Sunday, December 29, 2013

ADA Regulations on counter Height putting Store clerks lives at risk when there is no clear place to hide Panic Buttons

Yes it is nice that they have lowered counter heights to serve the Disabled and Handicapped  but in too many cases it has caused another issue to develop which could put that store clerks life at risk during a hold up or other criminal intent.
As you can see in the above picture right under the counter top  next to place the clerk stands is a small white recessed button box with black button   . This is a silent Panic / Hold Up button and while this counter has a partition so you can not see clerk hit the button .
But on too many counters there is no partition or other way to block some one from seeing clerk hit the button because the counter top is too low and the taller the clerk the harder it is to get to and hit the button and not be seen. Yes there are Bait bills you pull and foot pedals and wireless pendants you carry  but there all  fallible and cause false alarms  when floor is mopped or cash register drawer puled or worked on or battery on wireless go dead or clerk walks out and forgets to leave unit for next clerk  so this is  something you do not want .
The plain old recessed button has proven to be false alarm resistant and helped save many lives . But now the most effective method we have to protect clerks is no longer viable at stores counters in too many cases .
Because of ADA height rules particularly in fast food stores. Hopefully something will come on the market to overcome this problem  but till then clerks are at risk.
But once again common sense has been ruled out and some genius who did some supposed study this is what needs to be to accommodate the handicapped has caused an even bigger problem.
and another major law suit waiting to happen.

No comments:

Post a Comment