36 CFR Part 1195 Proposed Accessibility Standards for Medical Diagnostic Equipment NPRM - Preamble

2004 ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines

The Access Board has developed and updated accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities for over 30 years. The Access Board’s current guidelines for buildings and facilities were issued in 2004 and are known as the Americans with Disabilities Act and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines (hereinafter referred to as the “2004 ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines”). The 2004 ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines are codified at 36 CFR part 1191 and are available at: http://www.access-board.gov/ada-aba/final.cfm.

The following technical criteria in the proposed standards are based on the 2004 ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines:

• Height of transfer surfaces on diagnostic equipment used by patients in a supine, prone, or side-lying position and diagnostic equipment used by patients in a seated position (see M301.2.1 and M302.2.1);

• Wheelchair spaces, including knee and toe clearance, and change in level at entry to the wheelchair spaces at diagnostic equipment used by patients seated in a wheelchair (see M303.2 and M303.3);

• Structural strength of transfer supports (see M305.2.2); and

• Operable parts (see M307).

The Access Board is also considering additional technical criteria based on the 2004 ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines for cross section dimensions and clearances around gripping surfaces on transfer and standing supports, and for reach ranges for operable parts on diagnostic equipment that are used by patients. Questions are included under the applicable sections requesting comments on whether the additional technical criteria under consideration would be appropriate for the equipment features or whether alternative technical criteria would be appropriate.