Wisconsin Legislature: Chapter DCF 52 Appendix B

APPENDIX B

FACILITY ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

1 Ramped or grade level entrance or porchlift required if residents are not capable of negotiating stairs.

2 Two-foot 6-inch passage way doors are permitted in existing buildings.

3 An elevator, lift or ramp must meet the applicable DSPS requirements.

4 May be omitted if use of other floors is restricted to ambulatory or semiambulatory residents physically capable of negotiating stairs or if there are no one-of-a-kind, common-use areas located on these floors.

5 Must meet the resident to bathroom facilities ratio requirements in s. DCF 52.53.

6 Not required in rooms used only by ambulatory residents who do not require any means of support through use of canes, crutches, walkers or wheelchairs.

7 Required when other hardware creates a barrier or is difficult to use safely by residents with manual strength or dexterity limitations.

An exterior ramp is a sloping walk or structure having a gradient greater than 1:20 that provides access to or a means of exit from a building. An exterior ramp shall meet the following specifications:

a. Width. A minimum width of 48 inches, of which not more than 4 inches on each side may be occupied by a handrail, and a slip-resistant surface.

b. Gradient. A gradient not greater than a 1:12 slope.

c. Handrails. Graspable handrails as follows:

- A ramp with a gradient greater than 1:20 but less than 1:12 shall have a handrail on at least one side of the ramp.

- A ramp with a gradient of 1:12 shall have handrails on both sides of the ramp.

- A ramp shall have a handrail on a side where the adjacent terrain exceeds a 1:4 downward slope away from the ramp.

d. Handrail height. A handrail mounted so that the top is between 30 inches and 34 inches above the ramp surface.

e. Midrails. If open-sided, having an intermediate parallel rail located at mid-height between a handrail and the ramp surface.

f. Handrail clearance. A clear space of at least 11/2 inches between a handrail and any adjoining wall.

g. Ramp clearance. The floor on each side of an accessible doorway shall be level for a distance of 5 feet from the door, and the ramp shall have a level platform at least 5 feet long where it turns and at least 5 feet of level clearance at the bottom.

h. Rest platform. A ramp longer than 30 feet in length shall have a 5-foot long level platform after each 30-foot length of ramp.