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The current accessibility project, in which new building code language calls for the requirement of an Emergency Elevator Communication System the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Accessible Design Solutions For A Better World
We develop barrier-free designs in buildings, elevators and public spaces in the U.S. on behalf of the global Deaf & Hard of Hearing community and industry through ICC code proposal changes and via incorporation proposals to
ANSI A117 / ASME A17 / ADAAG / ABA and ADA.
The President and Founder, Andy Cid, is a profoundly Deaf activist, and "Primary User" Code Development Proposal Presenter on behalf of the Deaf and HoH community. Mr. Cid works with professionals from various disciplines across the U.S. who are passionate about working together to enable total accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community in public spaces. All of his work here at Barrier Free Solutions is done voluntarily. Mr. Cid, who has an unrelated career / day job, conducts all of his work at Barrier Free Solutions in his spare time, during vacation time, and at his own expense (including all U.S. travel expenses). There are no benefactors/angels/donations, or special interests paying for expenses or salary. No money or bartering is exchanged. There is no 501 ( c ) set up because it was determined that a Board of 6 – 12 individuals may have conflicting ideologies on how progress and change is to be made. So, in order to avoid the age-old axiom of “having too many cooks in the kitchen all work is performed solo. (besides, I am a better cook)
On a voluntary basis, Mr. Cid initiated, prepared and acted as the primary user code proponent of a code change proposal entitled “Emergency Elevator Communications System for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing”. This was presented under the 2015 ICC Cycle number IBC-G 195-15. The code proposal was approved and it officially passed as of 5.26.16 and became effective 2018. This impacts all new construction in the U.S. Revised standard design language via A17.1 is now being was developed, for the 2019 edition, in collaboration with the elevator industry and the relative elevator emergency safety committees under the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Mr. Cid encouraged the A17.1 committee to honor the intent of the new IBC code requiring visual / tactile systems.
This is all at www.iccsafe.org
IBC codes for new construction -
2015 - IBC - Chapter 30 Section 3001.2 - effective 2018
2018 - IBC - Chapter 30 Section 3001.2 - effective 2021
2021 - IBC - Chapter 30 - Section 3001.2 (this will be under 3001.6 in 2024 and effective Jan. 2024)
IEBC code For existing buildings-
2022 - IEBC - Section 306.7.7
This became effective January 2024. This requires all commercial buildings in the U.S. to require the same visual (as in the IBC codes) and tactile emergency communication systems in existing commercial building elevators. The elevators will require these systems only when the bldg owners need to update the existing elevators. Successful code passage was due to an incredible team effort and support network consisting of accessibility experts, architects, building officials, and Deaf and Hard of Hearing activists across the U.S.
Also, for 2024 and beyond, I proposed (and it passed at the ICC / PCH in Kentucky 2022) for new construction outdoor stadiums, with 15,000 seats or more, to require live or pre recorded caption PA systems.
Regards to the A17.1 Standards, A17.1 already has provisions that require any system that is altered be brought up to the latest code requirements for new equipment that is in effect for that jurisdiction. Therefore, if anyone updates their communications system on an existing elevator they would need to bring it up to the A17.1 2019 requirements if their state has adopted the amended 2019 standard.
We will continue to work on this until we see these visual new elevator emergency communication systems are in the mainstream (it also depends on each State's code adoption schedule, as some States are still under 2012, 2015 or 2018. A few states have adopted the 2018 or 2021 codes (I think N.Y. is the first one), so it takes time for this to see our work come to fruition in the marketplace.