New DOJ Reviews to Include 2010 ADA Standard

2010 Standard references International Building Code for accessible means of egress requirements

Codes and standards developed by the International Code Council are referenced in the newest federal accessibility regulations. Beginning March 15, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will review construction projects for compliance using either the 1994 ADAAG or 2010 ADA Standard for Accessible Design regulations. While architects, engineers, designers and builders can currently use either edition of the regulation for compliance, in about a year (March 15, 2012), the 2010 regulations will be mandatory.

Many provisions in the 2010 ADA Standard are coordinated with regulations in the International Building Code (IBC) and ICC A117.1-2003 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities. Sections 207.1 and 207.2 of the 2010 ADA Standard, for example, reference the 2000 and 2003 IBC for accessible means of egress. The IBC and A117 are developed and published by the Code Council.

“Examples of the IBC and 2010 ADA Standard coordination are the scoping for cells in jails and seating in large assembly spaces,” said ICC Senior Staff Architect and secretariat of the Council’s Means of Egress/Accessibility code development committee Kim Paarlberg. “The 2010 ADA Standard will match the format and many of the technical requirements in the 2003 A117.1. The most obvious will be configurations for single-occupant bathrooms and stairway handrails.”

The ICC A117.1-2009 includes an entire new chapter on accessibility for all types of recreational facilities from pools to playgrounds, and will be referenced in the 2012 IBC. “We are very proud of the U.S. Access Board recognizing ICC as experts in emergency evacuation procedures that will address everyone, including those that may need assistance,” Paarlberg said.

The ICC website offers a free comparison matrix (www.iccsafe.org/ADAAG-Matrix) of the 1994 ADAAG, the 2004 ADA/ABA Guidelines (now the 2010 ADA Standard) and the 2006 or 2009 IBC with the ICC A117.1-2003. The publication Significant Changes to the ICC A11.1 Accessibility Standards 2009 Edition is another resource for building officials, plans examiners, inspectors and designers. More information, including free downloadable brochures, is available at www.iccsafe.org/accessibility.

The International Code Council, a membership association dedicated to building safety, fire prevention and energy efficiency, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties and states choose the International Codes, building safety codes developed by the International Code Council. The International Codes also serve as the basis for construction of federal properties around the world, and as a reference for many nations outside the United States.