Have you ever heard about a lawsuit based on a case of ADA non-compliance and been upset about it? Someone slipped and fell and even though they weren’t severely injured, they decided to sue the company in question for everything they’re worth. I heard of a small, family-owned pizza place in the Sacramento area just recently that went bankrupt because of an ADA lawsuit. It’s sad to see small businesses go under for issues that seem like little more than a building code. Sometimes, I can look at something like that and assume that the person filing the lawsuit overreacted. After all, expecting every business in the country to pay lots of money to comply with a law that only affects a small percentage of the population is unfair, right? Now imagine you were in a car accident later today. You are now paralyzed from the waist down, and you will never be able to walk again. After a lengthy recovery time in the hospital, you sit in a wheelchair for the very first time and realize that your life will never be the same. You’ll never be able to kick a soccer ball with your kids, run a marathon, or hike that section of the Pacific Crest Trail you always wanted to. So you learn to push your own wheelchair everywhere in order to be as independent as possible. You insist on it, all the time. One day you visit a restaurant with your family, and there is a 2-inch ledge on the doorway that you don’t see. Not expecting the ledge, you hit it very hard, and suddenly you’ve fallen from your chair and hit your head. The embarrassment alone is enough to seriously upset you, but you’ve also got a huge lump on your head, not to mention the pitying glances of everyone around you. It could happen to any of us. That’s what ADA is about. It’s not just about a building code, or even only about serious accidents. Just because someone wasn’t seriously injured doesn’t mean that they couldn’t have been. It’s a civil rights law, and it means that no matter if you’re in a wheelchair, have a walker, or have any other mobility issue, you should be able to get around safely. You shouldn’t have to over-prepare for every outing, or wear kneepads in case you fall from your wheelchair. It’s not an overreaction to demand a safe path of travel so that you don’t injure yourself while doing normal daily activities. This is an issue of everyone having the same rights, the same access to public places. It’s not necessary to have a relative or close friend in a wheelchair to understand that this is an issue either. Still, it doesn’t hurt to imagine yourself in someone else’s shoes. Try to understand the struggles they go through every day, simply with getting around the way you are able to all the time. ADA is a civil rights issue, and it was passed in 1990, and enacted in 1992. If your building was built after 1991, it should already be up to code. These facts, combined with the affordability of SafePath products (especially when you compare the cost of our products to the cost of a lawsuit) means that there’s really no excuse for not having your entrances accessible. Our products are designed to exceed ADA standards; we have multiple solutions that can help you solve any transitional issues that you have. You can make your environment safer for everyone!
Better accessibility to our parks & public lands is needed – Ian’s Ride raises awareness & inspires change
We at SafePath Products have always supported organizations involved with people with disabilities and various causes that increase awareness for improving our environment for greater outdoor accessibility for all. One organization that is helping to lead the way is Ian’s Ride. The founder, Ian Mackay, is an active outdoorsman and quadriplegic who sets off on journeys throughout the country every year, often traveling hundreds of miles to help spread awareness for better accessibility in the outdoors. Ian Mackay on his way down the Redwood Coast.Paralyzed from the neck down resulting from a bicycle accident in 2008, Ian continues to inspire others and bring awareness to the need for greater accessibility in our parks and public lands. SafePath Products was honored to sponsor Ian’s Ride this October where he traveled 272 miles down the famous Redwood Coast from the Oregon border to Fort Bragg, California via the Pacific Coast bike route, with most of it being on the shoulder of the highway. Along with his road support team of several cyclists and a few motored vehicles that accompanied him the entire way, Ian was able to successfully complete this scenic trip just like he has so many other times. Our own CEO, Timothy VanderHeiden, traveled to Fort Bragg to join the group of supporters where he was able to greet Ian as he crossed the finish line at Fort Bragg’s Mirror Beach. Ian Mackay and SafePath Products CEO Timothy VanderHeiden“It was so impressive to see Ian with an electric wheelchair with only a ‘sip and puff’ for navigation on a ventilator cross the finish line with the biggest smile on his face after enduring some very nasty weather and treacherous road conditions along the way”, VanderHeiden said. “It reminds me to be mindful of our heath and mobility each and every day, and to get off our butts and get outside and enjoy nature that we so often take for granted.” All of us at SafePath Products are so proud of Ian and his family and friends for bringing about much needed awareness for outdoor accessibility. We encourage all of our friends, colleagues and customers to follow Ian on his web site at https://www.iansride.com/ to learn more about this incredibly empowering and inspirational young man. SafePath Products is an American manufacturer of ADA compliant threshold ramps, entry level landings, seismic surface transitions, flooring reducers and other industrial and residential products for ADA access code compliance. For over 24 years we’ve been the industry leader in providing “green” solutions to the construction industry, and all of our products are made from 100% recycled rubber here in the USA. Contact us today to find out how we can help you with your next project.
ADA compliance as designated by CSI MasterFormat 10 74 49
MasterFormat is the standard in the construction industry for formatting the specifications and other written information for commercial and institutional building projects in the U.S. and Canada. It provides a master list of Divisions and Section numbers with associated titles to organize all relevant information about construction requirements, products and activities. This standardization is essential in facilitating communication among architects, specifiers, contractors and suppliers throughout the industry. This article will focus on the ADA compliance component. A product of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and Construction Specifications Canada (CSC), it is often referred to as the “Dewey Decimal System” of building construction. In November 2004, MasterFormat expanded from 16 Divisions to 50, reflecting the many innovations in the construction industry and expanding the coverage to a larger part of the overall industry. Revised editions have been published over the past decade, most recently in 2018. Included in the 2018 revision was the addition of 10 74 49, a new designation in Division 10 ‘Specialties’ that helps ensure ADA compliance – “Modular Landing and Ramp Systems”. In this post we’ll define what modular landing and ramp systems are, their applications in commercial and residential buildings today, and why they are a popular, viable, convenient and cost-effective solution when spec’ing new or existing construction projects What is 10 74 49? 10 74 49 is a new designation added to CSI MasterFormat Division 10 ‘Specialties’ in 2018 that designates “Modular Landing and Ramp Systems” as a recognized product solution for ADA compliance. It is confirmation for architects, designers, and contractors that modular landing and ramp systems are convenient, cost-effective and legal solutions they can use in their master specs. Why is 10 74 49 important for ADA compliance? 10 74 49 is important because it gives flexibility to architects, designers, contractors, and facility owners when assessing their ADA compliance in entryways and access points (Getting Through the Door). For existing buildings, facility owners and managers are often faced with the challenge of having to modify their facilities, sometimes of antiquated architectural design, while trying to interpret the sometimes conflicting or confusing statutory language of the ADA. The ADA “requires the removal of architectural barriers…that are structural in nature…where such removal is readily achievable, i.e. easily accomplishable, and able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense.” Altered facilities must comply with new construction standards to the maximum extent feasible, and retrofit products like modular landings and ramp systems are most often considered the optimal solution. For new construction, the ADA requires a builder to incorporate accessibility by design, construction methods and products used. Unfortunately, if slight mistakes are made, even down to fractions of an inch, then retrofit accessibility products can provide a solution so that all newly constructed facilities, either commercial or public, fulfill all necessary accessibility requirements. Additionally, with the continuing evolution of the Americans with Disabilities Act and potential additions to disabilities laws in the future, the flexibility that modular landings and ramp systems provide gives architects, designers and contractors the confidence to apply them in their master specs, often increasing their profitability and efficiency in the grand scheme of things. 3 Real Examples of Modular Landing and Ramp Systems used for ADA compliance 1 – Existing Commercial Facility Shane Berg, of Berg Construction Services, encountered this exact type of situation while making renovations to an existing commercial facility, and using a combination of modular landings and ramp systems he was able to satisfy all of the requirements the inspector requested. As Shane puts it, “The inspector came by today, looked at the ramps and he loves them! He researched you guys at SafePath Products online and he is going to recommend this solution to other contractors.” He continued, “This was a HUGE headache for us. The vinyl floor is asbestos and we would otherwise be building a prohibitively expensive aluminum ramp or trying to build it out of concrete, which would chip over time. Glad we were able to find you guys! We’re going to adhere the ramps down today with the Sikaflex you recommended.” 2 – New and Existing Residential Homes Since 1989 Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter has sought to provide affordable housing solutions to hardworking and deserving families. As they continue to build and renovate safe, decent and affordable housing for the families in their community they chose to utilize modular landings and ramp systems to maximize their available budget. “Thank you SafePath Products for your gracious donation to Habitat for Humanity of Lake-Sumter, Florida that we valued in the amount of $1,823,” said Kent Adcock, CEO. “The contribution of your company demonstrates the belief that, one family at a time, we can end substandard housing in our communities. We are assigning this donation to help cover the direct and indirect costs related to ADA compliant construction, rehabilitation and home preservation.” To see more, visit Habitat Lake-Sumter & SafePath Products 3 – Mary Helen Rogers Senior Community Center Working with HKIT Architects and Cahill Construction in 2017, SafePath Products helped solve a threshold height problem at the Mary Helen Rogers Senior Community Center in San Francisco by developing an entry-level landing made from 100% recycled tire rubber that had the look and feel of grey granite and exceeded the federal and state regulatory requirements. Incorporated with field-verified weep hole locations for exact placement of drainage channeling at all weep holes throughout the length of the door and window systems, this cost-effective solution provided functional, attractive, slip resistant and safe balcony surfaces for the tenants. Ancillary benefits also included sound-reduction qualities and one of the highest static coefficient surface rates (SCOF) available in existing building materials in the industry. It also diverted 4,785 pounds of used tire rubber from the landfill. Key Takeaways In closing, we hope that the information we’ve provided on CSI MasterFormat designation 10 74 49 is both useful and relevant to you in your profession. A few of the key takeaways include: For more information on the benefits and utility of
