It’s School Time: Preparing for ADA Access to Your Portable Classrooms

During summertime, when the kids are busy at play, school administrators are busy making sure that all classrooms are ready for the first day of school. As important as it is to ensure that every student has a spot in the classroom for the upcoming year, it’s equally important to make sure that all classrooms, especially portable rooms, are accessible for all.

While not having access can be a huge problem, National Ramp offers an easy solution with our ramps and platform combinations. National Ramp’s engineers know how to make sure that your classrooms are accessible in compliance with the ADA, as well as the IBC (International Building Code) as it relates to your specific region. We also provide Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-compliant stairs and commercial walkways.

Aluminum Ramps for Portable Classrooms

Portable classrooms are an ideal solution for budget-conscious school districts that are facing a variety of space issues, including enrollment surges or ongoing construction of permanent buildings. Many schools undergo renovations or need temporary solutions due to changing enrollment or emergency needs. 

While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) might certify your portable classrooms, access to the classrooms may not be certified, especially if your school moves the portable classrooms from their original position or into the space connecting the main building and the portable classrooms.

And while you may not be thinking about ADA access with your multitude of other tasks, the laws still apply and you don’t want to have to scramble in the days leading to the start of school due to noncompliance. Furthermore, you wouldn’t want a legal complaint to force potentially disruptive changes after school has already started.

Our Ramp Configuration Benefits

When you have a ramp installed at a school, you need to install a platform, too. The modular nature of National Ramp’s Latitude Series offers many benefits, including:

• Flexibility: You will have flexibility with the ramp layout and the ability to reconfigure the ramp in a new location if the portable classroom changes site. 
• Long-lasting use: While the ramp is durable after installation and students can use it for years, it can also be easily disassembled with minimal impact on your site. We make our platforms and ramps with high-quality aluminum, which is strong and lightweight. 
• An inclusive learning environment: As education institutions evolve to meet students’ needs, accessibility solutions like ramps play a crucial role in ensuring equal access to education for all. Students with disabilities deserve to feel like they are a part of the school community. Installing ramps helps wheelchair users and those with limited mobility access classrooms, libraries and other facilities without barriers 
• Safety for all: Our accessibility ramps benefit those with disabilities and they also provide a safer route for everyone in the school community. From teachers carrying heavy loads to students on crutches recovering from an injury, ramps offer support for all. In emergencies, accessible ramps also facilitate faster and safer evacuations.
• Warranties: All our aluminum ramps come with a lifetime warranty, so you will have peace of mind. 

Aluminum Stairs for Portable Classrooms

Portable buildings are typically elevated from the ground, and stairs offer a secure way to navigate this height difference. Our OSHA stairs feature rails for support and quality designs to minimize the risk of falls or trips — ensuring a safer environment for all. 

Portable classrooms may be temporary, but they are often used for several years. High-quality stairs built from durable aluminum provide long-lasting solutions that withstand heavy foot traffic and daily use. We can customize your stairs to fit the specific height and layout of your portable classroom. 

Why Is Aluminum Better?

The reason we choose to make all our accessibility solutions with aluminum is because it contains almost no iron, and without iron, this metal won’t rust — rather, it oxidizes. Aluminum has a great affinity toward oxygen, which leads to the formation of a protective oxide layer on its surface — providing several advantages such as low maintenance, corrosion resistance and improved durability. 

What We Provide

At National Ramp, we prioritize safety in every installation, using durable aluminum and ensuring compliance with strict safety standards. With our equipment’s modularity and a broad range of accessibility products, we can install just about any type of ramp configuration, set of stairs or walkway to meet virtually every need and budget.

If you need a ramp, we will provide the wet-stamped drawings of the Latitude Series modular wheelchair ramp for your site. Once we have approval for the project, we will ship the in-stock materials immediately, and the installation will only take a few hours. Together, let’s make every school a place where all students can access the education they deserve — one ramp at a time!

Provide Freedom Now

It’s critical to give each student access to the full classroom experience and no student’s mobility impairment should prevent them from the benefits of learning in the classroom. By providing these accessibility solutions, schools send a powerful message of inclusivity and support for students, staff and visitors with diverse needs. This fosters a sense of belonging and reduces the feeling of isolation that some students with disabilities may experience. 

Partnering with National Ramp will allow all students and school personnel to have full access to each classroom. To get a quote, feel free to call us today at 845-610-0717 or complete our online contact form. Accessible education is not just a right — it’s a pathway to future success.