ADA Compliance

The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design set the requirements, and they reference ICC/ANSI A117.1 for detailed specifications. Section 404 covers doors, doorways and gates — the key section for hardware. These apply to public accommodations, commercial facilities and state or local government buildings, including hospitality, healthcare, education and multi-family residential projects.

Our ADA-compliant lever range includes Quad, Bella, Kali, Daniela, Lodden, Montana, Flinders, Club, Catalina, Cleo, Gabriella, Kamen Flinders, Kamen Kali, Luna, Lanex, Fedra, Gilda, Giulietta, Kamen Cleo, Niki and Umbo, along with timber and concrete variants. Every lever features the return design required for accessible openings and complies with ADA Section 404.2.7.

We also have entrance door handles (Loop/Back-to-Bak). Operable without tight grasping or twisting. Available in solid brass, stainless steel and hardwood combinations.

Round door knobs, thumb-turn deadbolts and twist-grip handles all fail, because each requires tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist. On any accessible route, these need to be replaced with lever handles, push/pull types or U-shaped handles. Lever-operated deadbolts or ADA-compliant privacy sets are the alternative to thumb-turns.

Two options work well. The first is our lever handles with a return design — the return curves back toward the door face, preventing snagging and giving a secure grip for users with limited hand function, all operable with one hand and no twisting or tight grip needed.

The second is our entrance pull handles (loop or back-to-back), operable without tight grasping or twisting. Both comply with ADA Section 404.2.7.

If you'd like help specifying the right option for a project, please contact one of our customer service representatives via call +613 9300 8888 or via email.

Yes — send us the model you're considering and we'll confirm how it meets the ADA requirements.

Please contact one of our customer service representatives via call +613 9300 8888 or via email.

The frequent ones: specifying round knobs on accessible routes, thumb-turn deadbolts on accessible doors, closers adjusted too fast, hardware mounted outside the reach range, interior doors exceeding 5 lbf opening force, sliding-door hardware recessed into the frame, and ignoring maneuvering clearances. Each can lead to a failed inspection, costly rework or even litigation, so it's worth getting right at specification stage.

Yes. Sliding door hardware must be operable with one hand, without tight grasping, pinching or twisting, and it must be exposed and usable from both sides when the door is fully open. D-type handles or loop pulls are the recommended solution. Flush pulls recessed into the frame fail, because they require pinching to operate.

Doorways must give a minimum 32 inches (815 mm) of clear width with the door open 90 degrees, measured between the face of the door and the opposite stop. Hardware such as lever handles may project into the clear opening up to 4 inches (100 mm), but only below 34 inches and above 80 inches from the floor.

Hardware must be operable with one hand and must not require tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist. This is the single most important rule. Lever handles, push/pull types and U-shaped handles comply. Round door knobs, thumb-turn deadbolts and twist-grip handles do not — they're eliminated because they can't be operated without twisting or pinching.