ADA signage with braille
In 1990, the Federal government passed the American with Disabilities Act, or ADA. ADA ensures that public facilities are safe and usable by those with or without disabilities. ADA has standardized guidelines that have been incorporated into the building code. One area that is required by ADA deals with signage. In California, the California Building Code follows the ADA requirements for mounting heights of ADA signs.
Height
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that all signs are mounted on the wall 60 inches from the finished floor surface to the center of the sign. This places the sign at a comfortable height for people with or without disabilities. It is also a reachable height for those who are blind and are in need of reading the Braille on the sign without having to reach too high on the wall. A standard mounting height ensures that everyone will know where to look for the signage.
Location
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that all signs are located on the adjacent wall to the door latch. This will ensure that people are not hit by the door opening when they are trying to read the sign. The sign must be located so that a person can walk up within 3 inches of the sign without standing or walking through the swing of the door or hit any protruding objects from the wall.
Double Doors
When a sign is need to be mounted next to a pair of double doors, the signage must be mounted 60 inches from the finished surface to the center of the sign. The sign must be located on an adjacent wall space nearest the pair of doors. There must be at least 18 inches of space between the door sweep and the sign when placed next to a pair of double doors.
Corner Location
When a sign is located in an alternate location where there is no room on the latch side of the door to mount a sign, the signage must be located on the adjacent wall perpendicular to the door on the latch side. The signage must be located a minimum of 36 inches from the wall where the door is located and must have a clearance of 18 inches in front of the sign from the door swing.
