The ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act, is critical civil rights legislation signed in 1990. The act asserts that companies have to take every possible measure to permit individuals who have disabilities to appreciate the same services and products available to other patrons.
It also covers the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission to ensure that employees aren’t discriminated against due to a disability.
The guidelines below will assist you as a restaurant owner to recognize the ADA requirements, and comply with them so that your restaurant may be an accessible and positive place for all employees and customers.
We can provide you with expert guidance and, of course, we can take care of all ADA signage considerations, inside and out.
Customer Accessibility
The main hurdle that restaurants face while handling ADA compliance is barrier removal. The following is a list of the kinds of barriers that must be removed in all structures and avoided in new structures being built.
ADA.gov has a list of specific, detailed requirements for fixing all the following issues.
Architectural Barriers
Customers who have disabilities will appreciate more than parking spaces close to your restaurant. They also require suitable space to get out of their cars, and an accessible, clear pathway into your restaurant from that point.
The entranceway has to be flush with the ground or has to have a ramp that has safety rails and a small slope so that patrons using wheelchairs might enter. If there isn’t any way to make the main entrance accessible and there are other entrances that could be, you must open those to the general public and note where this entrance can be found.
If your restaurant is located in a building on the third floor without an elevator, for instance, it’s possible to comply with ADA regulations by making your services obtainable for delivery to patrons’ cars or homes.
Doors
Even if disabled patrons might approach your restaurant easily, they might have a difficult time getting in if your entrance isn’t ADA compliant. Entrances have to be at least 36” in width to accommodate patrons in wheelchairs.
Handles must not require turning or squeezing – this accommodates patrons who have mobility disabilities such as arthritis. Lever and loop style handles are compliant, panel and knob styles aren’t.
Restrooms
It’s vital to ensure that your bathrooms are accessible to disabled patrons, which includes wheelchair users and blind customers. Check out the following planning guide for in-depth directions to assist you in designing an ADA compliant bathroom in your establishment.
Signs
You can rest assured that your signs are ADA-compliant by using our team. We understand ADA regulations and can ensure that your signs are the right sizes and that they use the best fonts and graphics to ensure accessibility.
We also provide professional installation to make sure that the signs are installed in the correct locations and at the best heights.
If you’re not sure how many signs you need or whether your existing signage needs updating, we will be happy to advise you, making sure that you purchase the signs that you need, no more and no less.
For more information on our ADA signs for restaurants, contact James River Signs today at (757) 598-4036.
