Signage - Improving access Guidance Document Signage Guide.indd 1 26/3/12 12:24:53
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Caerphilly County Borough Council is opposed to discrimination in any form and we aim to ensure that all sections of the community have access to and benefit from the full range of services we provide. We must comply with a wide range of legislation and employment regulations in the field of equality but in addition to this, we are firmly committed to doing all we can to respect the diverse nature of those who live, work and visit the county borough. Improvement to our building stock has been taking place for several years. Ramps, handrails, lifts and accessible toilets have been installed where they are needed most. Buildings that provide these elements can request funding for signage improvements and other internal works. Disability Discrimination Since October 1999 service providers have been required to make reasonable adjustments to ensure disabled people can use their services easily, which includes the provision of accessible signs, an essential element in gaining access to those services. 1 Signage Guide.indd 3 26/3/12 12:24:54
The Four Sign Types Information signs These are the main signs for orientation; they would include the building, car park and other internal signs identifying main locations inside the building and including directories, maps and plans, covering the whole site, externally and internally. Direction signs These direct users to destinations using arrows and can include directional text. Often they carry several destinations in a bank of signs and care has to be taken with the use of arrows to avoid confusion. 2 Signage Guide.indd 4 26/3/12 12:24:55
Identification (or location) signs These signs are installed at individual destinations to indicate the location of a facility or a service, a room or a person, once a destination has been reached. Some location signs can be short; others may contain several levels of information. Safety, fire safety and mandatory signs These signs are essential for the safety of users and can be either warning or prohibition signs. They will be positioned at strategic points to give warning of a hazard. They include exit signs, fire exit signs, fire safety signs and details about fire equipment. This category also includes mandatory signs, which are usually characterised by a special colour and shape, i.e. White letters on a blue square. 3 Signage Guide.indd 5 26/3/12 12:24:56
Beneficial to all Good signage should be easy to understand and people with a visual impairment should not be placed at a disadvantage. The vast majority of visually impaired people have some useful vision. The correct positioning, font type and size will make it easier for people with a visual impairment to see the sign. For those with no useful vision Braille signage should be considered, however the details of providing accurate Braille signage are beyond the scope of this document. Please contact the DDA officer for further advice or information Good signage not only helps those with visual impairment, it helps hearing-impaired people as well as they may find it difficult to understand verbal directions. Cognitive impaired people who find pictograms and the use of plain English easier also benefit. In fact good signage helps everyone, regardless of disability. 4 Signage Guide.indd 6 26/3/12 12:24:56
What makes good accessible signage? Clear, Concise, Consistent: The language should utilise words which the user understands and should relate to the user s needs. If messages are technical or complicated in their wording, many people will be discouraged. Official terms, which may be unfamiliar, should be avoided. One of the most universally used typefaces for signs is Helvetica Medium, which has been used by many hospitals and other institutions. Although commendable for its legibility, there are many other sans serif faces which are equally good e.g. Arial, Futura. Consider whether a sign will be read from distance, such as across a car park or at the end of a corridor or close up. This will have a bearing on text height and consequently on sign size. 5 Signage Guide.indd 7 26/3/12 12:24:56
What makes good accessible signage? Sentences or single word messages should begin with an upper case letter and continue with lower case. Words entirely in upper case type (capitals) should not be used. Locations for signs require good illumination. Locations need to be consistent also. 6 Signage Guide.indd 8 26/3/12 12:24:57
When planning signs keep the information to a minimum; only give enough information at any point to enable the user to accomplish their current objective. Too much information confuses everyone and will either be ignored or forgotten. Terminology should be consistent; i.e. the words used on a directory at the entrance should be identical to those found on a specific department door. Using too many letters or words on a line can cause visual clutter. A suggested maximum for legibility would be 12-14 letters per line, including spaces. 7 Signage Guide.indd 9 26/3/12 12:24:57
Reading Distance Long distance reading It is important that character size is related to reading distance because too large a character at close reading distance may not be legible either. Medium range reading For identification signs in reception areas or direction signs in corridors, a character size of 50-100mm is recommended. Close up reading On directories or wall mounted information signs, a minimum character size of 15-25mm is recommended. Information Hierarchy Where character size is intended to inform the building user of hierarchy, for example, in functions or departments, the minimum character size appropriate for the reading distance should be used for the least important information. 8 Signage Guide.indd 10 26/3/12 12:24:58
External Colour Contrast Visual contrast Care should be taken to ensure that sufficient colour contrast is maintained internally and externally. For signs other than safety signs (for which there are prescribed colours), letters, symbols and pictograms should contrast visually with the signboard. Signboards should contrast visually with their backgrounds. For accurate colour specification, the reference number of the colour should always be quoted and obtained from a reputable paint manufacturer, based on recognised colour specification standards, e.g. Pantone, RAL, British Standards. 9 Signage Guide.indd 11 26/3/12 12:24:58
Use of symbols Well-recognised symbols are often better than words, as they can be larger than the equivalent text message. In addition, many symbols are internationally recognised, alleviating the need for English and Welsh versions. The size of symbols or pictograms used on visual signs should be as large as the location allows, within the design constraints. Where space permits, symbols should be at least 100mm in overall height. First Aid Information No Smoking Pedestrian crossing 10 Signage Guide.indd 12 26/3/12 12:25:00
In addition, there are several internationally recognised symbols relating to disability which should be used wherever appropriate. Visual impairment aware Hearing impairment aware International sign for disability Disabled access/parking Induction loop system Text telephone (TTD symbol) 11 Signage Guide.indd 13 26/3/12 12:25:00
Useful Contacts Simon Dixon, DDA officer 01443 864085 John Thomas, Client Liaison Officer 01443 864086 John Elliot, Research Officer 01443 864415 David Thomas, Senior Policy Officer 01443 864353 Donna Jones Health and Safety Manager 01443 864865 Communications Unit 01443 864264 12 Signage Guide.indd 14 26/3/12 12:25:00
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This publication is available in other languages or formats on request. Please call 01443 864414 Signage Guide.indd 16 26/3/12 12:25:01