When we think of signage in a business, we might think of the typical bright lights and colours. It is usually something that points the way or gives us information, and we see these signs almost everywhere we go, but what if we couldn’t see those signs? For the visually impaired, these signs can be almost obsolete and many of their many purposes are lost.

Those without disabilities can often take the signage around us for granted. It can not only be used as a sales tool but can also provide direction or give warnings. Signs can be a huge source of information and are vital when it comes to communicating with your customers, and much of this is lost for those potential customers who have sight difficulties.

Signage is also used by the visually impaired to find the things that the rest of us can do more easily – they can show the direction to facilities, but also point out when you have reached them.

However, there are ways in which you can change and adapt your signage to help make your business more accessible. Here, we take a look at the kind of signs that you can use and who they can benefit.

To explain further, Malcolm Judson, Managing Director at Judsons Signs shares his insights into how signage can make your business more accessible. 

Braille and tactile signs

Braille and tactile signs are now becoming more commonplace in many businesses as they can vastly improve your accessibility for the visually impaired, but they must be used correctly. These signs do all the same jobs that you might expect, such as pointing the way or providing information, but they can also help to show the user what they are in front of, such as the toilets, to help them navigate their way around.

For it to be truly effective, a braille sign must be clearly and easily understood by the greatest number of people. That means not just the blind, but also those with low vision and those with perfect sight. It should have clear, embossed lettering as well as embossed or raised pictograms or icons that can be easily understood. Ideally, your sign should also include braille text in order to cater for everyone.

When it comes to the embossing on the sign, this needs to be done very carefully. Each embossment should have rounded edges that are comfortable for someone to run their fingers around, as sharp corners can make for a painful surprise. The braille lettering also needs to have a domed or rounded shape, and the dots that it incorporates need to be at least 0.5mm above the surface of the sign.

Whilst engraving or recessed braille dots might look nice, they are generally not considered to be best practice as they can be difficult to read for those with visual impairments, and the point of the sign is lost.

Sign content

Your visually impaired customers should not be at any disadvantage to those without vision problems, so you should make sure that all of the information conveyed on any of your signs is available in both print and braille.

You should make sure that both types of text are separated by at least 10mm to allow a clear distinction for the reader, and arrows can be easily used to point the way around your premises. You should make sure that each arrow is clearly accompanied by an instruction or label that is close by to avoid any confusion of what it is directing you to.

You should make sure that all braille signs are at the same height throughout the business, preferably between 1200mm and 1600mm from floor level, to make them easy to find. You should also keep them the same distance from doors, stairs or lifts, and any signs that are attached to doors should be on ones which are kept closed.

Your signs should always be clear and accessible, so make sure that they are not blocked by any obstruction or moved around. You cannot hand them above bins or desks or hang them from the ceiling as they will simply never be found.

Visually impaired employees

It is easy to think of signage simply being for the benefit of your customers, but it can be of huge assistance for your staff too. In the early days of their employment, it can help them to learn their way around, but it can also continue to point out where stock can be found, what order things are in or even just where the tea and coffee is. The right signage can make their daily life much easier and allows them to be more independent within the business.

Sign maintenance

Once you have your signs in place, it is important to maintain them correctly. By the nature of what they are, they will be touched very regularly, so keeping them clean is vital to prevent dirt and germs from gathering. You should make sure that they are regularly cleaned using a microfibre cloth and soapy water or chemical-free cleaning products, before quickly drying them.

It is important to choose good quality signage that will prove to be long lasting. You should not only keep them clean, but also checked frequently to ensure that all of the dots, pictograms and embossing are still rounded and intact. Should any of this become lost, your sign will suddenly be rendered as useless.

Providing braille and tactile signs is a great way to open your business up to the greatest number of people. It allows those with visual impairments to still make full use of your business without the need to ask for help and maximises the number of customers that you are able to reach.

They can also be vitally important when it comes to safety, as it can guide the way to exits, explain emergency procedures, or point out alarms and call buttons. This is important no matter what line of work you are in, whether it is retail, education, hospitals, hotels or care homes, but can go a long way towards making you more accessible and inclusive.