As an event organizer, you should know the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and how it affects your portable bathroom facilities. The ADA is a civil law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, education, transportation, and access to public services.
Portable toilets must comply with the ADA to be accessible to all individuals, regardless of their physical abilities. For example, wheelchair-accessible porta potties must have grab bars and larger turning radiuses to accommodate individuals with mobility impairments.
Read more: Wheelchair Accessible Porta Potties: How Many Should You Have at Your Event.
However, portable restroom compliance with the ADA is often overlooked or misunderstood. As a result, many businesses are not providing adequate accessibility for their customers, employees, and other individuals with disabilities.
Here are six of the most common ADA bathroom compliance mistakes:
Not Providing Adequate Accessibility for Individuals With Disabilities
If you have an outdoor event, you may need to provide additional accessibility features, such as wheelchair-accessible portable toilets. These porta potties are larger in size to accommodate people with disabilities and have features like grab bars to make them easier to use.
All entrances to your business should be marked with visible signs from a distance. The signs should include the International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA), the universal symbol for accessibility.
Not Having Grab Bars in Wheelchair-Accessible Porta Potties
Grab bars are essential in ensuring porta potties are accessible to people with disabilities. People in wheelchairs may have issues getting in and out of the porta-potty without grab bars.
According to ADA-recommended guidelines, there should be two grab bars in a wheelchair-accessible porta potty: one near the toilet and one on the wall next to the door.
Not Having Larger Turning Radiuses
Portable toilets must have larger turning radiuses to comply with the ADA. The standard radius is 60 inches, but portable toilets need to be at least 66 inches. This is because people in wheelchairs need extra space to maneuver.
Also, make sure that the space around the toilet is clear. There should be around 30 inches of space on both sides of the toilet and 48 inches in front.
The Doors
One common mistake is not having the correct door hardware. There should be a lever handle on the entry door to the restroom so that it can be easily opened with one hand. The door should also swing outwards to provide more space for people who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices.
Proper Emptying and Cleaning of the Toilet
The ADA requires that all public restrooms be properly emptied and cleaned regularly. The waste should be disposed of in a sanitary manner, and the toilet should be cleaned with a disinfectant.
The toilet should be maintained in good working condition at all times. This includes ensuring that the flush valve is functioning correctly, the water supply is adequate, and there are no leaks.
For ADA-compliant porta potty in Atlanta, call Quick Relief Solutions. As the top provider of construction sites and event portable restrooms in Atlanta, we ensure full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
