Ensuring exhibit and events are ADA-compliant

When it comes to event and exhibit accessibility, it’s impossible to overstate the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Before going too far with the design of your next exhibit, make sure your design team has these basics in place:

1. Lifts and Ramps. If your event isn’t taking place on ground level (such as a parking lot or trade show floor) then a wheelchair lift or ramp is required. Mobile tours require lifts and ramps on the trailer.

2. Level Floors. ADA regs also cover accessibility inside. The ADA’s Standards for Accessible Design require that aisles and pathways be at least 36 inches wide to accommodate wheelchairs. Any event with more than one level must have a ramp or slope built into the flooring so that disabled attendees have easy access. ADA guidelines require that for every inch of the ramp’s height, there must be at least one foot in length.

3. Signage. The font size on your signage and the color choices you make can impact how visually impaired attendees interact with your exhibit. High-contrast colors grab the eye and provide an easier communication with people who are visually impaired.

4. Parking. The rules: One accessible space for every 25 standard spaces. (For lots with more than 1,000 spaces, it’s 20 handicapped-accessible spaces for every 1,000 standard spaces, plus one for each additional 100 spaces.)

5. Extra Steps. But if the event takes place over a large space, providing additional transportation will ensure that disabled attendees can enjoy the event. Several staffers at Camp Jeep, for example, are assigned to golf carts in case anyone needs a ride.

A full list of the ADA’s Standards for Accessible Design is posted at www.ada.gov.