Door Selection: Accessibility Compliance, The Ins and Outs, Part Two

Once a set of construction documents is complete, they’re sent out on the street (for accessibility approvals, permits and bids, that is)!

Accessibility Approvals:

In most states, including Texas, construction documents are submitted to the State or an approved third party review firm. The doors will be carefully reviewed for the following:

1. Accessibility Requirement.*
2. Door width.
3. Clear floor area, including strike side dimensions, and approaches.
4. Level landings.
5. Hardware, including levers, mounting height and pressure required to open.
6. Signage, including mounting heights, graphics and braille.

Doors are cited either compliant or non-compliant, as shown on the construction documents.

*Not all doors are required to be accessible. Those that are not are few and far between, and necessity does not follow common sense (more on accessibility standards later).