ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Commercial Mailboxes

Standard 4C Horizontal Mailboxes and Standard Cluster Box Units (CBU's)

ADA Compliance Guidelines for Commercial Mailboxes

With high-security designs and quality construction, Salsbury’s USPS approved 4C horizontal mailboxes and Cluster Box Units (CBU's) will provide years of maintenance free service.

Purpose of this document –  This document provides guidance to architects, designers and contractors in selecting and installing Salsbury 4C horizontal mailbox units and Cluster Box Units to provide service in compliance with ADA accessibility guidelines for wheelchair reach limitations. The vertical location of the mailbox units “above the finished floor” (AFF) controls the quantity of tenant compartments that comply with the reach requirements.

Note – All 6 Door High and 10 Door High Salsbury 4C horizontal standard configurations meet ADA reach requirements for all mailboxes and parcel lockers when installed at heights listed in the installation details below. In addition, the remainder of Salsbury 4C horizontal mailbox configurations have tenant compartments that are compliant with those limits.  The Americans with Disabilities Act section that covers clear space and reach dimensions and applicable to both 4C horizontal mailboxes and Cluster Box Units are noted below:

  • Figure 1

    ADA_Figure_1_Front_Reach.jpg

    Forward Reach Requirement

    Forward reach from a wheelchair is covered in Section 308.2.1 of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design published by the U.S. Department of Justice (September 15, 2010). It states: “Where a forward reach is unobstructed, the high forward reach shall be 48 inches (1220 mm) maximum and the low forward reach shall be 15 inches (380 mm) minimum above the finish floor or ground.” See Figure 1.

    The 48” maximum high forward reach is also found in the USPS requirements where at least one tenant mailbox must be located less than 48” above the finished floor. The 15” lower limit is also found in the USPS requirements as the lowest position above the finished floor for the shelf surface of a parcel locker.

  • Figure 2

    ADA_Figure_2_Side_Reach.jpg

    Side Reach Requirement

    Side reach from a wheelchair is covered in Section 308.3.1 of the same document. It states: “Where a clear floor or ground space allows a parallel approach to an element and the side reach is unobstructed, the high side reach shall be 48 inches (1220 mm) maximum and the low side reach shall be 15 inches (380 mm) minimum above the finish floor or ground.” See Figure 2.

    The 48” maximum high side reach is also found in the USPS requirements where at least one tenant mailbox must be located less than 48” above the finished floor. The 15” lower limit is also found in the USPS requirements as the lowest position above the finished floor for the shelf surface of a parcel locker.

USPS Regulations for 4C Horizontal Mailboxes

The mailboxes must be installed according to USPS-STD-4C regulations as listed below and shown here

  1. At least one customer compartment shall be positioned less than 48" from the finished floor.
  2. No parcel locker compartment (interior bottom shelf) shall be positioned less than 15" from the finished floor.
  3. No patron lock shall be located more than 67" above the finished floor.
  4. No customer compartment (interior bottom shelf) shall be positioned less than 28" from the finished floor.
  5. The USPS Arrow lock shall be located between 36" and 48" above the finished floor.
  6. There must be at least one parcel locker for every 5 patron mailboxes in installations of 5 or more patron mailboxes. There is no requirement for parcel lockers in installations of less than 5 patron mailboxes, but one or more parcel lockers are recommended.

ADA Standards Accessible Design, ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES Appendix A to Part 36 - Section 4.2 Space Allowance and Reach Ranges. https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/design-standards/2010-stds/

Standards Governing the Design of Wall-Mounted Centralized Mail Receptacles.  Federal Register / Vol.69, No. 171 / September 3, 2004 / Rules and Regulations POSTAL SERVICE, 39 CFR Part 111.

www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2004-09-03/pdf/04-19781.pdf

ADA Standards for Accessible Design, Department of Justice Code of Federal Regulations, Title III regulations at 28 CFR part 36, subpart D, and the 2004 ADAAG at 36 CFR part 1191, appendices B and D.  These governing 2010 Standards state the unobstructed reach range maximum is 48” and also specifies that 5% of all interior mailboxes be compliant (Sec. 3:88).

www.ada.gov/2010ADAstandards_index.htm

Notes:

All STD-4C compliant mailboxes must meet the U.S. Postal Service’s design and installation regulations in order to receive the “USPS Approved” designation.  Accessibility regulations may vary locally and regionally.  Therefore, always consult local building codes for applicable accessibility requirements related to your mailbox project.

Sequential numbering (e.g.: 1-300) of mailbox compartments may allow greater flexibility in providing accessible mailbox compartments that meet accessbility regulations. Sequential numbering also provides greater security and privacy for residents.

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