ADA Signs
The importance of using accessible signage has been highlighted in recent years. Businesses are becoming more conscious of making their brand as inclusive as possible. If you’re a business owner in Chicago or Naperville, you may have been searching for ‘ADA signs near me’ to ensure all of your customers feel valued. Companies like Captivating Signs can provide your ADA signage solutions.
What is ADA Signage?
ADA braille signs are now required in businesses under the Americans with Disabilities Act. There are many uses of ADA signs, with the most common use being for those who are visually impaired or blind. The signage has raised characters so its contents can be easily read.
ADA compliant signs can be categorized into three broad categories
Whether or not a sign is required
Where the signage can be placed
Details of the sign including font, font size, spacing, and coloring
All companies must comply with at least one of the above guidelines when using signage to ensure inclusivity within and outside of Chicago.
Types of ADA Signs
ADA signage should be found throughout every commercial building. This includes lobbies, entrances, and exits, elevators, stairways, and there must also be ADA bathroom signs. This ensures every customer, client, and employee can easily navigate their way in and around the building, regardless of any visual impairments. You can get custom braille signs to indicate directions (such as the first floor, west building, etc.) and room types (such as office, conference room, laboratory, gym room, etc.). There is also signage available for more specific needs, such as A&E or ambulance signs at a hospital or changing room facilities in a gym.
Cost of ADA Signs
Signage costs vary depending on your specific requirements. As with any other interior or exterior signage for your business, your expenses come down to the size of the size, the type of sign, and any additional features such as 3D lettering or LED lighting that you might want to include. Always speak to the professionals to assess what signage is best for you and what your budget allows.
When Do Companies Need ADA Signs?
Every Naperville company must use ADA signage for signs that are permanent fixtures within the building. This includes signage that indicates direction or informs visitors of what a particular area is used for and the available facilities in this area. Signs used for advertising or marketing purposes do not necessarily have to comply with ADA laws. Still, many businesses choose to use braille signs for this type of signage nonetheless.
Providing the right ADA signage is not a want but a need. Any business in and around Chicago must comply with the ADA rules and regulations. For your ADA signage in Chicago, get in touch with the team at Captivating Signs. We can produce custom ADA signs for your business to help your visually impaired or blind visitors and employees find their way around your building.
FAQ
This can vary. The legislation that created the original ADA requirements has been codified by specific regulations over the years. The goal of providing equal access now requires that any room without a frequently changing use or purpose must be signed to remain compliant. This makes restrooms, vending areas, numbered rooms, and any room with a specific purpose subject to ADA compliance. Parking facilities must also ensure proper signage for accessible parking spaces. Other ADA requirements include directional, informational, and elevator signs to be compliant.
The use of blue backgrounds for all ADA signs is not a requirement. However, there are specific requirements that the signs use colors of high contrast (light and dark or dark and light) to ensure easy readability. These signs must be nonglare backgrounds and text. There are also specific requirements for fonts, spacing, and raised braille elements that provide easy readability and use.
President George H.W. Bush signed the original Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law on July 26, 1990. It was the first and most comprehensive piece of legislation that addressed the civil rights of people with a wide range of disabilities. The intention of the act was, and still is, to provide these individuals with equal access and opportunities as enjoyed by everyone else.
Not all signs in an office or facility must be ADA compliant. Signs that are placed to ensure ADA compliance must meet the specific requirements as provided by the law and follow up regulations. Many businesses and organizations improve access by providing additional signs that are ADA compliant even when not required by law.
Compliant exit door signs must be placed on the latch side of each exit door. Double doors have different requirements depending on which doors are functional for exits, and other factors such as recessed doors, push doors, and clear floor space will affect proper placement.
Each door must provide at least 32 inches of clear opening with the door opened 90 degrees to be ADA compliant.
Special considerations for ADA bathroom signs require that they include both tactile and braille text that complies with all other ADA sign standards, and the sign must be mounted in the prescribed location and at the correct height. Local requirements may override the federal specifications.
There are many, so if you want to know specifics, we suggest you talk to a professional. The rules for ADA signs have been developed to provide very specific guidance for 1) what signs are required, 2) proper mounting of signs, and 3) what each sign must and must not include in its design. These rules may differ by locale and are updated periodically, and it is important to use a knowledgeable sign company for implementing these rules.
A critical factor for an ADA braille sign is the height of the tactile characters. These must be placed within 48 to 60 inches above the floor, measuring from the character’s bottom baseline. It is important to note this height requirement is to be followed regardless of other sign height and placement considerations. It is recommended that signs maintain a consistent placement throughout any facility.
The critical consideration for the size of an ADA sign is the character height of the text and pictogram. Character height is measured from the baseline for the characters and must be at least 5/8” or 16mm tall and no more than 2” tall for the uppercase letter “I”. For signs using both raised and visual characters that convey the same information, the raised character height must be a minimum of ½” (or 13 mm).
