GAS STATION ADA ACCESS INSPECTION SERVICES CALIFORNIA

Gas station ADA Compliance is a common service we offer, and are often in the crosshairs of a number of state and federal departments, including with the Americans with Disability Act. A gas station must provide accessibility at the pump as well as inside the store to avoid an ADA lawsuit. Parking lots and bathroom facilities that meet ADA compliance standards may also be required. There are specific requirements for gas pumps when it comes to their heights and for employees to assist customers outside and inside the gas station; some guidelines might even require eating facilities that many businesses have to provide wheelchair accessibility. ATMs, and checkout counters can all have certain access requirements to meet, and failing to comply with these access requirements can leave your business vulnerable to a costly ADA lawsuit.

AVOID A $75,000.00 FINE

Federal law allows for fines of up to $75,000 for the first ADA violation and $150,000 for any additional ADA violations

At CASp Inspectors, we are a one-stop destination for everything related to accessible buildings or making accessible areas better. Our gas station ADA consultants have experience and can help make sure that when anyone comes to pump gas, they are always offered gas station ADA-compliant accessible services that meet all accessibility laws and do not lead to ADA lawsuits. Our job as ADA consultants is to prevent potential problems faced by disabled customers before they occur; we want to ensure that everyone has accessible spaces at your stations because we strive to maintain the utmost level of safety no matter what. We can provide a full range of gas station ADA compliance services for all kinds of facilities including:

  • Design appropriate signs to let your patrons know that refueling assistance is provided on request to the disabled according to ADA standards and regulations

  • Help building owners like you to make your ADA compliance policy that protects you from the risk of ADA lawsuits or fines

  • Perform a complete business ADA audit of your existing facilities including the parking lot and ATM booths to remove architectural barriers and provide inputs on how to add accessible elements into future construction projects that comply with the latest California building code and California accessibility requirements

  • Provide ways to get early qualified defendant status on completion of your accessible design report from our certified access specialist

  • Show you how to comply with the latest California Building Code for your commercial buildings and parking spaces that will help you avoid unnecessary ADA lawsuits

  • Hold training sessions for your employees and patrons regarding gas station ADA-compliant status and accessibility standards

  • Provide easy steps for your employees to implement ADA requirements and accessible services on a daily basis

GET A FREE COMMERCIAL BUILDING ADA INSPECTION QUOTE TODAY



GET YOUR FREE GAS STATION ADA INSPECTION QUOTE TODAY

CALL - EMAIL - OR CHAT WITH US ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY TO FIND OUT IF YOU'RE AT RISK FOR AN ADA LAWSUIT

(818) 805-1915

Please fill out the form and a Qualified ADA representative will reach out shortly



GAS STATIONS OFTEN
FACE ACCESSIBILITY COMPLIANCE ISSUES

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Gas Pump Filling Guidelines

Beginning March 15, 2012, all gas pumps at commercial stations that have operable parts like pump controls or display panels above 54 inches will be in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and may have to face costly ADA lawsuits. The ADA puts station owners at risk of fines or ADA lawsuits for anyone who requires a wheelchair (or other assistive equipment) and is unable to access these technologies as a result of improper gas station ADA-compliant measures being taken. For newly constructed pumps or alterations to existing pump islands, everything has to be below 48 inches to avoid ADA-compliance issues.

GAS STATION PUMP ADA REFUELING ASSISTANCE GUIDELINES_ (1)

Gas Station Pump Refueling Assistance Guidelines

People with disabilities find it incredibly hard to obtain gas for their vehicle due to various issues that involve the nozzle, hoses, and in some cases, the people themselves. At gas stations where all pumps are for self-service and none of them offer full service, people with disabilities may not be able to get gas at all if they need help using the pump. Or, they could have to buy from one of the more expensive pumps to get what they need - whether it's exclusively self-service or even when some pumps have both options. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires self-serve gas stations to provide equal access to their customers with disabilities by providing refueling assistance, putting up signs to indicate ADA compliance services, and offering fuel to all at the same price.

Gas Station Restroom ADA Guidelines (1)

Gas Station Restroom ADA Guidelines

Gas stations that offer foodstuff on sale to their patrons are required by ADA to have separate public restrooms for men and women when the building can accommodate more than 50 people. If a gas station provides restrooms for the general public, it is required to be ADA-compliant restrooms for customers with disabilities. There are a number of readily achievable adjustments that may be required according to the California building code to ensure that all aspects of the facility are ADA-compliant and can be accessed by those who require assistance.

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Gas Station ADA Toilet Guidelines

Most gas-filling stations do not have provisions to accommodate more than a few people. In such cases, gas stations can provide one ADA-compliant unisex public toilet facility. The 21 examples cited in the federal Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design Title III include widening walls by installing offset hinges that widen grab bars and door handles, widening doors, installing raised toilet seats, and increasing maneuvering space inside the toilet partitions.

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SHOULD OUR GAS STATION BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL?

When designing a gas station, parking lot, or any other business that is open to the public, the California building code requires businesses to install a ramp at the entrance to their facilities. Gas stations must provide people with disabilities access to areas of public accommodation where they sell items and services, like a store.

ADA CHECKLIST FOR PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE GAS STATIONS

GAS STATION OWNERS MUST TRY TO MEET ADA REQUIREMENTS BY CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING:
  •  Make sure that the operable parts of a gas pump in a newly constructed or altered gas station are below 48 inches to meet ADA standards
  • The ramp leading to the store or restroom entrance must have a slope ratio of 1:12, and the ramp should be at least 36 inches wide to meet accessibility standards and avoid ADA lawsuits
  • Offer refueling help to the handicapped on request when there are two or more service employees on duty
  • Provide a call button near the fuel pump to help the handicapped call for refueling help from pump attendants
  • Post ADA-compliant signs at the gas station entry to indicate that individuals with disabilities can call for help by honking on their vehicle horn or signaling an attendant
  • Ensure that an ADA-compliant system like FuelCall is highlighted to indicate refueling help service hours to the handicapped

The Department of Justice has made revisions in January 2012 to the 2010 ADA standards that offer guidelines to gas stations covered under Title III of the ADA act to offer full features like a store, ATM, restroom, and refueling assistance to the handicapped.

Call our Certified Access Specialists (CASp) to review your gas station and achieve ADA-compliance status.

GAS STATION ACCESSIBILITY FAQS

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires self-serve gas stations to meet accessibility requirements for their customers with disabilities. If necessary to provide access, gas stations must provide refueling assistance upon request to an individual with a disability.

There's a “help” button specially designed for wheelchair-bound patrons at the gas station to press. Gas-filling stations that meet ADA standards install this button on a keypad close to the fuel pump. An attendant then arrives to help the handicapped person.

No, refueling assistance by an attendant does not cost extra. Handicapped persons do not have to pay any additional charge beyond the self-serve price for gas pumped at a self-service or full-service gas station.

An individual with a disability can signal an employee after reading the notification sign that indicates the gas station does provide refueling assistance.

No, businesses with just one employee or which operate on remote control do not compulsorily have to change any process in their facilities to provide refueling services to an individual with a disability.

Gas station owners can put up notices highlighting the hours during which attendants are available for refueling assistance.

Both, start timings and end timings must be clearly seen to meet accessibility requirements. These signs must be reflective to be in compliance and can be mounted on walls, fences, or posts.

If you have any concerns about your existing setup, barrier removal, or are planning for the construction of readily achievable public spaces, contact an appropriate consultant who has a solid understanding of the ADA, so they might help you find solutions that will accommodate everyone involved. We can also provide Division of the State Architect (DSA) services to avoid design and construction errors in your leased properties.

The traditional or modified international symbol of accessibility (ISA) is normally used on pictograms at gas stations. Our certified access specialists help businesses with technical assistance to meet all accessibility laws regarding signage.

Yes, the vertical field of an ADA sign pictogram must be at least 6" without any content other than the ADA restroom graphic and text. However, most businesses use the 9" X 6" restroom sign to avoid ADA lawsuits.

The most commonly used sign is 9" X 6" with no other content within a 6" vertical field.

A service animal may be permitted air travel with a handling agent wherever they have permission. The person traveling with service animals cannot be not denied the right to travel even when they are not allowed pets.

The person who is being taken by a service animal does not have to sit on a specific surface. No additional fees will be charged when the person uses a service animal. The customer does not need an e-mail notification of his/her trip with the service animal. This includes subway, fixed-road buses, paratransit rail, light rail taxicab, and limousine services.

The most commonly used sign is 9" X 6" with no other content within a 6" vertical field.

A service animal may be permitted air travel with a handling agent wherever they have permission. The person traveling with service animals cannot be not denied the right to travel even when they are not allowed pets.

A detailed CASp inspection report for a gas station will cost $800 to $2000 based on the type of inspection needed for areas and elements to be covered in existing buildings. Certified access specialists today ensure compliance with state and federal government laws for new construction, and their charges will depend on what is needed to be in compliance with the state architect in order to avoid accessibility issues.

Title III requires that all readily achievable barriers be removed from public accommodations and commercial outlets like gas stations whenever it is possible. Certified access specialists can provide assistance for "readily achievable" barrier removal at the parking lot, eating facilities, and for community development projects.

Yes, the sign should indicate there is gas station protected ramp access for wheelchair-bound patrons who wish to enter their store.

ADDITIONAL ADA Consultation Services

Our certified access specialists today can help design specific plans for new construction, or you could also contact us if you’re in need of an inspection, depending on what exactly your needs are to ensure compliance. Sometimes, business establishments aren’t 100% compliant with all of the ADA guidelines right out of the gate, thereby hindering their chances of receiving approval for new construction projects or alterations to their existing facilities. Don’t let that happen to your business! Our certified access specialists can help ensure that your business is prepared for any future changes and will be able to avoid ADA lawsuits before it’s too late. For more information about how to get your gas station protected in San Diego and other places under Federal law, simply fill out our form and we’ll get back to you shortly!

In the event of a non-compliance ADA lawsuit for violation of ADA accessibility requirements, those who have been given a prior CASp inspection report will benefit from what is called “qualified defendant” status. As a qualified defendant with the CASp inspection report, businesses are entitled to a stay on proceedings as well as an early evaluation conference. Essentially, as someone who has previously displayed good faith and effort to comply with the laws, those businesses are allowed the chance to correct an oversight at their facility.

When you’re in the middle of a legal dispute, it’s hard to know what to do. This is why it’s so important to find an attorney who has proven his/her competence and can guide you through the process easily. The fees involved in hiring a lawyer only multiply your responsibility and stress at a time when you really need support during your court case!

Another factor why many businesses hire CASp inspection services is the option to enter a plea early in the trial process through an evaluation conference, otherwise known as an EEC. This is essentially a civil dialogue between all affected parties, including defendants, where they can attempt to comply with state architect accessibility norms and close the case through a settlement. This could be more favorable to your business in San Diego and other locations in California than facing potential penalties assessed by the court if you were found directly liable for any accessibility violation.

WEBSITE COMPLIANCE

In an ideal world, every place of public accommodation will undergo an inspection by someone from the CASp program. In reality, not all public accommodations will get this type of accessibility inspection. Under California laws, it is a legal requirement for property owners to inform their tenants if their site has undergone a CASp inspection for accessibility.

ADA TRAINING EVALUATION

Through a CASp training evaluation, gas-filling stations can examine how well their staff knows about accessibility and accessible routes in their business. For example, our CASp expert can provide guidance on accessibility norms regarding electric vehicles.

Creating a comfortable and accessible bathroom for disabled people has always been very important to us. As a provider of CASp services, we recommend that you follow all the guidelines laid out in the ADA when you design a gas station with bathrooms so as to provide access to the disabled and to create a good user experience.

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