ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments

4. Pressure Gauge

Many people with disabilities have limitations on the amount of force they can exert to open a door or operate a device that requires pushing or pulling. In general, if the operation of a door, a faucet, or other device requires more than 5 pounds of force, it is not accessible to many people with disabilities.

To ensure that doors and mechanical devices are not barriers to accessibility, you need to measure the force required to operate them. The device used to make this measurement is called a pressure gauge. A pressure gauge can be manual or electronic. Either one will work as long as it is periodically checked for proper calibration in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The survey instructions provided in Appendix 1 will explain how to use the pressure gauge to measure the force needed to operate specific elements.