Is Your Business Liable? Top 5 Americans with Disabilities Act Violations in Florida Spaces

Florida leads the country in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) violations. These are found through either end-user use or paid actors who are hired to walk through your business and report their findings back to a law firm. Your business can avoid costly lawsuits by doing your homework and teaming with professionals on the front end of your project.

Paired up with a knowledgeable designer to create code compliant plans and a builder who can execute those plans to accuracy is key. Below are the top 5 interior violations that Formation Interiors LLC can help you mitigate.

1.      Restroom Layout & Fixture Non-Compliance

This is the most litigated error because it’s easy to measure – easy to fail.

• Incorrect toilet clearances

• Missing or mislocated grab bars

• Insufficient turning radius (60”)

• Lavatory knee clearance issues

• Accessories mounted too high

Missing grab bar behind the toilet at a local vehicle dealership

2.      Door Clearance and Maneuvering Space

• Not enough latch side clearance

• Door swings blocking clear floor space

• Doors require too much force to open

• Improper hardware (knobs twisting instead of a lever type that pushes down)

  

  High chair impeding the circulation path and a planter and wet floor sign in the door clearance area at a local place I went for lunch

3.      Interior Circulation

• Aisles are less than 36” wide

• Furniture blocks the path

• Objects extend from the wall more than 4”

• Uneven flooring transitions or thresholds

4.      Mounting Heights

• Mirrors too high

• Dispensers are too high

• Light switches / outlets improperly placed

• Transaction counters are too high / not accessible

5.      Signage and Wayfinding

Another easy to spot violation

• Missing tactile or Braille signage

• Signage mounted at incorrect height or location

• Poor contrast between background and text

 

A room sign I saw on an initial site visit. Signs are required to have both visual and tactile characters. Perhaps the Braille sign used to be mounted below.

Most of these violations can be easily avoided on the front end of a project with proper design and building execution. Small interior mistakes can mean real legal exposure. You can familiarize yourself with the 2010 ADA code at this link: https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/design-standards/2010-stds/

Work with a professional to safeguard your space today.