How Signs Communicate 

Communicating with your customers, visitors and employees goes beyond advertising and marketing. No matter the industry, signs can be used to communicate effectively about directions and safety. Signs guide and inform us about pertinent details that will help us to get where we need to go. From roadways, shopping venues, healthcare facilities, schools, and houses of worship to sports and entertainment venues, we rely on signs to help us navigate our lives.

Signs reduce risks and promote improved safety through the use of information in the form of symbols, colors, design, placement, and text. This information can quickly provide details about your brand and the type of business, but also safety signage is the best way to communicate vital messages regarding your business. For the safety and well-being of all who may use a space, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require that certain signs be displayed in every business. To properly comply with these requirements, you have to understand the reason for these safety and ADA signs and why they are imperative.

ADA considerations 

The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that safety and informative measures are implemented around common areas. The Act also implements protection against discrimination. It is by the sharing of this information that people with disabilities can function in society equally comparative to their fellow community members. There should be no barriers for people with disabilities, especially in the form of wayfinding and safety materials.

ADA laws and regulations should be adhered to by everyone and you should be familiar with those which directly affect some of your customers. ADA-compliant signs ensure all persons, no matter physical capabilities, are treated fairly and have equal access. ADA signs are necessary to ensure your business is accessible for everyone (i.e., from wheelchair accessibility to braille for the visually impaired) regardless of their specific need.

There are many factors to consider when designing signage per the ADA and OSHA. ADA-compliant signage utilizes and follows a variety of accessibility guidelines including engraved signs, braille, text in other languages, specific measurements, and placement/location of signs. Other examples include safety signs that are intended to protect customers from potentially dangerous areas in your facility. Signage can indicate that a special area should only be entered by those wearing appropriate safety gear. There are also requirements about equipment that needs to be labeled “high voltage” if it could cause harm, for example, among others. According to OSHA regulations, safety signs are required for businesses in all industries.

Laws, Design, and Expertise

It is vital to have these signs made by sign professionals who are familiar with the regulations so you’ll never have to worry whether or not they are in compliance. Signarama team members have extensive knowledge of the laws for safety and ADA signs; our sign experts have a clear understanding of where and how these signs need to be designed and installed.

Signarama can customize your ADA signage to align with your branding and aesthetics while also adhering to ADA requirements, including: 

?       Braille signs 

?       Tactile signs 

?       Room number signs 

?       Restroom signs 

?       Handicap accessible signs 

It is our mission, much like yours, to ensure all persons can safely have access to your business whenever necessary. Contact your local Signarama to schedule a site visit from one of our team members who will conduct a thorough evaluation of your existing safety and ADA signs to determine what may or may not need updating.