Is your business wheelchair accessible? If not, you may be in violation of the law.

Basically, any business where customers come to you, such as a brick-and-mortar store, needs to be set up so that handicapped people in wheelchairs can enter and get around inside. If you have an office for an ecommerce business, though, this law doesn’t apply to you — only if your business requires that customers to come to you.

So what types of things do you need to do? Well, for one thing, you need to be sure that you provide designated handicapped parking spaces near the entrance to your building. Handicapped parking spaces need to have enough clearance on either side so that wheel chair lifts can operate.

Also, you will need to ensure that wheelchairs can get into your building. This means that if you have sidewalks with curbs, or stairs that go up to the door, you’ll need to install ramps with gradual inclines so that someone can wheel their wheelchair up to the door.

It also means that inside, there needs to be enough clearance for a wheelchair to navigate. This means plenty of clearance between pieces of furniture, wide aisles, etc.

Finally, don’t forget about the restrooms — you will need to ensure that you provide sinks and hand dryers that are low enough for someone in a wheelchair to reach, and you’ll need to be sure at least one stall is wheelchair accessible.

It is important to be sure that your business meets these requirements, otherwise you could be fined!

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