Accessibility Checklist for Meetings and Conferences

General

• Hotel and/or facility staff trained to provide appropriate service to people with disabilities
• Registration desk accessible to wheelchair users
• Function rooms centrally located
• Hallways and Corridors Have a 36-inch (91.44-centimeter) Clearance and Occasional Spaces for Turning and Passing

Emergency Procedures

• Fire Alarm Pull Boxes Within Reach of all Guests
• Audible and Visible Fire Alarms in Public Spaces and Guest Rooms
• Emergency Exit Doors Clearly Marked
• Doors Leading to Potentially Dangerous Areas Identifiable by Textured Surfaces on the Handle, Knob or Pull
• Each Exit Door Equipped with a Panic Bar and Has at Least a 32-inch (81.28-centimeter) Clear Opening
• Facility Staff Instructed Regarding Needs of People with Disabilities in Emergencies

Guest Rooms

• At least 2 percent of sleeping rooms are barrier free (accessible to people with disabilities), with at least 1 percent of these having roll-in showers (ideally, all of the accessible features would not be present in one or two adapted rooms, but divided among at least three to five rooms
• Adapted Rooms with Options of King Bed or Two Doubles (Some Disabled People Travel with Personal Assistants)
• Adapted Rooms Located Near Elevators
• Door Handles Should be Levers
• Peepholes Usable by People with Disabilities
• Key Card System Should Allow Those with Dexterity Difficulties to Use it Effectively
• Doors and Hallways Inside Rooms Have 32-inch (81.28-centimeter) Clear Openings
• Furniture Placement Should Allow for Turning and Movement of a Wheelchair
• Bathroom Door Opens Outward
• Hot water pipes and drains wrapped in insulation or protective covering
• Toilets No Higher than 29 inches (73.66 centimeters) Off the Floor
• Sink and Tub Controls Easily Operated with a Closed Fist
• Grab Bars Mounted Securely by the Toilet and Tub or Shower (Rooms That are not Adapted, but Have Grab Bars in the
• Bathtub and Commode Areas, are Appreciated by Guests Who may not Define Themselves as Disabled but Who Need Extra Support Due to an Injury or Aging)
• Shower Chairs or Benches Made Available through Housekeeping Can Make a Non-Adapted Room Usable by a Person with a Disability if There is a Flexible Hose with a Hand-Held Shower Head in the Tub/Shower
• Housekeeping Should be Alerted to Place towels Within Reach of Person in a sitting Position
• In Rooms Adapted for Hearing-Impaired or Deaf Guests, Phones and Other Communication Devices Should be Equipped with Visual Cues (Lights)
• Access to Refrigerators for People Who Require Regular Medications That Must be Refrigerated

Function Rooms

• Centrally Located
• Doors Have at Least 32-inch (81.28-centimeter) Clearance
• Floors Non-Slip, Level and Negotiable by Unaccompanied People in Wheelchairs
• Lighting Should Be Non-Glare, Non-Reflecting and Non-Blinking
• Are heating/cooling systems so noisy as to make hearing difficult?

Entrances, Corridors and Stairs

• Approaches to building entrances should be hard surfaces at least 5 feet (1.52 meters) wide.
• Approaches to accessible entrances marked with the international symbol for access.
• Single-door entrances must be a minimum of 32 inches (81.28 centimeters) wide, double doors at least 48 inches (121.92 centimeters) wide.
• Accessible Doors Adjacent to all Revolving Doors and Unlocked
• Doors should be easily opened by a person in a wheelchair and should stay open long enough for the person to get through the door. (If doors stick or are heavy, door-opening devices should be put in place.) Automatic door openers should not operate in a manner that would be dangerous to guests.
• Door Sills Level With Inside to Outside Surfaces
• Door Mats Should be Stationary, Less than .5 inches (1.27 centimeters) Thick, and Flat or Recessed
• Handles, Pulls, Latches, Locks and Other Devices on Accessible Doors Should be Easily Grasped or Able to be Operated with a Closed Fist
• Easy-to-Grasp Handrails Installed on Both Sides of All Stairs
  Signage Inside Building Should be Visible to People in Wheelchairs
• Suspended Stairs Have Warning Devices to Alert People with Visual Impairments of Reduced Head Room
• All Levels of the Building Served by Elevators
• Elevator Doors Have 32-inch (81.28 centimeter) Clearance and Automatic Safety Reopening Devices
• Audible and Visible Signals Indicate Elevator Movement
  
  Internally, the elevator:
  has a space no greater than 1.25 inches (3.18 centimeters) between the floor and the platform.
  has a space large enough for a wheelchair user to turn and face the door.
  has call buttons free of obstructions to allow access by a wheelchair user.
  Control panels low enough to accommodate wheelchair users.
  Floor numbers are in Braille.

Restaurants and Lounges

• Self-Serve Counters No Higher Than 34 inches (86.36 centimeters)
• Buffet Lines 36 inches (91.44 centimeters) Wide with Turning Space at Corners
• Menus Available in Braille and Large Print
• Part of the Main Counter Accessible to Wheelchair Users
• Alternate Service Routes in Place if the Above Cannot be Achieved in an Older Building
• Entrances to Food Establishments Have Doors with 32-inch (81.28-centimeter) Clear Openings, Accessible Level Handles and Negotiable Thresholds
• Restaurant Staff Trained to Serve Guests with Disabilities (Menu Changes, Reading Menus, Tray Assistance, etc.)
• All Areas of Lounges Accessible, Including Tables, Aisles, Game Rooms and Dance Floors

Public Restrooms

• Accessible Restrooms Clearly Marked
• Doors Have a Clear Opening of at Least 32 inches (81.28 centimeters)
  
  Measurements Same as in Sleeping Rooms for:
  Height of Sink
  Protection of Hot Water Conduits
  Lever-Type Faucet Controls
  Grab Bar Placement
  Floor Space Clear for Approach to Stall and to Sinks
  Flush Controls Hand-Operated and Mounted No More Than 44 inches (111.76 centimeters) from Floor
  Men’s Restrooms Have at Least One Stall-Type or Wall-Hung Urinal with Elongated Rim at a Maximum Height of 17 inches (43.18 centimeters)

Water Fountains

• Positioned to be Accessible to Someone in a Wheelchair
• Controlled by Push Buttons or Easily Operated Levers
• Location Described for Visually Impaired People to Alert Them to a Possible Obstruction'

Transportation

• Lift Equipped Vehicles Available

Parking

• Designated Parking Spaces Located Within 200 feet (60.96 meters) of Building and Not Occupied by Maintenance Trucks, Employee Cars, or Cars of Able-Bodied Guests
• Number of Designated Spaces Corresponds to the ADA Guidelines: Generally One Designated Space Per Every 25 Total Spaces
• Designated Parking Spaces Clearly Identified by the International Symbol for Access
• Accessible Parking Spaces Have Adequate Clearance: 5- to 8-foot (1.52- to 2.44-meter) Wide Adjacent Aisle (Larger for Vans) and 98-inch (248.92-centimeter) Vertical Clearance for Vans Along the Route to the Accessible Parking Space
• If Parking Spaces are not Close to Building, Provide Valet Parking Curbside
• Access from Parking Lot to the Building Should be Clear of Loose Gravel and Other Impediments
• Passenger Loading Zone Should Have Curb Cuts and an
• Accessible Aisle Parallel to the Vehicle Pull-Up Space

Walks, Curbs and Ramps

• Slope of All Ramps is 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) of Rise to Every 12 inches (30.48 centimeters) of Run
• Sidewalks and Ramps at Least 36 inches (91.44 centimeters) wide
• Ramps Have Tactile Warning Surfaces and/or are Visible Through Color Change (Ramps Function for Wheelchair Users, People Pushing Baby Carriages and Bellhops…An Able-Bodied Person Needs the Surface Warnings Also)
• At Least One Accessible Route from the Parking Area to the Building Entrance is Clearly Marked
• Grounds, Walks, and Floor Surfaces Along Accessible Routes are Stable, Firm, and Relatively Non-Slip Under All Weather Conditions
• Walkways to All Fire Exits Clear of Debris and Ice
• Gratings designed so openings are not wider than .5 inches (1.27 centimeters). If gratings are elongated, grating should be perpendicular to direction of travel
• Temporary ramps should meet standard ramp requirements and should be securely anchored.
• Ramps and Landings with Drop-Lifts Have Curbs at Least 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) High, Walls, Railings or Projecting Surfaces to Prevent Slipping

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