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ADA Office Checklist


Is Your Office Accessible? 

The Americans with Disabilities Act 

of 1990 (ADA) was enacted to prohibit

discrimination against persons with 

disabilities in employment and in access 

to public entities and accommodations. 

The ADA is made applicable to the

U.S. Congress under the Congressional

Accountability Act of 1995. 

The following checklist will assist office 

managers and others to help ensure 

that your work space is in compliance

with the ADA. Although this list is not

exhaustive, if you have marked “yes” to

each item on this checklist, your office 

space conforms with these requirements 

of the ADA. 

Image 1: The force required to open this door is 

too great. 

q Doors to office suites are at least 32 

inches wide. When an office has 

double doors that are fewer than 32 

inches per door, both doors are able 

to be opened. 

q Doors to office suites require fewer

than five pounds of force to open. 

If the doors are heavier, as in Image

1, they are always kept open or have 

a person posted nearby at all times 

when the office is open for business. 

q Routes to all areas within the office 

where the elected representative, 

staff, or other government officials 

meet with members of the public 

are at least 36 inches wide to allow 

for passage by an individual in a 

wheelchair. 

q Conference tables in public meeting 

areas are at least 27 inches high 

to allow for knee clearance for 

individuals in wheelchairs. 

q Carpeting in hallways and all office

areas open to the public is secured to 

the floor and has a pile of less than 

1⁄2 inch. 

www.compliance.gov


February 2008 

q Objects that protrude more than four 

inches into a passageway (such as 

shelves, mailboxes or water fountains, 

as in Image 2) are detectable by a

blind person using a white cane; the 

leading edge is fewer than 27 inches 

above the floor. 

Image 2: Leading edge on this water fountain is too 

high: more than 27 inches above the floor. 

q The office has access to a telephone 

relaysystemoraTelecommunications 

Device for the Deaf (TDD). 

q Written documents are available in 

large print or alternate formats or 

readers are provided for constituents

who are vision-impaired. 
q Tactile signs indicating the office’s 

room number are in Braille, with 

raised and contrasting characters, 

mounted 60 inches above the floor 

on the latch side of the door. Nothing

blocks access to tactile signage (e.g.,

flags, sign-in stands, cabinets, etc., as 

in Image 3.) 

Image 3: Flag placed in hallway is blocking access to 

the tactile room sign. 

q Sign language interpreters or other 

auxiliaryaidandservicesareprovided, 

upon request, for constituents who

are hearing-impaired. 

q Brochures and other documents 

available in the office waiting area are 

within reach (generally between 15” 

and48”offthefloor)foranindividual 

who is in a wheelchair. 

Image 4: Staging area for emergency evacuation. 

q Visual evacuation alarms are provided

by the building or facilities manager

in all restrooms open to the public. 

q All staff know the location of the 

accessible building exit doors and 

the primary and secondary staging 

areas to be used during an emergency 

by individuals who are mobility 

impaired, such as that pictured in

Image 4. 

q Restrooms that are marked as ADA 

compliant have doors that require 

fewer than five pounds of force to 

open. 

q Restrooms that are marked as ADAcompliant have grab bars behind and 

to the side of at least one toilet stall; 

the bars are mounted between 33 and 

36 inches above the floor. 

q Public restroomsthat arenot accessible 

to individuals in wheelchairs are to 

have signage indicating the location 

of the nearest ADA-compliant 

restroom. 

Contact your supervisor if you see an

access barrier that needs to be removed. 

If the matter is not resolved, legislative

branch employees may contact the Office

of Compliance at the address or phone

number indicated below. 

If you spot a safety hazard in your legislative branch 

workplace, contact the Office of Compliance to report it: The Office of Compliance advances safety, health,

and workplace rights in the U.S. Congress and the Room LA 200, John Adams Building Legislative Branch. Established as an independent

110 Second Street, SE agency by the Congressional Accountability Act of 

Washington, DC 20540 1995, the Office educates employees and employing Peter Ames Eveleth offices about their rights and responsibilities under the 

General Counsel 

t/ 202-724-9250; tdd/ 202-426-1912; f/ 202-426-1913 

Act, provides an impartial dispute resolution process,

Rachel Berg Scherer Recorded Information Line/ 202-724-9260 and investigates and remedies violations of the Act. 

Editor www.compliance.gov 

This information does not constitute advice or an official ruling of the Office of Compliance or the Board of Directors and is intended for educational 

purposes only. For further information, please refer to the Congressional Accountability Act (2 U.S.C 1301 et seq.) and the regulations issued by the 

Board, or you may contact the Office of Compliance.