Since the introduction of the ADA – American Disabilities Act, businesses are required by law to have ADA compliant signage in the premises.
ADA has introduced extremely strict regulations that the signage must adhere to. Failing to have the appropriate signs means that you will have to pay fines or be liable for any accidents or injury caused by poor signage.
To avoid all this, it is better to make ADA compliant signs. The following are some useful tips that you can rely on to make these signs:
Have a Non-Glare Finish
Since ADA compliant signs have to be placed in public and areas, make sure that you have high contrast colors and use a non-glare finish on the signs. People with limited visibility will have difficulty seeing the sign if it has a reflective surface.
Even if you want your sign to be glossy, make sure you give it a non-glare finish. This finish effectively removes any reflective qualities that the sign material will have. This also means that the colors will be vibrant and ensure that the signs are easy to view for all.
Grade 2 Braille
Directional signs must include reading aids like Braille characters which can make wayfinding easier for people with limited sight or who are legally blind. Instead of offering a letter-to-letter Braille translation, your signage must say the whole word.
It should also say the word at the Grade 2 Braille level. This has more contracted dots and it is easier for one to read and comprehend. Reading Braille translations following letter-by-letter translations can take a lot of time and be frustrating for one.
Relevant ISA Symbols
All ADA signs must have the appropriate ISA symbols where ever it is applicable. The ISA symbols should not just denote special needs. In some cases, ISA symbols are needed for areas or safety recommendations. Make sure that you have the appropriate symbol for the message you are trying to convey.
If you have confusion, get professional help. If a business accidentally puts a danger sign in an area where there is a risk of radiation, it will get fined. Yes, the area is dangerous but the symbol for radiation is different from the danger sign.
The Font Type
On all ADA compliant signs, the font should contribute to making readability easy. This is why you must pay special attention to the font type you use. All the characters should be uppercase and in a san serif font. Italic characters are definitely not recommended.
Even if you are bolding the font, it should still leave the text legible enough for everyone to read with ease. Stylized fonts and serif fonts are not advised as these can often make characters confusing.
Conclusion
Every business should have ADA compliant signage in their offices. Attention to detail is crucial from the font to the kind of finish the signage has. By paying attention to a few crucial details, they can make their offices more inclusive, especially for those with disabilities.
