Do your signs meet all the standards? Read on to obtain the answer.
As a business owner, you may place different types of signs in your store or office. Some signs are designed for branding purposes, some to ensure safety, and others to assist customers and offer them a great visitor experience. While most signs are optional, some are absolutely required. These signs are called business compliance signs.
To stay compliant with the ADA, NFPA, OSHA/ANSI, and other regulations, you must have business compliance signs at your facility.
ADA Signs
Signed in 1990, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses open to the public to install ADA signs on their premises. These are signs designed to guarantee accessibility and equal opportunity to disabled Americans in wayfinding, transportation, employment, etc.
Most often, ADA signs are used to refer to signs with tactile and raised letters and Grade II Braille for visually impaired people.
The signs you place on your business facility must follow the guidelines issued by the ADA. These pertain to the size of the letters, fonts, positioning of the sign, and more. ADA standards are quite detailed— they even define how far down from the ceiling or out from the wall the sign should be placed.
OSHA/ANSI-Compliant Signs
The ANSI Z535-2011 standard is incorporated into OSHA guidelines for better identification of hazards at the workplace. These relate to safety signs used to alert staff of hazardous situations and convey critical information. Based on the ANSI Z535 standard, a safety sign should comprise the following 4 elements:
- Signal Word: This refers to a single word that must be at the top of the sign, quickly communicating the main idea of the sign. The word can be DANGER, CAUTION, SAFETY, WARNING, or NOTICE.
- Safety Alert Symbol: It’s a defined symbol that should be used only when there’s personal risk. It shouldn’t be used when there’s a risk of equipment damage or risk of property,
- Word Messages: Besides the signal word, the rest of the message should also be concise, containing necessary information with no factual errors. Word messages can include emergency information or a description of the potential hazard. Examples include phrases,such as ‘Eye Protection Required’, ‘Watch Your Step’, or ‘Hazardous Voltage. Keep Out!’.
- Symbols: Apart from the safety alert symbol that’s positioned at the top with the signal word, more symbols should be used along with the word message to make it easy to understand. These are universally recognized, standardized symbols commonly found across all industries.
NFPA 704 Signs
This standard is maintained by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that defines a graphic system used by emergency personnel to identify the risks associated with the presence of hazardous materials in a facility. The signs relate to health, instability, flammability, and related hazards related to short-term, acute exposure to the material during a spill, fire, or other emergency scenarios.
The standard uses ‘diamond’ displays to convey the material hazard information by severity and category to emergency personnel.
Contact a Local Sign Company
Now that you’re familiar with the different categories of custom business compliance signs, it’s time to revamp your signs.
