The Americans With Disabilities Act benefits the more than 54 million Americans who have various physical handicaps by mandating that public places make their facilities usable and easily accessible. The act includes very specific directions about what accessibility implies. It involves things like wheelchair ramps and elevators, reserved parking, and restrooms. The act even specifies what the signs for ADA accessible restrooms must look like.
Identification
Every restroom that has been adapted so that it is usable for Americans with disabilities must be designated by visible signs according to article 4.30 of the act. The signs have to provide clear directions that help people find the accessible restrooms because large public establishments might only have one ADA accessible restroom. The signs have to be placed on the wall that is next to the door's latch or, in the event that this is impossible, they have to be on the closest walls, 60 inches above the floor. People touching the signs must also be able to do so without being in danger of being injured if the door opens.
Size
The size of the letters and numbers on these signs is also specified by the act. The minimum ratio for their width to their height is 3:5. The maximum ratio is 1:10. The minimum height of a capitol "X," for example, is three inches. The other characters must match.
Features
When the sign for an ADA accessible restroom includes Braille, the dots stick up from the surface of the sign. The act specifies that they have to be between 5/8 and 2 inches high. This allows them to be easily felt by someone who has a visual impairment. When Braille text is on a restroom sign, the sign also has to display the same information in raised capitol letters (in a simple serif or sans serif font) and numbers. The text must be 1/32 inch above the back of the sign.
Considerations
The same minimum and maximum distances apply to raising any symbols such as pictures of men, women and children on ADA accessible restroom signs. If a restroom is designated by this kind of symbol or picture, the sign has to also display the information in writing. The text must appear right under the picture.
Expert Insight
To assist in making the ADA accessible restroom signs easy to read, the act also includes requirements about their color and finish. The text and symbols must contrast with the sign's background. So, if the background of the sign is dark, the text and symbols must be light and vice versa. The finish cannot involve any glare.
