Lakeland/Larsen Elevator Corporation
Construction | Service | Maintenance
731 McAlister Avenue Waukegan, Illinois 60085
PHONE: 847 249-4433 FAX: 847 249-4458
Dear Building Owners and Managers,
Beginning November 1st, 2019, the elevator inspector will be authorized to write-up and fail the elevator if it does not have the appropriate braille plates, per the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA). This requirement is retroactive and applies to all elevators, regardless of age.
The sections of the ADA code that will be enforced are detailed below, highlighted in yellow. The focus appears to be on control buttons and floor identification.
Inside the car (car operating panel):
- All floors must be identified in braille, immediately to the left of the button. See figure 23 (a) below.
- The main egress floor—the floor that first-responders would come in at—is called the “STAR” floor. This floor needs to be identified with a star (*) character immediately to the left of the floor number. For example, if your main egress floor is “1”, the car station panel will need a “*1” for that pushbutton. See figure 23 (a) below.
- All other functions that the public can access need to be identified with braille plates. For example; phone, emergency stop, door open, door close, alarm, etc. Items that do not need to be in braille are functions that the public do not normally use, such as fan speed, light switch, independent service, keyed door-hold, etc.
In the hallway (inside door jambs/frames):
- The floor number or I.D. need to be marked at each floor, on both sides of the jamb. See figure 20 below. Floor identification in the door jambs should mirror the car panel floor identification(s).
- The main egress floor needs to be identified with a STAR (*) character—like the car braille tag mentioned above. The (*) floor braille plates in the jamb should match the (*) floor identified on the car station.
- Please note; the hallway call buttons (Up/Down buttons) do not need braille plates because the fixture itself serves as the tactile reference—Up button on top, down button on bottom, or intermediate floor is a single button.
Getting your elevator up to ADA standards in terms of braille plates:
This is a project that you may consider having your maintenance/engineering staff complete.
Unfortunately, each elevator is different and may require a different solution. If you would like LLEC to handle this for you; we would need to survey the equipment, order materials and return to install. We will charge a minimum of 2 hours for labor ($371.02) plus materials. Standard in-stock braille plates are approximately $12 per plate for the
car and $16 per plate for the door jambs. Custom-order plates can range from $30 to $60 per plate depending on amount of characters.
Please be advised, if LLEC is to complete the work: we will not be responsible for any touch-up paint or cleaning damage to door jamb paint or finishes.
If you would like to purchase and install your own braille tags, we recommend visiting SCS Elevator Products at; https://www.scselevatorproducts.com/braille/
SCS will sell direct to the owner/management team. Their catalog is available on their website.
Please reach out to us with any questions.
Sincerely,
Lakeland Larsen Elevator Corporation.