ADA-Compliant Grills: Rules & Options

If you’re developing an outdoor kitchen for a public amenity, regulations from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will likely impact your designs.

In this blog, we’ll go over the relevant ADA regulations you should consider and provide you with options for installing grills that comply with them.

Regulations for ADA-Compliant BBQ Grills

Sections 212, 606, and 804 of the ADA Standards for Accessible Design regulate outdoor kitchen designs.

This regulates how high off the ground your outdoor grill can be, where and how the hood handle must be placed, and how much force it takes to open the hood.

For your outdoor grill to be compliant, the following standards must be adhered to:

• The grill must have 48 inches of free space behind it. This is to ensure there is enough room for a wheelchair-bound person to comfortably fit behind it.
• The grill can be no more than 34 inches above the ground.
• The grill handle lifting area must be 15-48 inches off the ground.
• The Grill hood must take less than 5 lbs of force to open.

The Problem with ADA-Compliant Gas Grills

One of the difficulties with the space requirements is that grilling options using propane or natural gas are difficult to install. The gas tanks and/or piping must be routed and stored somewhere.

Usually, this is underneath the grill; however, this can create difficulties with restricting grill height. Additionally, many developers are having to comply with no-flame ordinances in addition to ADA regulations, meaning any fossil-fuel-based grill is out of the question.

Electric Grills with ADA-Compliance Options

This is where the ElectriChef grill comes into play.

ElectriChef grills are fully electric flameless grills that are UL/CUL certified and have simple options for complying with ADA regulations.

Since all they require is a power outlet, you simply have to design the surface to be low enough to comply with ADA height regulations, and they sit right on top of it.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a pedestal grill to feature in your outdoor kitchen, the base can be shortened to your specifications upon request.

For grill handle compliance, ElectriChef now offers ADA-compliance options for the 24" and 32" models. When checking out, simply check the box you’d like an ADA-compliant handle installed.

While our grill hoods are made from durable, quality material, our 24” and 32” grill models are all light enough to be lifted with under 5 lbs of force, making them compliant with ADA regulations.

Need ADA-compliant options for your outdoor kitchen designs? Request specs today, or give us a call. We’d love to hear about your project and how we can help.