This appendix contains materials of an advisory nature and provides additional information that should help the reader to understand the minimum requirements of the guidelines or to design buildings or facilities for greater accessibility. The paragraph numbers correspond to the sections or paragraphs of the guideline to which the material relates and are therefore not consecutive (for example, A4.2.1 contains additional information relevant to 4.2.1). Sections of the guidelines for which additional material appears in this appendix have been indicated by an asterisk. Nothing in this appendix shall in any way obviate any obligation to comply with the requirements of the guidelines itself.
A12.1 General. All common use areas serving accessible cells or rooms are required to be accessible. In detention and correctional facilities, common use areas include those areas serving a group of inmates or detainees, including, but not limited to, exercise yards and recreation areas, workshops and areas of instruction or vocational training, counseling centers, cafeterias, commissaries, medical facilities, and any other rooms, spaces, or elements that are made available for the use of a group of inmates or detainees. Detention and correctional facilities also contain areas that may be regarded as common use areas which specifically serve a limited number of housing cells or rooms. Where this occurs, only those common use areas serving accessible cells or rooms would need to be accessible as required by 12.5. For example, several housing cells may be located at and served by a dayroom or recreation room. In this instance, only those dayrooms serving accessible housing cells or rooms would need to be accessible. However, common use areas that do not serve accessible cells but that are used by the public or by employees as work areas are still subject to the requirements for public use areas and employee work areas in section 4.
A12.2.1 Entrances. Persons other than inmates and facility staff, such as counselors and instructors, may have access to secured areas. It is important that evacuation planning address egress for all possible users since a person with a disability might not be able to independently operate doors permitted by this exception.
A12.3 Visiting Areas. Accessible cubicles or portions of counters may have fixed seats if the required clear floor space is provided within the area defined by the cubicle. Consideration should be given to the placement of grilles, talk-thru baffles, intercoms, telephone handsets or other communication devices so they are usable from both the fixed seat and from the accessible seating area. If an assistive listening system is provided, the needs of the intended user and characteristics of the setting should be considered as described in A4.33.7 and Table A2 .
A12.4.1 Holding Cells and General Housing Cells or Rooms. Accessible cells or rooms should be dispersed among different levels of security, housing categories and holding classifications (e.g., male/female and adult/juvenile) to facilitate access. Many detention and correctional facilities are designed so that certain areas (e.g., "shift" areas) can be adapted to serve as different types of housing according to need. For example, a shift area serving as a medium security housing unit might be redesignated for a period of time as a high security housing unit to meet capacity needs. Placement of accessible cells or rooms in shift areas may allow additional flexibility in meeting requirements for dispersion of accessible cells or rooms.
A12.4.2 Special Holding and Housing Cells or Rooms. While one of each type of special purpose cell is required to be accessible at a facility, constructing more than one of each type to be accessible will facilitate access at large facilities where cells of each type serve different holding areas or housing units. The requirement for medical isolation cells applies only to those specifically designed for medical isolation. Cells or rooms primarily designed for other purposes, such as general housing or medical care, are subject to the requirements in 12.4.1 or 12.4.4, respectively. Medical isolation cells required to be accessible by 12.4.2 shall not be counted as part of the minimum number of patient bedrooms or cells required to be accessible in 12.4.4. Thus, if a medical care facility has both types of cells, at least one medical isolation cell must be accessible under 12.4.2 in addition to the number of patient bedrooms or cells required to be accessible by 12.4.4. While only one medical isolation cell per facility is required to be accessible, it is recommended that consideration be given to ensuring the accessibility of all medical isolation cells.
A12.4.3 Accessible Cells or Rooms for Persons with Hearing Impairments. Many correctional facilities do not provide permanently installed telephones or alarms within individual housing cells. Such facilities are not subject to the requirements of 12.4.3. However, some categories of housing, such as minimum security prisons, may be equipped with such devices. The minimum two percent is based on the number of cells or rooms equipped with these devices and not on the total number of cells or rooms in the facility. In addition, this requirement applies only where permanently installed telephones or alarms are provided within individual cells. Permanently installed telephones and alarms located in common use areas, such as dayrooms, are required to be accessible according to the requirements for common use areas. See 12.1.
A12.5.2 Minimum Requirements. The requirements of this section apply to elements provided within housing or holding cells or rooms. Elements located outside cells or rooms for common use, such as in a day room, are subject to 12.1 and its application of requirements in section 4. For example, if a drinking fountain is provided within an accessible housing or holding cell, at least one must be wheelchair accessible under section 12.5.2(4). Drinking fountains located outside the cells in common use areas serving accessible cells or in public use areas, are subject to the requirements of 4.1.3(10).
A12.5.2(2) Toilet and Bathing Facilities. The requirements of 4.22 for toilet rooms and 4.23 for bathrooms, bathing facilities, and shower rooms do not preclude the placement of toilet or bathing fixtures within housing or holding cells or rooms as long as the requirements for toilet rooms and bathrooms, including maneuvering space, are met. In such instances, the maneuvering space required within housing or holding cells or rooms may also serve as the maneuvering space required in toilet rooms by 4.22 or in bathrooms or shower rooms by 4.23.
A12.5.2(3) Beds. Since beds may not always be fixed, a minimum number of accessible beds has not been specified. In barracks-style rooms with many beds, it is recommended that the scoping requirement for housing or holding cells or rooms (2 percent) also be applied to the number of beds in accessible cells or rooms.
The height of beds should be 17 to 19 in (430 mm to 485 mm) measured from the finish floor to the bed surface, including mattresses or bed rolls, to ensure appropriate transfer from wheelchairs and other mobility aids. Where upper bunks are provided, sufficient clearance must be provided between bunks so that the transfer from wheelchairs to lower bunks is not restricted. Figure A3 provides standard human dimensions that should be considered in determining this clearance.
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