ADA Bed Height Regulations

The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design include revised minimum requirements for newly and constructed or altered facilities so that they are accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. Unfortunately, it is now becoming impossible due to the new design trends.

Gina Schuh started a petition to the United States Access Board to require bed regulations in wheelchair accessible lodging facilities. Read the petition below:

To: United States Access Board
From:
RE: Bed Design – Call for Action

Click here, sign this PDF and send it to support our petition.

Dear US Access Board,

The Americans with Disabilities Act fails to address an imperative part of access in hotels and other lodging facilities; bed design.

            Two Major Issues in lodging facilities:

1. Bed Height
2. Clearance Under the Bed

Call for Action:

1. Address bed height standards in ADAAG to have minimum and maximum bed heights
2. Address clearance under bed in ADAAG to require minimum clearance to ensure access for lifts
3. Require lodging facilities to provide bed height and under bed clearance in room description

Currently there are no regulations that apply to beds in wheelchair accessible rooms. For wheelchair users, the importance of bed height and clearance under the bed is undeniable. Many wheelchair users traveling alone are unable to achieve transfers into beds that are too high or too low. Regulating the bed height is a simple but majorly impactful way of ensuring people with disabilities have access to travel, one of our fundamental Constitutional rights.

Furthermore, people traveling with lifts are unable to utilize lifts if there is no clearance under the bed. Requiring a certain amount of clearance under the bed will ensure that individuals needing lifts will have the ability to use them.

I ask that the access board regulate beds in lodging facilities to ensure that people with disabilities can travel independently and seamlessly. At a very minimum require lodging facilities to provide bed height and clearance in their room descriptions or require they have the information available on request. Too many people with disabilities have been negatively impacted by extreme bed designs, and it poses a risk of injury to so many. It is imperative we address the issue.

“Too many people with disabilities have been negatively impacted by extreme bed designs, and it poses a risk of injury to so many. It is imperative we address the issue.”

There are many hotel rooms these days have beds that are very high off the ground. It can be difficult or impossible for others in the disabled community to get in or get out.

Every part of a handicap accessible room should be made accessible. Help us make a change and sign to the petition.

Our goal is to reach 10,000 signatures and we need more support. You can read more and sign the petition here:

Send us your #Bedfail images at our Facebook page facebook.com/pushliving and we’ll share them.