2022 California Standards for Accessible Design Guide (effective January 1, 2023)
1010.1 Doors.
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1010.1.4 Floor elevation.
There shall be a floor or landing on each side of a door. Such floor or landing shall be at the same elevation on each side of the door. Landings shall be level except for exterior landings, which are permitted to have a slope not to exceed 0.25 unit vertical in 12 units horizontal (2-percent slope).
Exceptions:
1. At doors serving individual dwelling units or sleeping units in Groups R-2 and R-3: a door is permitted to open at the top step of an interior flight of stairs, provided that the door does not swing over the top step.
2. At exterior doors serving Groups F, H, R-2 and S and where such doors are not part of an adaptable or accessible route or, not required to be accessible by Chapter 11A or 11B of the California Building Code, the landing at an exterior door shall not be more than 7 inches (178 mm) below the landing on the egress side of the door, provided that the door, other than an exterior storm or screen door, does not swing over the landing.
3. At exterior doors serving Group U and individual dwelling units and sleeping units in Groups R-2 and R-3, and where such units are not required to be adaptable or accessible, the landing at an exterior doorway shall be not less than 7 ¾ inches (197 mm) below the landing on the egress side of the door. Such doors, including storm or screen doors, shall be permitted to swing over either landing.
4. Variations in elevation due to differences in finish materials, but not more than ½ in (12.7 mm).
5. Exterior decks, patios or balconies that are part of adaptable or accessible dwelling units, have impervious surfaces and that are not more than 4 inches (102 mm) below the finished floor level of the adjacent interior space of the dwelling unit. See also Chapter 11A, Section 1132A.4.
6. Doors serving equipment spaces not required to be adaptable or accessible and serving an occupant load of five or less shall be permitted to have a landing on one side to be not more than 7 inches (178 mm) above or below the landing on the egress side of the door.
1010.1.6 Thresholds.
Thresholds at doorways shall not exceed ¾ inch (19.1 mm) in height above the finished floor or landing for sliding doors serving dwelling units or ½ inch (12.7 mm) above the finished floor or landing for other doors. Raised thresholds and floor level changes greater than ¼ inch (6.4 mm) at doorways shall be beveled with a slope not greater than one unit vertical in two units horizontal (50-percent slope).
Exceptions:
1. In occupancy Group R-2 or R-3, threshold heights for sliding and side-hinged exterior doors shall be permitted to be up to 7¾ inches (197 mm) in height if all of the following apply:
1.1. The door is not part of the required means of egress.
1.2. The door is not part of an accessible route as required by Chapter 11A or 11B.
1.3. The door is not part of an adaptable or accessible dwelling unit.
2. In adaptable or accessible dwelling units, where Exception 5 to Section 1010.1.5 permits a 4-inch (102 mm) elevation change at the door, the threshold height on the exterior side of the door shall not exceed 4¾ inches (120 mm) in height above the exterior deck, patio or balcony for sliding doors or 4½ inches (114 mm) above the exterior deck, patio or balcony for other doors.
1010.1.7 Door arrangement.
Space between two doors in a series shall be 48 inches (1219 mm) minimum plus the width of a door swinging into the space. Doors in a series shall swing either in the same direction or away from the space between the doors.
Exceptions:
- The minimum distance between horizontal sliding power-operated doors in a series shall be 48 inches (1219 mm).
- Storm and screen doors serving individual dwelling units in Groups R-2 and R-3 need not be spaced 48 inches (1219 mm) from the other door.
- Doors within individual dwelling units in Groups R-2 and R-3 other than adaptable or accessible dwelling units.
1010.2.2 Hardware.
Door handles, pulls, latches, locks and other operating devices on doors required to be accessible by Chapter 11A or 11B shall not require tight grasping, tight pinching or twisting of the wrist to operate.
These design requirements for door handles, pulls, latches, locks and other operating devices, intended for use on required means of egress doors in other than Group R and M occupancies with an occupant load of 10 or less, shall comply with SFM Standard 12-10-2, Section 12-10-202 contained in the CCR, Title 24, Part 12, California Referenced Standards Code.
1010.2.13.1 Delayed egress locking system.
The delayed egress locking system shall be installed and operated in accordance with all of the following: …
4. An attempt to egress shall initiate an irreversible process that shall allow such egress in not more than 15 seconds when a physical effort to exit is applied to the egress side door hardware for not more than 3 seconds. Initiation of the irreversible process shall activate an audible signal in the vicinity of the door. Once the delay electronics have been deactivated, rearming the delay electronics shall be by manual means only. The time delay established for each egress-control device shall not be field adjustable. For applications listed in Section 1.9.1 regulated by the Division of the State Architect-Access Compliance, see Chapter 11B, 11B-404.2.9.
Exception: In facilities housing Alzheimer's or dementia clients, a delay of not more than 30 seconds is permitted on a delayed egress door. …
6. A sign shall be provided on the door and shall be located above and within 12 inches (305 mm) of the door exit hardware:
6.3. The sign shall comply with the visual character requirements in Section 11B-703.5. Sign lettering shall be at least 1 inch (25 mm) in height and shall have a stroke of not less than 1/8 inch (3.2 mm).
6.4. A tactile sign shall also be provided in Braille and raised characters, which complies with Chapter 11B, Sections 11B-703.1, 11B-703.2, 11B-703.3 and 11B-703.5.
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