There are specific types of California ADA compliant signs that differ from what business owners in other states have to install. It is fair to say that interior ADA sign compliance in CA requires a firm understanding of federal and state rules that sometimes have to exist side by side. How confident are you that your current signage setup measures up?
California Has Stricter ADA Signage Requirements
A case in point is California AB 1732 that deals with restroom access. It specifies the installation of two signs at each public restroom; one sign should be mounted to the door and the other should be mounted on the adjacent wall. Further, California signs must feature geometric symbols that offer tactile advantages but do not call for Braille II or really any type of text.
In 1990, federal guidelines went into effect for all the states. These are the ones every state has to abide by. They regulate the use of pictographs, Braille II usage, and text placement. Moreover, they focus attention on the use of color contrasts to make the products more visible.
While it is true that federal guidelines trump state rules, the stricter California laws ensure that local businesses must obey both.
Case Study: Braille II Compliance
At face value, it sounds simple. Guidelines state that Braille II must be placed underneath the text it translates. Several stylish design options make it possible to have the dots visually disappear. However, there are strict rules when it comes to the actual dot design itself.
For example, did you know that the dots must be half-an-inch to three-eights-of-an-inch below the text? Moreover, Braille must feature a horizontal display format. The height of a Braille dot must be 0.025. Besides that, there are additional rules that govern the spacing between dots.
Taking Inventory of Current ADA Signage
You think that your business complies. But are you sure? Our sign shop specializes in the design, fabrication, and installation of federal and California-mandated ADA signage. Our team knows where these signs need to be and how to install them there.
We routinely visit clients who schedule a site survey with our shop. During this visit, we catalog the ADA-compliant signs that are already in place. Typically, we notice three problems.
- Missing signs. Do you have two restroom signs? Our technicians occasionally see businesses where one of the signs – either the door or the wall product – is missing.
- Incorrect installation heights above the finish floor or ground. Tactile characters on signs shall be located 48 inches (1220 mm) minimum above the finish floor or ground surface, measured from the baseline of the lowest tactile character and 60 inches (1525 mm) maximum above the finish floor or ground surface, measured from the baseline of the highest tactile character.
- Outdated signs. There have been updates since the ADA. Old signs that you have at the venue are grandfathered in. However, if you make changes and install some new signs, you have to upgrade all of them. It is not unusual for a business owner to miss this aspect of the requirements.
If you are unsure about your company’s interior ADA sign compliance in CA, connect with our shop. Do not take chances! Call today.
