ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act

In October 2000, the Access Board issued a final rule on accessibility guidelines for play areas. These guidelines will form the basis for standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Some of the most important provisions relating to playgrounds are:

• Structures with one to 19 elevated play components shall have at least 50 percent of these components on an accessible route. In this case, an accessible route consists of a "transfer point" located 11 to 18 inches above the ground where a child can transfer from a wheelchair onto the structure. The structure will then provide decks or steps at intervals of eight inches or less up to higher decks where slides, panels, and climbers are used.
• Structures with 20 or more play components shall have 25 percent accessible by a ramp designed for wheelchairs and an additional 25 percent reached by transfer steps and stepped decks. The rise of the steps may not exceed eight inches.
• Each playground shall have ground-level play components of different types that are entered and exited at ground level. Different types could include rocking, swinging, climbing, spinning, and sliding. The number of these play components required depends on the size of the play structure.