Keven Moore: Truncated domes cause injuries and are unsafe, not at all what they were meant to be

Many of us have cursed these teeth rattling mine-fields called truncated domes, detectable domes, or tactical pavers while pushing a grocery cart out to our cars, wondering what genius thought that placing them in front of a grocery store or pharmacy was a good idea.

We have our federal government to thank for these accident-prone obstacle courses that haunt the elderly many others dealing with balance issues due to dizziness, inner ear ailments, medication, arthritis, diabetes multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer disease.

In 2010 the Department of Justice issued a new American Disability Act standard that began requiring that truncated domes be installed throughout the country to help visually handicap pedestrians navigate across streets by helping them determine the boundary between a sidewalk and a street where there is no curb to warn them.

This new standard spawned a new multi-million dollar industry which created hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs nationwide and still thrives today.

With my 25-plus years of experience as risk management and safety professional I initially found the ADA requirement to be a noble and just cause, but over the years I come to question them.

I have lost a couple of gallons of milk and pickle jars when these truncated domes first appeared outside my grocery store, but I have also witnessed my own kid catch a flip flop on one of the raised bumps, causing him to skin his knee. 

What really caught my attention was when I first witnessed an elderly lady trip and fall on a clear dry summer day outside of a pharmacy (luckily escaping a severe injury). This sparked my concern. Since writing an article about this earlier this year, I have spent significant time researching their dangers.

These tactile warnings have served the visually impaired for nearly two decades; however they are a very real potential trip-and-fall hazard, an unfortunate unintended consequence of the ADA standard.

One thing hammered....Full Article