ADASignage

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991 establishes sweeping measures to eliminate discrimination and assure equivalent opportunities for disabled persons. Public accommodation is a key aspect of this law. Businesses are obligated to provide sight-impaired persons with specialized signage. Signs that identify a permanent space, such as a rest room, stairwell or elevator must include raised lettering and braille components. Signs that give guidance to or provide information about a permanent space do not require tactile components, however they must meet precise guidelines regarding letter height, type style and color contrast factors. Only the permanent aspect of a space needs tactile signage. For instance, an office number must be tactile while the name of the occupant can be conventional lettering. That's because the room number is permanent but the occupant may change over time. The ADA also provides specific guidelines regarding the placement of regulated signage.