U.S. Access Board Issues New Standards and Requirements Today

January 9, 2017 - Today the U.S. Access Board published the following standards and requirements:

Access Board Issues Standards for Medical Diagnostic Equipment 
https://www.access-board.gov/news/1874-access-board-issues-standards-for-medical-diagnostic-equipment

The Access Board has issued new accessibility standards for medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) under section 510 of the Rehabilitation Act. The standards provide design criteria for examination tables and chairs, weight scales, radiological and mammography equipment, and other diagnostic equipment that are accessible to people with disabilities. They include requirements for equipment that requires transfer from mobility aids and address transfer surfaces, support rails, armrests, and other features. The Board developed the standards in consultation with the Food and Drug Administration.
“The new standards will be instrumental in ensuring access to health care services,” states Regina Blye, Vice Chair of the Access Board. “The Board is pleased to fill this gap in accessibility because diagnostic equipment has remained problematic for many people with disabilities due largely to the lack of design specifications for making such equipment accessible.”

As issued by the Board, the standards are not mandatory on health care providers and equipment manufacturers. The U.S. Department of Justice, which has issued guidance on access to medical care, may adopt them as mandatory requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Other federal agencies may implement them as well under the Rehabilitation Act which requires access to federally funded programs and services.

Access Board Updates Requirements for Information and Communication Technology
https://www.access-board.gov/news/1889-access-board-updates-requirements-for-information-and-communication-technology

The Access Board today released a final rule that updates accessibility requirements for information and communication technology (ICT) in the federal sector covered by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. The rule also refreshes guidelines for telecommunications equipment subject to Section 255 of the Communications Act. 

“This update is essential to ensure that the Board’s Section 508 standards and the Communications Act guidelines keep pace with the ever-changing technologies covered and continue to meet the access needs of people with disabilities,” states Sachin Pavithran, Chair of the Board’s ICT ad hoc committee. “The Access Board is grateful for the input it received from the public and stakeholders throughout the rulemaking process which greatly enhanced the final product.”

​“Throughout this process,” according to Access Board Executive Director David M. Capozzi, “the Board worked very hard to ensure consistency with other consensus guidelines and international standards to promote global harmonization and facilitate compliance.” He noted that, “ICT requirements that are closely aligned remove ambiguity, increase marketplace competition, and lead to better accessibility features and outcomes.”