# Furnishings an acceptable Cane Detection Barrier?



## greenbubba (May 18, 2015)

At our university wall mounted computer / tv screens are popping up all over and quite often in the circulation path. In my opinion placing a piece of furniture below a protruding object does not meet ADA. I have found (on ADA.gov) that at least for Existing Facilities  a possible solution is to;  _"Install furnishings, planters, or other cane-detectable barriers underneath."_ However, I can find no indication that when altering or building a new facility you would not need to have a fixed cane detectable barrier. Anyone that could point me to a defensible ruling on that? I'm sure to get push back on this issue and need to be able to point to a specific ruling or standard.


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## mark handler (May 18, 2015)

You are not going to find that answer. Just not out there

Use Flat screen units or build a cabinet.

By the wat Welcome to the site


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## jdfruit (May 19, 2015)

Welcome greenbubba

I work for one of the largest universities in CA. Your situation is endemic throughout the country. Our policy is to use "built-in" casework so users won't be tempted to easily move it. Defensible is a matter of the complete situation, too many variables to control, so if you have most combinations covered by policy, liberally distribute, and preach the policy as much as possible then you have done all that can be reasonably forseen.


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## mark handler (May 19, 2015)

Policy,  not code.


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## mtlogcabin (May 19, 2015)

> In my opinion placing a piece of furniture below a protruding object does not meet ADA.


ADA may not address placement of furniture as being compliant. However the furniture would act as a barrier to aid the visually impaired from hitting the protruding objects and thus follow the "intent" of the requirement.

Better to have something under the protruding object that will meet the "intent" then nothing and risk an injury


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## greenbubba (May 19, 2015)

thanksThanks all - what all above has said concurs with the ADA Info Line I called this morning. So as far as a classroom goes - furniture, a potted plant, etc can act as a cane detectable barrier since once it is in place the space below my 6" protruding screen is no longer a circulation path. However, once someone moves said furnishings and the space in front of the screen becomes an aisle to access any portion of the room, our University would no longer be in compliance. As MarkH and jdfruit suggest a policy of having fixed cane detectable barriers and/ or recessed mounts is prudent. I will run that up the flagpole and hopefully we will do just that.

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## steveray (May 19, 2015)

Once something is there, it is a barrier....They can remove a ramp too...The violation occurs when the element is altered, not because it might be altered....Document, document, document.


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## mark handler (May 19, 2015)

steveray said:
			
		

> Once something is there, it is a barrier....


it *"CAN BE"* a barrier


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## ADAguy (May 20, 2015)

Note: Is this any different than a waste receptacle in a bathroom that moves where ever a janitor chooses?

The ADA allows for alternate methods and means (policy), furniture is a moveable object not covered by the ADA inless it is bolted (fixed) in place.

Though the "spirit" (performance) of the ADA is it's "intent", the technical (prescriptive) provisions  (as we all know) cannot cover every occurance or the ADASAD would become a 10 volume set (one for each chapter) and even then we would still run into items overlooked or because of new technology occurring.


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## greenbubba (Nov 6, 2015)

Just noted in access- board guidelines animation that objects should be fixed. See comment at 3:25 in video.

http://www.access-board.gov/images/videos/protrudingobjects-captioned.mp4


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