ADA Guidelines for Knee and Toe Clearance Under Elements
The 2010 ADA Standard provides rules for knee and toe clearance under elements. They specify that the clear space should be 11 inches deep at nine inches above the finish floor and eight inches at twenty-seven feet above the finish floor. These guidelines should be followed to ensure that people with disabilities can move safely and easily in and out of a building. The graphic on the right shows the minimum required space at the frontal approach to an element. Note that the clear space can overlap the knee and toe spaces.
The ADA STANDARDS for accessible design also provide specific requirements for knee and toe clearance. The rules for knee and toe clearance are contained in standard 306, which states that the space below an element must be a minimum of 760 mm (300 mm). The minimum clearance must be two inches deeper than the depth of the space above the element. As long as the space is six inches or more higher than the finish floor, the space below the element is compliant with standard 306 and is not in the way of the user.
For safety reasons, the minimum height of knee and toe clearance should be thirty inches or more. The width of the space must be at least 30 inches. The width of the space must not be more than one inch wider than the height of the finish floor. If the clearance is wider than this, it must be at least nine inches wide. The height of the surface should not be more than thirty inches. The minimum space is required when people with disabilities use a wheelchair or a cane.
The minimum clearance under an integral ICT should be at least 760 mm (30 inches) wide. This is in addition to the space under the knee clearance. If this space is smaller than the width of the door frame or the width of the toe space, it will be considered as toe clearance. This space is part of the access space. It must be at least six inches (635 mm) wide. If it is larger than the ADA-required minimum clearance, it must meet a standard for accessibility.
ADA STANDARDS for accessible design stipulate the minimum requirements for knee and toe clearance. These standards are stricter than local and state codes and mandate that the space underneath an integral ICT must be at least thirty inches (30 inches). As the width of the space below an integral ICT is often very limited, it is crucial to ensure that the space under the ICT does not impede the freedom of movement of a person with a disability.
ADA knee clearance standards should be adhered to in buildings. Depending on the height of the built-in ICT, the clearance should be at least 760 mm. Generally, the space under a built-in ICT can be reduced up to seventy percent if it is built to meet ADA requirements. The height of the built-in ICT can increase the height of the room by up to three inches.