Front Approach Clearance at Doors

[jl3]

Hi All,

We have a door going into a locker room of an outdoor pool that will always be kept propped open during business hours and closed/locked only when the pool is closed. The owner wants a 4'-0" door here and our hallway is about 4'-2", I'm not sure we can do this with ADA but wasn't clear if the maneuvering clearances still apply if the door will always be open. There is a description of the maneuvering clearance only needing to be the width of the opening provided there is no latch or closer; we won't have a closer but there would be a latch - could we simply provide a lock/trim where the latch can be retracted?

 

[RLGA]

If the opening has a door, they will apply the appropriate maneuvering clearance for an opening with a door. The maneuvering clearance works both ways, so you have to look at the door from both sides.

If the door swings into the locker room from the hallway (push side), then the maneuvering clearance only needs to be the width of the door if only a latch is provided (it requires both a latch and a closer to have the added 12-inch space on the latch side).

Approach from the locker room side (pull side) will require added space on the latch side of the door. The added space dimension depends on the approach to the door. This could be anywhere from 18 inches (forward approach) to 42 inches for a hinge side approach in a 54-inch wide pathway. If the pathway can be 60 inches wide, then the added space can be reduced to 36 inches.

Refer to Figures 404.2.4.1 (2010 ADA Standards) and 404.2.3.2 (ANSI A117.1-2009).

 

[Yikes]

Hi All,

We have a door going into a locker room of an outdoor pool that will always be kept propped open during business hours and closed/locked only when the pool is closed.

Here's an acceptable option under the ADA Standards:

 

[RLGA]

That ADA exception may work; however, I would ask ”How will the door be propped open?” In my opinion, a wedge would not be appropriate—someone other than security could easily remove it, either intentionally or accidentally. The mechanism used to hold the door open should be able to hold the door in an open position without unauthorized tampering.

 

[Yikes]

Ron, I typically see this at school campuses and sports stadiums, where there are extra large chain link gates. I those cases, when the gates are opened up they chain or padlock them into the open position.

Something like this could be done, but with a padlock or cable lock instead of a hook:

 

[1Roger]

Or use a lockable cane bolt.