ADA Guidelines Light the Way

When designing and constructing public buildings, architects must adhere to The Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, to ensure safety and accessibility for all disabled people. Established in 1990, the act aims to provide people with disabilities equal opportunities in employment, education, transportation, and public services. These guaranteed standards must be upheld in the design of commercial buildings and public spaces, too, to ensure everyone can access hallways, bathrooms, and more.

A key design element to remember when construction begins is light fixtures and their placement within the layout. People who require scooters and wheelchairs are at a greater risk when navigating rooms with non-ADA compliant fixtures, while those who require assistance like walkers or crutches are even more likely to encounter issues like a fall or injury. Wave-LED provides its clients with 27 wall fixtures that are ADA compliant, moving one step closer to brightening the future of building design and construction for disabled patrons. Let’s take a closer look at the specifics and how Wave-LED lighting can help.

Specifications Make a Difference

The ADA requires safe construction and accessibility for all disabled people in public buildings. To be ADA compliant, fixtures must be installed below 27” (2’3”) or above 80” (6’8”) in height. For clarification, a light fixture placed below 80” (6’8”) in height that protrudes more than 4” from the wall of a walkway, passageway, or corridor, can create a risk of injury to wheelchair users who may bump into the fixture. Lighting that can be mounted between 27″ and 80″ from the ground, such as this 5″ Contemporary Cylinder Ribbon Wall Sconce, is a perfect option for an ADA-compliant fixture.

But it’s not only public spaces and buildings that benefit from the ADA guidelines. As a means to prevent unnecessary falls and injuries, consumer and residential homes can benefit from ADA lighting as well. Besides resulting in serious injuries, as of 2010, the enforcement of ADA-established regulations can consequentially lead to federal litigation. If a building is suspected of not being ADA-compliant, the Department of Justice could potentially file a lawsuit requiring compensation ranging from $55,000 for a first offense up to $110,000 for subsequent offenses.

Trusted Choice

To avoid injury, damages, or a court visit, it’s crucial to make the correct decision in selecting ADA compliant wall fixtures and bulkheads. Trust Wave-LED to light the way for all your building management and contractual needs. With 27 ADA compliant options, Wave-LED offers valuable solutions to guarantee the safety and accessibility of disabled people throughout every building.

All Wave-LED lighting fixtures, including our ADA-compliant choices, are sold through our electrical distribution partners. Find a Wave-LED distributor today by visiting: https://www.wave-led.com/wholesalers-distributors. Simply enter your zip or postal code into the search bar to discover an electrical distributor near you.

Read more at wave-led.com