36 CFR Parts 1190 and 1191 ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines - Preamble (Discussion of Comments and Changes)

Section 206.2.8 establishes new provisions for employee work areas. The proposed rule required such areas to be on an accessible route so that people with disabilities could approach, enter, and exit the space. In the final rule, the Board has added a requirement that common use circulation paths, where provided within employee work areas, also be accessible by meeting the requirements for accessible routes in section 402. The basis for this change is discussed above under section 203.9 (Employee Work Areas). This revision provides for greater maneuvering access within work areas but does not require elements or equipment that are part of a work station to comply with any other requirements. This requirement is limited to relatively sizable, interior work spaces. Exceptions are provided for small work areas that are less than 1,000 square feet in size (Exception 1), circulation paths that are an integral part of equipment (Exception 2), and exterior work areas that are fully exposed to the weather (Exception 3).