Complying with Science

Taking the hazard out

Students like Michael must be warned of the existence and location of hazardous circumstances. At Westmount, the doors to storage rooms that contain hazardous substances have knurled handles to alert blind users to the potential danger. The lab has gas jets at the lab benches, and therefore has a red “mushroom” emergency button that shuts off both gas and electricity throughout the lab when pushed. This button is recessed into the wall near the door to prevent inadvertent activation, and also has Braille instructions and a tactile warning strip to alert the blind to its presence and function. The button is also mounted within the reach range of a person in a wheelchair.

Additional considerations in lab design for the disabled include the

Accessible Work Station

provision of adjustable height seat, table and display surfaces that allow flexibility in the use of the facility and use by the disabled. In some instances, handrails or handgrips may be provided to assist some individuals at workstations or when using tools. While many manufacturers are producing materials, equipment and signage that is alleged to be ADA compliant, facility planners should carefully analyze both the design of the item and its specific use in the facility before including the item in a new lab design. A thorough review of the ADAAG in planning a lab facility can identify areas of concern.

Although there are a number of gray areas that will be more fully defined in the courts, specific references in the ADAAG, such as the 6½-inch maximum sink depth, are mandatory. Other less specific issues, such as the appropriate mounting height and arrangement of an emergency shower and eyewash fountain, require the logical analysis of related regulations.

This article appeared first in American School & University magazine in the May 1995 edition.