The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandated businesses make many changes to support Americans with disabilities. One of those changes was the introduction of ADA directional signs. These signs need to fit certain criteria created by the ADA. The design is intended to help those with disabilities navigate businesses, including your business. These signs differ from your typical business directional signs in a few key ways.
ADA Signs Use Braille
Perhaps the most obvious part of an ADA sign is the braille featured on most of them. These raised dots form a language that those with visual impairment can use to navigate in your building. Your office doors, for example, should have room numbers printed on them on braille.
While it may seem like any sign with dots on it meets these criteria, braille is actually very strict about the height and spacing of the letters. Not all sign companies understand these details and include them in the sign. If the dots are wrong, a person with visual impairment may not be able to read them, which means they may feel very unwelcome in your building.
ADA Signs Are High Contrast
There are many more rules for ADA directional signs than just proper braille usage. As with other business directional signs, you may want your signs to include your branding, especially your brand colors. However, depending on your branding, these colors may not be high contrast enough to fulfill the ADA rules. The ADA requires a certain amount of contrast so that the sign can be more easily read by those with more minor visual impairments
ADA Signs Must Be a Certain Height
Having the right sign visually isn’t quite enough. ADA signs also need to be placed at a very specific height so that people who read Braille can find them without having to run their hand all over your wall. Specifically, your signs need to be between 40” to 70” up from the floor.
Choose Custom Wayfinding Signs from QC Signs & Graphics
There are many more ADA sign guidelines that you may have to include in your business directional signs. QC Signs & Graphics in Charlotte can help you make sure that your new signs will fulfill the guidelines, so you can avoid fees and penalties. Contact our sign specialists now to get your custom sign system.
