What is the ADA?

ADA is an abbreviation for the Americans with Disabilities Act that strives to ensure accessibility to a wide variety of access-challenged individuals. The ADA is not a typical regulation used in the construction of private residences that do not house a disabled person. ADA serves as guidance to commercial venues regarding the accessible installation of cabinetry and other construction. The parameters outlined by the ADA are specific and often confusing if one is unfamiliar with commercial construction. The following is an example from the ADA Standards for Accessible Design from the section titled Protruding Objects (28CFR36, 4.4.1):

“Objects projecting from walls with their leading edges between 27″ and 80″ above the finished floor (AFF) shall protrude no more than 4″ into walks, halls, corridors, passageways, or aisles. Note that a surface-mounted cabinet installed in such a way that any part of it falls between 27″ and 80″ AAF would not meet ADA requirements.”
Construction of cabinetry on commercial properties must conform to applicable ADA Standards, but that is a matter that the contracting agent of such a project should be fully aware of in order to ensure compliance. Any questions concerning the proper application of ADA Standards can be addressed by referencing the ADA website at http://www.ada.gov/.