C2A-KS14

Question 1

How do the accessibility provisions appear in the California Building Code?

Answer 1

The accessibility provisions are found in Chapter 11 and are divided into 2 Sections:

1. 11A— Housing Accessibility
2. 11B — Accessibility to Public Buildings, Public Accommodations, Commercial Buildings and Publicly Funded Housing

Note: Chapter 11 of the International Building Code is also the accessibility chapter (not broken into two parts) and California has created its own accessibility regulations.

A good publication for your reference library is California Accessibility Reference Manual — An Illustrated Guide to Title 24 and the ADA Requirements for Accessible Design and Construction published by Builder’s Book Inc. (Notice the incorrect use of Title 24 as they are really referring to Chapter 11 of the California Building Code).

Question 2

What projects are expert from the accessibility provisions of the CBC?

Answer 2

Exemptions:

1. Privately funded single family homes and duplexes
2. Privately funded multi-family projects of three (3) or less units in a condominium project

Question 3

What is the purpose of the California accessibility requirements?

Answer 3

It is the intent of the California Legislature that the building standards published in the California Building Standards Code (Title 24) relating to accessibility by people with
disabilities shall be used as minimum requirements to ensure that buildings, structures, and related facilities are accessible to, and functional for, every member of the public, so as to provide equal opportunity to access public accommodations.

Access is to be provided to, through, and within the buildings, without loss of function, space, or facility where the general public is concerned.

Question 4

Why are the California Building Standards Code (Title 24) requirements more stringent than the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements?

Answer 4

-The regulations in California were developed by the Division of the State Architect, Access Compliance, eight years before the United States Congress passed the ADA.

-The current California Building Standards Code was written to provide a single code which would meet all of the most stringent requirements of the original California
Building Standards Code, as well as the 1991 Federal Fair Housing Amendments Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines.

Question 5

Who is the building official?

Answer 5

• The “building official” is the officer or other designated authority charged with the administration and enforcement of this code, or the building official’s duly authorized representative in accordance with state law.
• Local cities and counties have building officials who regulate construction in their jurisdiction. State funded construction on state property is often regulated by a state agency, such as the Division of the State Architect.
• Sometimes public construction has more than one building official — each has separate jurisdictional oversight responsibilities.

Question 6

Can I get a waiver from the access requirements?

Answer 6

The California Building Standards Code says that you must get a final determination from the local building official that your project has an unreasonable hardship. This is rarely granted for new construction. Existing buildings undergoing alteration are sometimes allowed to depart from the literal requirements of the building code only
when equivalent facilitation is provided.

Question 7

Can DSA help me settle a dispute I am having with my local building inspector who says I must provide access to my restaurant?

Answer 7

No, because DSA is a separate jurisdiction. By law, only the local building authority can make a final determination as to code enforcement issues.

Question 8

Accessibility Provisions can be divided into three main categories (for the ease of remembering)

Answer 8

1. Site Accessibility
2. Building Accessibility
3. Public Restrooms/Showers

Note: We will also look at accommodations for the sight impaired and hearing impaired

Question 9

Sidewalks

No steps or abrupt level changes exceeding

Answer 9

1/2”

Question 10

Sidewalks

Walkways min. width

Answer 10

48” (exception — clear width may be reduced to 36” if enforcing agency determines compliance would create undue hardship)

Question 11

Sidewalks

Max. surface cross slope is

Answer 11

1/4”

Question 12

Accessible parking / van parking

Parking Space minimum dimension

Answer 12

9’x18’ with 5’ wide no parking strip at typical parking stall

and

8’ wide no parking strip at van parking stall

Question 13

Curb cuts

provide detectable warning strips, max. slope

Answer 13

8.33%

Question 14

Passenger loading zones

When provided, passenger drop-off and loading zones are to be located on

Answer 14

accessible route of travel

Question 15

Passenger loading zones

Where provided, 1 passenger drop-off and loading zone provides and access aisle which is at least

Answer 15

5’ wide and 20’ long adjacent and parallel to vehicle pull-up space

Question 16

Building entrance

Accessibility to buildings or portions of buildings shall be provided for all occupancy classifications except

Answer 16

as modified or enhanced by this chapter (1103B.1 CBC)

Question 17

Entrances & Exits

All entrances and exterior ground floor exit doors to buildings shall be

Answer 17

made accessible to persons with disabilities

Question 18

Doors

Doorways shall have a minimum clear opening of

Answer 18

32” with the door open 90 degree, measured between the face of the door and the opposite stop

Question 19

Doors

Every required exit doorway shall be not less than

Answer 19

3’-0” wide and not less than 6’-8” in Height

Question 20

Doors

Level landing and clear area in direction of door swing to be minimum

Answer 20

60” in length

Question 21

Stairs

Stairways shall have handrails on

Answer 21

each side

Exception:

Stairways 44” or less in width can have 1 handrail

Question 22

Stairs

Stairways shall have at least 1 intermediate handrail for

Answer 22

Stairways required to be more than 88” wide shall have at least 1 intermediate handrail for each 88” of required width

Exception:

Stairways 44” or less in width can have 1 handrail

Question 23

Stairs

Handrail height is

Answer 23

34” — 38” above the nosing of the tread

Question 24

Stairs

Extending handrails extend a min. of

Answer 24

12” beyond the top of the nosing and 12” plus tread width beyond the bottom nosing

Question 25

Stairs Handrails projecting from a wall to have___space between wall and handrail

Answer 25

1 1/2"

Question 26

Stairs Handgrip portion of handrails to have a cross section of

Answer 26

1 1/4" to 1 1/2"

Question 27

Stairs Minimum depth of stair treads is

Answer 27

11" Open risers are not permitted

Question 28

Stairs Nosings do not project more than ___ past the face of the riser below

Answer 28

1 1/2"

Question 29

Ramps A path of travel with a slope greater than ___ is considered a ramp

Answer 29

1:20 (5% gradient)

Question 30

Ramps The width of ramps is as required for stairways and exits. Pedestrian ramps have a minimum width of

Answer 30

48"

Question 31

Ramps Pedestrian ramps serving entrances to building where the ramp is the only exit discharge or serves an occupant load of 300 or more shall have a minimum width of

Answer 31

60"

Question 32

Ramps Ramps serving Group R occupancies shall have a ___ clear width when the occupant load is less than 60"

Answer 32

36"

Question 33

Ramps The maximum slope of ramps serving any exit way or slope in the path of travel is ___

Answer 33

1:12 (8.33% gradient)

Question 34

Ramps The minimum landing width is ___. The minimum landing length in the direction of ramp run is 60"

Answer 34

60"

Question 35

Ramps Cross slope of ramp surfaces not to be greater than ___

Answer 35

1:50 (2% slope)

Question 36

Elevators In buildings 2 or more stories in height, served by an elevator, or a building served by an elevator required by Chapter 11B, or a building served by an elevator required for accessibility by Section 109.1, all elevators shall accommodate a ___.

Answer 36

wheelchair Note: Passenger elevators shall be accessible Exceptions: - When enforcing agency determines that compliance would create unreasonable hardship - These provisions shall not apply to existing buildings when legal or physical constraints do not allow compliance without creating unreasonable hardship

Question 37

Elevators Minimum clear width for elevator doors is ___.

Answer 37

36" (when approved by building official, min. door width may be reduced to 32")

Question 38

Elevators Elevator floor buttons are located no higher than ___ above the floor for side approach, ___ for front approach

Answer 38

- 54" above the floor for side approach | - 48" for front approach

Question 39

Hardware Exit doors shall be openable from

Answer 39

the inside without the use of a key or any special knowledge or effort (there are a few exceptions but beyond our scope)

Question 40

Hardware Locking/Latching Doors — if hand operated, to be operable with

Answer 40

a single effort (lever, panic bar, push/pull)

Question 41

Hardware Opening Hardware — hand activated door opening hardware shall be centered between

Answer 41

30" and 44" above floor

Question 42

Drinking fountains Drinking fountain to be ___ minimum in depth, with a knee space of ___ minimum in height, ___ in depth from the front, and 30" in width

Answer 42

Drinking fountain to be 18" minimum in depth, with a knee space of 27" minimum in height, 8" in depth from the front, and 30" in width

Question 43

Drinking fountains A toe clearance of ___ in height and ___ in depth from the front edge. A side approach drinking fountain is not acceptable

Answer 43

A toe clearance of 9" in height and 17" in depth from the front edge. A side approach drinking fountain is not acceptable

Question 44

Urinals Where urinals are provided, at least 1 shall provide a clear floor space of ___ in front of the urinal to allow for forward approach

Answer 44

30" x 48"

Question 45

Urinals Walls within ___ front and sides of urinal to be smooth, hard, and non-absorbent up to ___ in height

Answer 45

Walls within 24" front and sides of urinal to be smooth, hard, and non-absorbent up to 48" in height

Question 46

Urinals Flush control height to be maximum ___ above the floor

Answer 46

Flush control height to be maximum 44" above the floor

Question 47

Lavatory Provide clear floor space minimum ___ wide x ___ long, to allow for forward approach

Answer 47

Provide clear floor space minimum 30" wide x 48" long, to allow for forward approach

Question 48

Lavatory Height to counter surface to be ___ maximum

Answer 48

34"

Question 49

Lavatory Provide minimum ___ clearance from bottom of apron to floor, knee clearance under front lip to be minimum ___ high

Answer 49

Provide minimum 29" clearance from bottom of apron to floor, knee clearance under front lip to be minimum 27" high

Question 50

Lavatory Operation requirements

Answer 50

Faucets to be lever-operated, push type, or electronically operated

Question 51

Lavatory Maximum height of mirror is ___ to the bottom edge of the reflecting surface

Answer 51

40"

Question 52

Toilet Facilities There shall be a ___ minimum circular turning diameter. If door opens into this area, it cannot encroach over ___

Answer 52

There shall be a 60" minimum circular turning diameter. If door opens into this area, it cannot encroach over 12"

Question 53

Toilet Facilities Grab bar to withstand ___ lbs point load

Answer 53

Grab bar to withstand 250 lbs point load

Question 54

Toilet Facilities Grab bar, side wall — minimum length ___ with front end positioned ___ in front of the water closet

Answer 54

Grab bar, side wall — minimum length 42" with front end positioned 24" in front of the water closet

Question 55

Toilet Facilities Grab bar, rear wall — minimum length is 36"

Answer 55

Grab bar, rear wall — minimum length is ___

Question 56

Toilet Facilities Grab bar height is ___ above and parallel to the floor

Answer 56

Grab bar height is 33" above and parallel to the floor

Question 57

Toilet Facilities Grab bar cross section___ to ___ in diameter

Answer 57

Grab bar cross section 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" in diameter

Question 58

Toilet Facilities Toilet to be minimum 17" to 19" maximum in height

Answer 58

Toilet to be minimum 17" to 19" maximum in height

Question 59

Sight Impaired Building requirements

Answer 59

- Audible fire alarms - Tactile warning strips at areas for low hanging overhead projections or changes in floor elevations - Braille signage as required

Question 60

Hearing Impaired Building requirements

Answer 60

- Flashing strobe fire alarms - Text telephone stations - Assisted listening devices

Question 61

True or false The Building and Safety plan checker is reviewing the drawings for compliance with the accessibility provisions of the California Building Code and ADA,

Answer 61

False The Building and Safety plan checker is only reviewing the drawings for compliance with the accessibility provisions of the California Building Code, Chapter IIA or 11B. They do not review for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. PLEASE REMEMBER THIS: The local Building & Safety Plan Checker is ONLY checking (in terms of compliance) for compliance with the accessibility requirements of the California Building Code. They are not reviewing for ADA (to be discussed in Knowledge Statement #25). I've had two candidates in my seminar not fully understand this at the end of the day (even though we spent a lot of time on it earlier in the day). Accessibility IS checked for, but only for compliance with the California Building Code. So make sure you are clear about this.

Question 62

Corridors Any corridor serving as a required exit for an occupant load more than 10 shall not be less than ___ in width

Answer 62

Any corridor serving as a required exit for an occupant load more than 10 shall not be less than 44" in width

Question 63

Corridors Any corridor serving as a required exit for an occupant load less than 10 shall not be less than ___ in width

Answer 63

Any corridor serving as a required exit for an occupant load less than 10 shall not be less than 36" in width

Question 64

Corridors Corridors and hallways on an accessible route over ___ must have a minimum ___ turning space

Answer 64

Corridors and hallways on an accessible route over 200' must have a minimum 60"x60" turning space