Ada approved?

[Nic Miele]

Hey everyone!
I had a question asked to me today and I didn't know the correct answer to respond to him, but I knew one of you would! lol

Do haunts have to be ADA approved?
If not, how do you get around it?

Also if they don't have to be ADA approved and we do make smaller hallways that are real narrow how would you get around it for a stretcher?


Thanks!
-Nic

[Front Yard Fright]

Depends on where your attraction is. Some cities require it, some don't. I suggest talking to your local officials about what requirements you'll have to adhere to.

[Farmer]

Yeah, I would check with local authorities. The fire marshal is going to want means of egress so ADA usually goes along with that as far as accessibility. In our market, sometimes being outside city limits helps, such as county jurisdiction. Some old buildings with naturally narrow corridors may be grandfathered in beyond the rules.
Overall, the bottom line is, check with the local fire marshal and building inspectors.

[rwrussom]

These questions come up on a regular basis and as an architect I can offer up the code answer as well as what turns out to be the practical realities.

ADA is a federal law and incorporated in ever states code. That means in general terms, yes it needs to be complied with. While some may try to argue that temporary uses or structures do not need to comply, that is simple not the case. Check out a traveling circus or carnival and you will find many accommodations to the accessibility requirements. The grey area of the law exists for amusement rides and maybe things like haunted houses. Only draft code has been written to address these unique areas. That is why we can comply by providing assistance and bypasses.
The fire marshal requirements will get you most of the way there. Any alarming or emergency lighting will by default have to meet the requirements. Basic exit requirements require a 36" wide exit path of travel. That covers ADA single direction hallway issues. It does not cover the turns, but I have never heard of anyone verifying that. Most places look for compliance wherever possible: accessible parking, path of travel to ticket and entrance, counter height at ticket booth, accessible bathroom, etc.

For the most part it is all pretty easy

[lonewolfmage]

Re: ADA requirements

Greeetings~

Even though I don't post post here very often ... I though I would offer my "2 copper coins" of advice here ..If i may.

What rwrussom said is 100% correct as far as the "allowances" for being ADA compliant.

I have been through it myself as well, and with NY being ONE OF the stirctest states for things .. when we did our "outdoor.. enclosed haunt" when we did the desinging we made SURE (even though it was temporary) that the walk-ways were MORE THAN compliant.

What we did essentially is take a 4x8 sheet of ply wood ( or osb) and based our haunt off of that "template".

Mind you we were building in a back yard and built walls and such .. but with that "template" it left more than enough room for ADA compliance as well as "actor passage ways" . The fire marshal, building inspector AND the City Mayor was impressed as to what we did and how we were able to fit so much in such a small area .. and still make it 110% (yes you are reading right) ADA compliant.

Just someting to think about ... Better sometime to be OVERLY compliant .. then "skimp" on what needs to be done.


Just my "2 copper coins" of advice

~LoneWolf

[deathstaste]

not only

not only do you want to be compliant for the sake of the law you might be turning away customers if they happen to be wheel chair bound and their money is as good as everyone else. You might also consider if you want a really narrow area to have a bypass route.