HIGHLIGHTS
Equal Access Problem Which Must Have The Highest Priority for Correction
Visitors to the Legislative Branch who have disabilities must have equal access to a safe and prompt evacuation from the buildings as do visitors who are not disabled. During the inspection conducted by the Office of the General Counsel (OGC or General Counsel) for the 108th Congress, we found that in most buildings1 on Capitol Hill this was not the case. Only the first floor of the Capitol Building, the Botanic Garden Conservatory and the Ford House Office building provide equal opportunity for visitors with disabilities to participate in the evacuation. All Capitol Hill entities covered by the CAA must ensure that visitors with disabilities have equal opportunity to safely evacuate from the building or relocate to another floor during an evacuation drill or actual emergency. Based on the 2004 inspections, the specific problems regarding accessible emergency egress that need to be rectified are summarized below and detailed in Section IV.B and in the Individual Building Charts attached to this Report.
- All buildings lack wall maps or other signage that direct visitors with disabilities to accessible exit routes, staging areas and accessible discharge points to be used in the event of emergency evacuations. Illuminated exit signs direct people to exits that might not be usable by a person in a wheelchair. Therefore, the installation of maps or signage showing the alternate accessible exit routes and discharge points for individuals with disabilities is essential.
- All buildings lack accessible signage at the building exits. Accessible signage is brailled and in raised and high contrast letters. Such signage is required at permanent building exits, including exit stairwells and discharge points. It is essential for visitors who are blind or vision-impaired and do not know how to get out of the building.
- Staging Areas, where individuals with mobility impairment await assistance during an emergency, are an integral part of the plan to evacuate these buildings.2 Many staging areas, including those in the Longworth House Office Building and the upper floors of the Capitol Building, are in hazardous locations. The Office of Compliance (OOC) has suggested alternate sites that offer more protection for those who are awaiting evacuation assistance.3
