In the U.S., an estimated 2.7 million individuals 15 years old or older use a wheelchair. An additional 9.1 million use an assistive device for mobility, such as a walker, cane, or crutches.
For all of these citizens, use of wheelchair ramps can be either an essential mobility aid or significant safety feature. Fortunately, the Americans with Disability Act of 1990 required ramps for all public accommodations. They are part of inclusive design, in which any design for new construction, or retrofitting for older buildings, must take into account the needs of individuals with disabilities.
ADA stipulations include the length of ramps (they are not to be over 30 feet) and ramp slope mandates. For commercial buildings, for example, they are to be built with a 1:12 ratio, so that 12 inches are required to reach every 1 inch of height.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers these mobility devices essential for what it terms healthy living. In other words, it is not a condition which requires an assistive device that makes people less than optimally healthy, but barriers—such as lack of wheelchair ramps—that impede access to healthcare and activities that promote health.
The CDC notes that access to public areas and commercial and municipal activities such as that facilitated by ramps helps to ensure that individuals with disabilities remain as healthy as possible both physically and mentally. Without the access provided by ramps, for example, the risk of depression is much higher.
If you need help with the enforcement of the ADA regulations concerning wheelchair ramps or other assistive devices, please contact us.