctor (the sink) will be exempted from having to comply.
Employee work areas, or portions of employee work areas, other than raised courtroom stations, that are less than 300 square feet and elevated 7 inches or more above the finish floor or ground where the elevation is essential to the function of the space shall not be required to comply with these requirements or to be on an accessible route.
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| | This toll booth is less than 300 s.f. and elevated more than 7" a.f.f. and therefore do not require an accessible route to it or the ability to approach it and enter it. |
The Standards sometimes provide additional guidance through "advisories". These are NOT requirements, but they are suggestions that might make your design a better one. Below are some of the advisories on work areas:
Advisory 203.9 Employee Work Areas. Although areas used exclusively by employees for work are not required to be fully accessible, consider designing such areas to include non-required turning spaces, and provide accessible elements whenever possible.
Under the Title I of the ADA, employees with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations in the workplace; accommodations can include alterations to spaces within the facility. Designing employee work areas to be more accessible at the outset will avoid more costly retrofits when current employees become temporarily or permanently disabled, or when new employees with disabilities are hired.
In addition to approach, enter and exit, the employee work area shall also comply with the following sections of the ADA Standards: 206.2.8, 207.1, and 215.3. These will be explained in detail below.
206.2.8 Employee Work Areas. Common use circulation paths within employee work areas shall comply with 402.
The circulation path should meet the requirements for ADA Section 402 which includes a minimum 36" width along the circulation path.
EXCEPTIONS: 1. Common use circulation paths located within employee work areas that are less than 1000 square feet (93 m2) and defined by permanently installed partitions, counters, casework, or furnishings shall not be required to comply with 402.2.
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| | This employee work area is less than 1,000 s.f. and therefore the step is allowed |
Common use circulation paths located within employee work areas that are an integral component of work area equipment shall not be required to comply with 402.3.
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| | This commercial kitchen has equipment that is an integral part of the work area. The 36" min. circulation path in this space is not required to comply due to the location of the work area equipment. |
Advisory 206.2.8 Employee Work Areas Exception 2. Large pieces of equipment, such as electric turbines or water pumping apparatus, may have stairs and elevated walkways used for overseeing or monitoring purposes which are physically part of the turbine or pump. However, passenger elevators used for vertical transportation between stories are not considered "work area equipment" as defined in Section 106.5.
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| | An accessible route/circulation path up to the elevated walkway used to monitor work area equipment is not required to be provided. |
Common use circulation paths located within exterior employee work areas that are fully exposed to the weather shall not be required to comply with 402.
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| | A dumpster is considered an extension of a work area. Although a circulation path within the work area might be required, because the dumpster is located on the exterior and fully exposed to the weather, a circulation path will not be required. |
Advisory 206.2.8 Employee Work Areas Exception 1. Modular furniture that is not permanently installed is not directly subject to these requirements.
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| | The modular furniture in an open office is not required to be installed so that there is a minimum 36" width is provided. They are essentially exempted from having to comply (unless they are permanently attached to the ground or wall) |
207.1 Employee work areas are required to have an accessible means of egress per the requirements in the IBC
215.3 Employee Work Areas. Where employee work areas have audible alarm coverage, the wiring system shall be designed so that visible alarms complying with 702 can be integrated into the alarm system.
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