Transcript Document
Mayor’s Office on Disability
City and County of San Francisco
Discussion of Common Design and
Construction Errors
Subjects Covered Today
Building Interior
Exterior Accessibility
Doors
Signage
Stairways
Toilets
Operating Mechanisms
Walks
Gates
Projecting Objects
Ramps
Interior of Building
Doors
Signage
Stairways
Toilets
Operating Mechanisms
Effort to Operate Doors-Closers
1133B.2.5, Title 24
Interior and Exterior doors now must operate
with 5 pounds of force.
Exception for required fire doors. They may
require up to 15 pounds, but only if
necessary to close and latch.
Door Closers- Problems
Door closers are frequently installed on
doors for no apparent reason. Generally, only
fire- rated doors require them.
Large glass and / or steel doors are too
heavy to meet code mandated pressure.
Floor mounted closers may be difficult to
adjust to required pressure.
Door Closers - Solution
Compensating devices or automatic door
operators may be installed on most doors in
lieu of the door pressure limits.
Door Swing Clearances
1133B.2.4.2, Title 24
Common Door Obstructions
Door is placed too close to columns or
pilasters.
Door is placed in thick masonry or concrete
walls and inset more than 8 inches from
either face of wall.
Door is placed in alcove and offset in wall is
less than 18 or 24 inches due to framing
error.
Door Swing Obstructed by
Column
Column
Door Swing Obstructed by
Pilaster
Doors in Thick Walls or Alcoves
Swing Side
Doors in Thick Walls or Alcoves
Push Side
Gates
1133B.1.1.4, Title 24
All gates, including ticket gates, shall meet
all applicable requirements for doors.
Smooth 10 inch panel required at the bottom
on the push side.
Lever hardware is required.
Level landings and swing clearances.
Accessible Gates- Problems
Chain link fence and tubular steel gates lack
smooth 10 inch kick plate at the bottom on
the push side. Sheet metal must be added.
Metal gates lack accessible hardware.
Traditional lift –and- swivel gate hardware is
not allowed. Lever hardware is available.
Level landings and swing clearances
frequently lacking in exterior locations.
Required Tactile Signs
Permanent Room Identification Signs
Tactile Exit Signs
Tactile Stair Level Identification Signs
Location of Tactile Signs
1117B.5.7, Title 24
Next to doors, not on
them
Tactile elements
centered 60 inches
above the floor
Tactile elements
centered laterally 9
inches from the door
jamb
Permanent Room Identification
1117B.5.1.2, Title 24
Permanent portion must be tactile.
Tactile EXIT Signs
1003.2.8.6.1.1, CBC
At grade level exterior
exit doors
Tactile EXIT ROUTE Signs
1003.2.8.6.1.3, Title 24
At doors leading to a
grade-level exterior exit
by means of an exit
enclosure or
passageway.
Tactile EXIT ROUTE Signs
1003.2.8.6.1.4, Title 24
At doors from an
interior room or space
to a corridor that is
required to have visual
exit signs.
Rooms having an
occupant load of over
49 need this sign.
Tactile Stair Level ID Signs
1003.3.3.13.1, Title 24
Inside all enclosed exit
stairways at each floor
level next to stairway
doors.
All buildings two or
more stories in height.
Tactile Stair Level ID Signs
When located at the
exit floor, a raised five
pointed star must be
added to the left of the
numeral.
The star must be the
same height as the
numeral. Suggest 2
inch height.
Stairway Handrail Extensions
1133B.4.1, Title 24
Extension at the top landing is equal to 12
inches.
Extension at the bottom landing is equal to
one tread width plus 12 inches.
Bottom extension must continue 12 inches
before leveling off.
There is no provision for bending stair
handrail extensions.
Stairway Handrail Extensions
Handrail Extensions-Problems
Stair is not designed so that handrail
extensions can extend the full length without
bending 90 degrees.
Bottom extension of handrails do not travel
12 inches before leveling off.
Stairway Handrail Extensions
X
Small Toilet Rooms – Problems
1115B.7.1, Title 24
The clear space between the side of the toilet
bowl and the side of the lavatory is not 28
inches.
There is no level space inside the room for a
wheelchair measuring 30 by 48 inches to
park and which allows the door to close.
The door to the room swings over the clear
floor space for a plumbing fixture.
Fixture Clearance Inside Small
Toilet Rooms
Room must be 81
inches wide to comply
In-Swinging Door at Toilet Stall
or Room
Controls and Operating Mechanisms
1117B, Title 24
Controls must be operable with one hand and
not require tight grasping, pinching or
twisting of the wrist.
Controls for heating, ventilating and air
conditioning must be accessible if under the
control of occupants.
Unless HVAC is centrally operated or the
thermostats are in lock boxes, they must
comply.
Exterior and Site Issues
Site Slopes and Cross Slopes
Gates (Already Covered)
Projecting and Overhanging Objects
Ramps
Exterior Site-Slopes
1133B.7, Title 24
Site slopes must be worked out so that
exterior doors have level landings and
connect to accessible paths.
Walkways connecting accessible entrances
and other features cannot slope more than
5% in the direction of travel or have cross
slopes exceeding 2%.
Exterior Site-Ramp Slope
1133B.5.3, Title 24
Architects and other designers commonly
specify ramps with a slope of 1:12.
Problem: This sets the contractor up for
failure. Given the tolerances inherent in
concrete forming, portions of the ramp will
exceed 1:12.
Projecting & Overhanging
Objects
1133B.8.2 & 1133B.8.6, Title 24
Obstructions overhanging a pedestrian’s way must
be at least 80 inches above the walking surface.
Objects projecting from walls more than 4 inches
with leading edges between 27 and 80 inches high
are prohibited without a barrier underneath.
Projecting & Overhanging
Objects
Examples of Projecting Objects
Seismic braces
Stair or escalator runs overhead
Old style fire dept. connection standpipes on
building façades.
Equipment panels or fire extinguisher cabinets in
corridors
Equipment racks in parking garages
Dropped soffits
Credits
Signage graphics are
from “Accessible Signs
and Wayfinding”, prepared by Sharon Toji for the
Division of the State Architect