Anyone who has ever
tried to navigate a too-steep ramp will want to weigh in proposed
building code changes that will be voted on September 21. A lobbying
and public education effort is underway to make sure the changes
aren’t implemented.
The International Residential Code (IRC) is the building code that
governs construction involving one and two-family homes in 46 states,
including Minnesota. A proposal has been made by Rick Davidson, director
of Building Inspection Services for the city of Maple Grove, to change
the language in this code to allow wheelchair ramps that are too steep
to be safe for the large majority of mobility device users. The change
is being proposed as both a cost-savings measure and as a way to clear
up ambiguity in the current code language. But disability advocates
are worried that the change could create barriers to ramp users. If
the change is adopted it could become a standard throughout the United
States. Individuals would be getting advice from contractors that are
just following the code, not the ability and safety to use the ramp.
The decision to approve or disapprove this change will be made September
21 at the International Code Council (ICC) annual meeting in Minneapolis.
Several advocates and people with disabilities will provide testimony
to the ICC members who will be voting to approve or disapprove the
new language. The advocates hope to persuade the council to keep the
standard for the slope of ramps for homes at 1 to 12. The ICC is a
non-profit organization that develops the various codes used around
the country.
Davidson’s proposal deals with the maximum or steepest slope
allowed for ramps for access to single-family homes and duplexes. It
would change the current code language that requires a 1 to 12 in most
cases to code language that states “Ramps shall have a maximum
slope of one unit vertical in eight horizontal.” Slope is
determined by how many inches or feet of sloped surface (also called
run) there are for each unit of height. For example, if the entrance
to a home is 1 foot above the ground, an 8 foot long ramp creates
a 1 to 8 slope and a 12 foot long ramp creates a 1 to 12 slope. The
math also works by measuring both height and run in inches. It is
important to remember that more units of run create a more gradual
ramp and fewer units make the ramp steeper.
Jim Williams of the Metropolitan Center for Independent Living (MCIL)
and Bob Zimmerman of the Minnesota Rehabilitation Services Independent
Living section are coordinating efforts to block the Davidson proposal.
The Statewide Council for Independent Living, the Minnesota Association
of Independent Living Centers, the South Eastern Minnesota CIL and
MCIL are co-sponsoring a booth at the ICC meeting. The booth will provide
information regarding proper slopes for ramps.
Much of the public education
efforts centers on a video, produced August 23 with the help of
about a dozen volunteers. The video will provide powerful testimony
about the problems and potential dangers caused by steep ramps.
The volunteers, using a variety of mobility devices, were filmed
using both a 1 to 8 and 1 to 12 ramp. All agreed using the steeper
ramp was more difficult. In some cases, volunteers said the steeper
ramp was even scary. Comments like “I had no
idea pushing a wheelchair up a ramp could that hard” and “It’s
really hard to maintain control going down this ramp” were
common. The sound of wheelchair footrests scraping the floor when
getting on or off the 1 to 8 ramp was often heard, with no similar
occurrence on the 1 to 12 ramp.
The code current code
language and the proposed change both establish the steepest allowable
slope and do not prevent anyone from building a more gently sloped
ramp if desired. According to Zimmerman, who has designed more
than 3,000 ramps in the Twin Cities area since 1992, “a
ramp with a 1 to 8 slope is so steep it will be difficult or dangerous
for most people to just walk up and down. Changing the code language
as proposed by Davidson will create the false impression that a 1
to 8 ramp is the right ramp to build because it is the code.”
Advocates note that building code officials are seen as sources of
reliable information and many people confronted with the need to install
a ramp at their home will contact their local code official to find
out what to build. The official will tell them what the code is and
many people take that to mean a 1 to 8 slope is what they should build.
They will only find out it is too steep for them after it has been
built.
The web site www.iccsafe.org has complete information about the International Code Council and
how it develops the codes. Anyone can submit a code change proposal.
The proposal is then reviewed by a committee and members of the
organization vote to accept or reject the proposal. David-son’s
proposal and 20 public comments requesting that it be disapproved can
be found by going to the ICC website. In the drop down menu for Codes
and Standards choose Code Development then choose 2007/2008 Code Development
Cycle and scroll down to and select “Final Action Agenda”,
scroll down to IRC residential code and click on RB2 – RB105
and in this section scroll down to RB 57. ![end of story]()
