enough spaces for wheelchairs
Fourthly, some shops in the mall do not have enough spaces for wheelchairs to pass through, and the racks are not situated favourably to allow wheelchair shoppers to shop comfortably. For example, in the H&M store, there is space for a wheelchair to pass, but the racks were too high for shoppers to pick items. Also, in Steven Madden, it was impossible to pass through the aisle without knocking shoe boxes down. ADA requires that at least one checkout counter in the store and some racks not to be higher than 38 inches from the floor to enable easier access for people using wheelchairs. Also, a minimum of 36 inches between the shelves is necessary for small store size. If the store ‘s aisle is 200 feet and above, a passing space of at least 60 by 60 inches should be available. The heavy items on the racks should be stacked on the lower shelves and the lighter ones on the upper shelves to enhance the accessibility of people in wheelchairs and limited mobility.
Lastly, apart from Nike which has spacious floor space and the shelves are reachable for a person on a wheelchair to get shoes and clothes, most of the stores such as Polo, Baths & Body, and Steven Madden are nor accommodating for people with wheelchairs. Most of the stores have not complied with some of the ADA guidelines to support people with disabilities.
I would recommend the stores in the mall to comply with the American with Disabilities Act to avoid costly consequences such as unexpected lawsuits that can cost the shops money and ruin their publicity. Also, shops that do not have enough space to restructure their store layout according to ADA standards can relocate their shops to other malls that follow ADA design guidelines. Additionally, the stores can ensure they avail the goods and products where the wheelchair can reach or have a person that only attends to the people with wheelchairs and get them what they require.
People with disabilities depend on wheel mobility, such as wheelchairs to improve the quality of their lives. The United States has about 2.7 people who rely on wheelchairs for mobility. Hence the building constructed after the passing of the ADA should conform to the ADA standards and remove structural barriers that can make it difficult for people in wheelchairs to access the building. Therefore it is the responsibility of any private and public premise to ensure that people on wheelchairs can access a building and use its facilities without any discrimination or difficulty like any other average person.