Digilock Produces ADA Compliant Keyless Locks

For more than 40 years, Digilock has been the global leader in keyless lock solutions, developing enabling technologies and innovative applications for secure personal and business storage.

We take special pride in our reputation for ADA compliance, working closely with facility managers, business owners, and furniture manufacturers to ensure that people with disabilities have equal access to secure storage at the facilities they frequent.

Digilock is an expert in ADA compliance, and all our latest generation keyless Smart Locks and Electronic Locks are fully ADA compliant.

Where it all began

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law enacted by Congress in 1990. The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability just as other civil rights laws prohibit discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. The ADA guarantees people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to enjoy employment opportunities, purchase goods and services, access public services, and participate in state and local government programs.

As the ADA went into practice more than 30 years ago, it invited a closer look at our everyday spaces and the need to make them accessible and functional for everyone. In the world of secure storage, this includes lockers and other furniture applications across a variety of industries and settings, such as healthcare facilities like hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and nursing homes; commercial facilities including fitness centers, retail environments, and public restrooms; student and employee personal storage; and hospitality, tourism, and transportation settings.

What to look for in an ADA-compliant world

For the purpose of simplicity, we are going to use locker rooms as an example of ADA compliance.

If you’re creating a locker room, it’s a matter of location, layout, operable parts, and interior design.

How well an individual can find and access a locker room depends on design and management of the facility — lighting levels, signage, wayfinding, and travel distances are important considerations.

Good, clear signage and lighting can convey the layout of a building and help an individual locate the locker area. Signs must be permanent, mounted at a reasonable height, use appropriately sized characters, and direct people to accessible routes and entrances to the locker area.

Facilities must provide at least one accessible route connecting all accessible rooms, elements, and spaces within a site. Creating an accessible route considers walking surfaces, doorways, ramps, curb ramps, elevators, and, where permitted, platform lifts.

Designing lockers and keyless locks for accessibility and ease-of-use

When it comes to the lockers themselves, the ADA requires an unobstructed reach and a maximum 48” height above the floor. Locker lock handles, pulls, and knobs require a shape someone can loosely grip. Latches and locks must be easy to manipulate and should not require pinching. Dials and other controls that can turn with the fingers but not the full hand can be used if they do not require twisting of the wrist or pinching.

To be ADA compliant, at least 5% of each type of locker and lock must be accessible.

Installing locker locks with simplified ADA solutions

All Digilock’s latest generation of keyless locks have ADA-compliant options, come in a variety of form factors and are available with keypad, RFID or Mobile ID access. Additionally, Digilock locks offer a choice of 24/7 remote or on-premise lock management.

Several Digilock keyless locks are popular choices for ADA compliant lockers, featuring easy-to-grip integrated pull handles that can be accessed using either hand. They include the iconic Digilock Curve, the sleek Aspire, and the versatile Versa, which comes in a mini or standard version and an easy-turn knob. The Digilock Orbit offers a barely visible minimalist design that will lock and unlock without any gripping, twisting or pulling, and can be paired with an ADA compliant handle.

It works better when we work together

Digilock continues to innovate simplified storage security solutions for everyone. By collaborating with our partners to develop ADA-compliant solutions wherever they’re needed, we’re all working together to build more accessible spaces.

It’s a different way to look at our everyday world, and that can be a valuable perspective.

If you would like more information about how your facility can provide ADA-compliant secure storage, we are happy to help. Contact us here.

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