In today’s world, actions go a long way in showing that a company or organization cares about safety and inclusivity by making a space fully compliant with Custom ADA signs. Required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 for publicly-accessed spaces, ADA signage must be factored into the overall visual communication plan in facilities where people live, work and play.
ADA signs pertain to permanent use rooms and areas that require safety such as elevators, fire exits and stairwells. ADA compliant signage is not required for temporary use. ADA signage is required for specific locations to comply with regulatory standards.
What Are Regulatory Signs?
Regulatory signs give messages and safety precautions to keep people informed and safe. FASTSIGNS® provides a wide selection of regulatory signs that advise people about requirements, laws and regulations. These signs are necessary for businesses, schools, public areas and construction zones to help identify danger zones, parking spots and more.
Why Do You Need Regulatory Signs
Safety signs are a critical part of any workplace or public area. They alert customers, visitors and employees of any areas that require extra caution, such as wet floors or busy crosswalk. Traffic signs create safer parking lots and roadways by regulating traffic flow and meeting local ordinances. Parking signs, driving signs and detour information help improve safety and organization in the areas surrounding your campus, building or site. We can create branded signs that blend seamlessly with your other visual communications.
ADA sign requirements
Here are a few of the ADA sign requirements to consider when creating a signage plan:
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ADA Signage must exhibit contrast in both the background and text colors
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ADA compliant signs must be in a sans serif font - no added features
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If a sign contains a pictogram that identifies a permanent space, then tactile text descriptors are also required.
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Pictograms may include a wheelchair or gender symbols for specific restrooms.
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Braille lettering must be placed below and centered to all text with a minimum of 3/8" space between any other sign elements including sign borders. ADA sign text must have a minimum 3/8" space from the edge of the sign
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If tactile in nature, the lettering must be uppercase and between ⅝” and 2” in height
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Individual characters are required to be spaced at 1/16" or 1/8" minimum apart and 1 1/5" maximum from each other
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ALL ADA compliant signs must include both braille letters and raised to the touch for the visually impaired.
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For tactile signs, the ADA requires that the baseline of the lowest raised character be a minimum of 48” above the finished floor, and the baseline of the highest raised character be a maximum of 60” above the finished floor.
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Interior ADA signs should be installed on the latch side of the door from the room to be labeled.
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ADA signs should not be mounted directly on a door.
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If there is not enough space to mount the sign in the specified location, it may be installed on the nearest adjacent wall in a clearly visible location
Where Can You Use ADA compliant signs?
Examples of rooms that require ADA compliant signs are conference rooms, storage rooms, exam rooms, changing rooms, break rooms, IT rooms, utility rooms, electrical rooms, mechanical rooms, restrooms, kitchens, bathrooms and numbers for rooms or floors or in general any permanent fixed use room.
Why is ADA signage important?
When a facility or building is missing ADA compliant signs, a business can be at higher risk for liability and potentially higher fines. Creating an ADA compliant space enables everyone to have a positive experience while also ensuring their safety. The experts at FASTSIGNS can help deliver that peace of mind with perfectly customized ADA signs. Call us today!
To learn more about our products see our FAQs about Safety Signs.