Selecting ADA-Compliant Floor Grating Supplier

Useful Tips from Experienced Grating Suppliers

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was a landmark piece of legislation passed in 1990. It includes the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, which specifies the standards and codes that must be followed in any construction project to ensure fair accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The specifications include everything from the number of required handicapped spots in a parking lot to the maximum allowable slope of a ramp.  (Title I of the ADA Standards covers Employment, Title II covers State and Local Government, and Title III covers Public Accommodations and Commercial Facilities. Titles II and III were updated in 2010.)

In this article we’ll take a look at how ADA standards impact floor grating by specifying the maximum opening size in ground and floor surfaces. Businesses must adhere to these regulations both for their own employees and for anyone who may use their facilities. Whether you are scouting grating suppliers for a new installation or to change the existing floor grating at your facility, it’s important to know what compliance requirements entail and what to look for.     

ADA Regulations for Floor Grating

The ADA Standards for Accessible Design specify several regulations applicable to floor and ground surfaces, including firmness, stability, and slip resistance, as well as rules for carpets, changes in floor level, and maximum opening size in floor grating.

• The maximum allowable opening in a floor surface is ½ inch. Research has shown that wheelchair casters can get stuck in grating that have openings large enough to allow a ½ inch diameter sphere to fall through.
• It is critical to consider the dominant travel direction. ADA rules specify that grating with elongated, rectangular openings are permissible only if three conditions are met:

1. There must be a dominant flow pattern to foot and wheelchair traffic.
2. The grating must be aligned such that the long opening dimension is perpendicular to the dominant travel direction.
3. The short opening dimension must not exceed ½ inch.

• If there is no dominant travel direction, openings must be limited to a width of ½ inch in both dimensions. This condition usually applies to open spaces where wheelchairs can be expected to move in any direction, unlike on walkways where the flow of traffic is well-defined.

Interstate Gratings Supplies a Wide Variety of ADA-Compliant Options

Buyers often find it advantageous to install our ADA-compliant floor grating even in places where the law does not require them to do so. For instance, material handling platforms and mezzanines subject to continuous cart and dolly traffic should keep openings under ½ inch wide to ensure that cart and dolly wheels can roll over grating smoothly.

We also offer grating with especially narrow ¼^” inch openings that can prevent intrusion by most high-heeled shoes. Keeping grating openings even smaller than the minimum required by ADA standards, is a wise choice in venues that experience diverse foot traffic and a variety of footwear.

At Interstate Gratings, our team of expert CAD designers take ADA regulations into account when they design floor grating. We also supply and offer a skid-resistant (IG GritWeld™) finish that can be applied to minimize the risk of slipping for both wheelchair and foot traffic. Interested buyers can find all our ADA-compliant grating marked with a blue wheelchair symbol in our catalog.

Established in 2007, our company has earned its spot among the top grating suppliers and provides a range of options. For more information on our ADA-compliant floor grating (available in carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum) please contact us today.