2019 California Standards for Accessible Design Guide (effective January 1, 2020 with July 1, 2021 amendments)

ETA Editor's Note

The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), which has jurisdiction over hospitals and long-term care facilities in California, issued Code Application Notice CAN 2-11B, dated 9/9/14, which includes the following interpretation of Subsections 11B-805.4.1, 11B-805.4.2 and 11B-805.4.3:

All patient care areas must provide access to the area and to the bed, exam table, procedure table, gurney, lounge chair and/or equipment/apparatus associated with the delivery of care, exam, diagnosis or treatment performed in the space. Access includes compliance with Division 4 of Chapter 11B for travel to, and circulation within, the patient care area; and turning space in compliance with Section 11B-304. A minimum of a 36-inch wide access shall be provided to and along each side of the bed, exam table, procedure table, gurney, lounge chair and/or equipment/apparatus. "Each side" includes both sides and the foot, but does not include the head unless the provision of care requires it. Refer to the following examples:

Exam room - Exam rooms are required to provide a turning space, accessible handwashing fixture, and 36-inch wide access along the full length of each side and the foot of the exam table.  The exception is in reference to general exam rooms only. These are restricted to those meeting the definition of exam room in CBC Section 1224.3. Specific exam rooms required to be larger than 80 square feet are not considered "general exam rooms" and are not eligible for the exception.

Treatment room - Treatment rooms are required to provide a turning space, accessible handwashing fixture, accessible counter and writing surface, and 36-inch wide access along the full length of each side and foot of the treatment table. If the treatment room is intended to accommodate procedures requiring access to the head (e.g. minor surgery, etc.), all four sides of the table require 36-inch wide access.

Equipment - Exam or treatment rooms with equipment such as imaging must provide a turning space, accessible handwashing fixture if required, and 36-inch wide access to both sides and the foot of the table. The head of the equipment does not require 36-inch access if only used for servicing.

CBC Chapter 12, Section 1224 applies to hospitals, and 1224.3, referenced above, includes the following definition: EXAM ROOM. A room with a bed, stretcher, or examination table and capability for periodic monitoring (e.g., measurement of blood pressure or pulse oximetry) in which procedures that do not require a specialized suite can be performed (e.g., pelvic examination, blood transfusion).

OSHPD has not yet made it clear which, if any, movable items are allowed within the required 36-inch wide access.

As of the initial publication of this Guide, OSHPD has not updated CAN 2-11B for applicability to 2019 CBC. Since there is no change to the wording of Subsections 11B-805.4.1, 11B-805.4.2 and 11B-805.4.3 from 2013 CBC to 2019 CBC, there is no reason to expect that OSHPD will change its interpretation.