Washrooms and the ADA.

The Americans with Disabilities Act has recently been updated to apply to facilities for children ages 3-12. Do your primary and middle schools' washrooms comply?

When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed in 1991, many feared the legislation would become a lawyer's dream and a facility manager's nightmare. Seven years later, the Act has proved less controversial, and less litigious, than first imagined. Building owners and product manufacturers have embraced the ADA,

making public. spaces more usable for all. Now, even the youngest citizens benefit from the law. As of April 18, 1998, code written specifically for children ages 3-12 has been released. While the Justice Department has yet to adopt these new guidelines, it's only a matter of time before they become law.

The code dictates exact guidelines when dealing with washrooms. Even if your school's facilities aren't up to the exact letter of the new code, there is no need to cower in fear of the Justice Department. "When the ADA first passed, building owners, manufacturers, and architects thought they would be buried under an avalanche of lawsuits," remembers Alan Gettelman, director of marketing for Bobrick Washroom Equipment. "As it turns out, there is no ADA police. While there have been a few court cases, so much grassroots support has been generated for this law that everyone wants to adhere to it."

The ADA - Past and Present

The ADA is a comprehensive civil rights law which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Titles II and III of the ADA require, among other things, that newly constructed and altered state and local government buildings, places of public accommodation, and commercial facilities be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, according to the Architectural and Transportation Compliance Board in the Federal Register. A group called The Access Board develops guidelines for compliance known as the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG).

When the ADA first passed, the Access Board didn't have specific children's requirements, but permitted departures from ADAAG requirements that provided "equal or greater access." While this provision served as a general catchall for designing child-size washroom spaces, it remains vague. Designers and architects had to rely on old ANSI guidelines and local code for specific information. Often these two sources contradicted each other and confusion ensued. ADAAG promises to clear up any controversy with new specific guidance and technical criteria for children.

Writing this new, child-sized code took years of research. The Center for Accessible Housing at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC, reviewed codes, standards, and guidelines; studied ergonomics; evaluated literature; and conducted post-occupancy evaluations of facilities serving children from pre-kindergarten to elementary age.

The Access Board also culled comments from state and local departments of education, groups representing children with disabilities, plumbing fixture manufacturers, individuals, and design professionals to use in developing the guidelines.

What Schools Need to Know

The resulting code should prove a relief to school managers, especially those overseeing new construction. "It's black and white - new buildings are built to code," says Thaddeus Gallizzi, director of sales engineering and ADA expert for Acorn Engineering Company. "Renovations, on the other hand, have specific nuances and variances can be given depending on the age of the building, the extent of the renovation, and cost effectiveness."

If your school has a renovation project on the boards, you should rely on the architect's ADA knowledge. But the rule of thumb remains that any redesign or renovation should remove existing barriers and not put any new ones in place. Also keep in mind that a specific renovation doesn't have to include any other projects.

For instance, if you're replacing a roof or updating wiring, you don't have to spend extra money on renovating bathrooms. However, if you are changing [TABULAR DATA OMITTED] the flooring outside the bathroom, you have to make sure that flooring choice is ADA-compliant. Of course, small renovations, such as new bathroom equipment purchases, must comply.

Luckily, adhering to the new ADAAG is less about running out and buying new equipment and more about repositioning the equipment you already have. "That was the big lesson learned by manufacturers and end-users," remembers Gettelman. "For the most part washroom gear looks the same, it's just installed a little higher or lower or may be recessed now."

Yes, that means that you can keep your already-compliant soap dispensers. Of course, compliance means they should not require more than five pounds of pressure to operate; they should operate with one hand; and they should not require twisting, pinching, or grasping. The same applies to towel dispensers.

While most schools opt for C-fold or multi-fold towels to meet the code, Gettelman suggests an alternative. "Electric hand dryers are great for schools," he says. "There is no waste, no opportunity for vandalism, no inventory, and no garbage to take out. If you use light-sensitive models that you don't have to touch to operate, they also promote good hygiene."

So where does the new ADAAG put your washroom equipment? The Federal Register includes the following chart (below) that breaks down the requirements by age groups.

Details, Details

Other specifications are also listed

Mirrors. If mirrors are to be used by both ambulatory people and wheelchair users, they must be at least 74 inches (1880 mm) high at their topmost edge. Mirrors provided above lavatories designed for children should be mounted with the bottom edge of the reflecting surface no higher than 34 inches (865 mm) above the floor or at the lowest mounting height permitted by fixtures and related elements.

Lavatories shall be mounted with the rim or counter surface no higher than 34 inches (865 nun) above the floor and provide a clearance of at least 29 inches (735 mm) above the floor to the bottom of the apron. If children ages 6-12 are primarily using the lavatory then apron and knee clearance of 24 inches (610 mm) minimum height is allowed, provided that the rim or counter surface is no higher than 31 inches (760 mm). Lavatories used primarily by children ages 5 and younger shall not be required to meet these clearances if clear floor space for a parallel approach is provided.

While making your washrooms handicapped accessible remains the goal, when looking at the new code perhaps you should think universally and act locally. Universal Design is the brainchild of the late Ron Mace of Barrier Free Environments. Recognized as the "Father of the ADA," he embraced the idea that design should be equally accessible to both the ablebodied and the physically challenged. This removes the stigma of "special" accommodations and makes for harmonious and easy-for-all-to-use spaces. For instance, a single full-length mirror can accommodate all.

Amy Milshtein is a freelance writer based in Oregon.