Friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors. Chances are someone you know has a disability, but do you stop to think about the limitations they may face when accessing commercial stores and businesses?
Not having a ramp, too high of a front step, and no automatic doors are just a few. As a business, your products and services should be accessible to everyone, so this may mean installing a handicap door if you haven’t already. People with disabilities make up 22% of the population, so that is a whole customer base you could be missing out on by not being inclusive and providing people with a safe path of entrance.
To put it into perspective, that is 6.2 million people, with 29% of people having one disability and 71% having two or more. Other elements to consider are an accessible door opener or having the proper wheelchair door width. Everybody matters, and people shouldn’t feel limited when coming to your business. Here’s everything to know about installing a handicap door.
Ontario Building Code Rules for Accessible Doors
In Ontario, a new or extensively renovated commercial entrance follows the Ontario Building Code, not the US Americans with Disabilities Act. On a barrier-free path of travel, the clear opening has to be at least 850 mm when the door is open. That is the usable gap, not the width of the door slab. The 2024 code set that clear width at 850 mm. Older editions used 860 mm.
A power door operator is required at a barrier-free entrance, at a barrier-free public washroom, and where the side clearance beside the door cannot be met. Houses are generally outside these rules. An existing store is not automatically required to rebuild its entrance unless the work is new construction or an extensive renovation.
Assessing and Maintaining Handicap Door Accessibility
So, you want to install an accessible door, but how can you keep it usable? Start with the opening. Measure the clear width with the door open. It needs to be at least 850 mm, about 33.5 inches. Nothing should stick into that opening below 865 mm above the floor.
Leave room beside the latch as well. If the door swings toward the person approaching it, the code calls for 600 mm of clear space on the latch side. If it swings away, that space is 300 mm. A sliding door also needs 300 mm on the latch side. Keep the track smooth so a wheel does not catch.
Hardware has to be reachable. Opening devices are mounted between 900 mm and 1,100 mm above the finished floor, about 35 to 43 inches. A lever or a push button is easier to use than a round knob. Operator controls belong on both sides of the door, where people can see them, and a person has to be able to use them with a closed fist. The button should show the International Symbol of Access.
If any of these requirements become broken or compromised, like the movement of the automatic door or the handicap button, they need to be replaced as soon as possible. Adhering to regulations is one slice of the pie, but making sure they’re enforced for years to come is another slice. Monitor mechanisms on a monthly basis and ensure they’re working as they should. Routine checks can help you spot any flaws so that fixes can be made quickly.
Common Door Accessibility Issues
The checks that matter are the clear width, the hardware height, the space beside the latch, and whether the entrance needs a power operator.
Closing Requirements for Accessibility
Closing requirements for a door’s accessibility may be the most vital requirements; if they aren’t adhered to, someone can get injured. The closing time will depend on the type of door you install, such as swinging, sliding, or folding.
The operator still has to leave people enough time to move through before the door closes. If the button, the closer, or the sweep stops working, repair it. A door that looks accessible and then sticks shut is not accessible.
Ensuring Safety and Convenience
Ontario’s Building Code sets the accessibility rules for most new commercial construction and for extensive renovations. An older building is not required to meet every current measurement unless that level of work is being done. The practical test is simple: can someone approach the door, use the control, and get through without a struggle?
When your business has accessible entrances and exits for all, you are offering safety and convenience without exclusion. For instance, if a person cannot reach the handle in a bathroom and they are stuck in there, it can be traumatizing. Having fixtures at an accessible level can prevent situations like this. Or take people in wheelchairs. With automatic doors or buttons, they do not need to worry about leaning over and using a knob. Instead, the doors open for them with motion or the click of a button, giving them instant access to the products or services they need.
If the entrance glass, the operator, or the closer needs work, Glass Repair Canada repairs and installs automatic and accessible glass doors across Toronto and the GTA. We have been doing this glass work for more than 20 years. Call 416-736-1899 to talk through the opening, or send the details and we will tell you what the next step is. For a broken door after hours, the emergency line is 416-830-9008.