Guidelines

• route (a floor plan and/or directory should be installed at the main entrance or at a designated location on the floor of entry, to advise of the position of the main building components)
• hazard (ie. exits and fire exits should be adequately signed from all around the building)
• facility (ie. wash room facilities should be adequately signed from all around the building

• Larger establishments must provide signage/symbols to locate facilities.
• Clear, well-illuminated signage indicating escape routes must be evident.
• If entry to an establishment is by entry bell/door bell or intercom then it is advisable to know the estimated time of arrival for your guest. An alternative procedure by which to gain entry, where entry is by voice communication, could be a sign with written instructions saying 'press buzzer 3 times if you cannot communicate via intercom and/or cannot use entry phone'.

• Signage throughout must be clear and easily understood.
• Clear information about the layout and use of areas to enable a clear sense of direction. Clear information in signage form is essential for people with hearing impairments who feel awkward about asking or cannot ask.

• Signs must be simple, consistent, not written in upper case only and must contrast with the surface they are mounted on.
• Tactile and braille signs must be provided.
• Any instruction signs must be in larger print and possibly braille.

• Signs must be simple, consistent, not written in upper case only and must contrast with the surface they are mounted on.
• Larger establishments must provide signage/ symbols to locate facilities.
• Any instruction signs must be in larger print and possibly braille.
• Accessible facilities (if provided), must be clearly signed.
• Accessible facilities must be clearly signed at a height convenient for wheelchair users.

• Accessible entrance and designated parking bay clearly signposted from the car park/entry to car park.

• It is difficult to determine whether glass doors are open or in existence therefore a sign, sticker, handle etc must be used to make it apparent.

• Lift locations must be clearly sign posted throughout the establishment with guiding tactile markings and braille.

• Any instruction signs must be in large print and possibly braille.

• Shower controls should have clear visible signs, preferably embossed for on/off and hot/cold or marked with tactile marking fluid.

• Equipment such as ovens and hobs should have clear visible signs, preferably embossed for on/off and temperature or marked with tactile marking fluid.

• Accessible entrance and designated parking bay clearly signposted from the car park/entry to car park.

Acknowledgement

The information contained in this section was collected from the following source:

Legislation:

• BS 5378:1980 Safety signs and symbols.
• BS 5499 series Safety Symbols. [accessed 25/10/07].
• BS 8300:2001 Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people - Code of Practice. [accessed 16/10/07].
• BS 8501:2002 Graphical symbols and signs. Public information symbols. British Standards Institute
• Building Regulations 2000: Access To and Use of Buildings - Approved Document (Part M).
• EC Signs Directive 1996 92/58/EEC
• Health & Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 92/58/EEC
• The Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Manufacturers of signs

Further information:

Other information:

Picture acknowledgements

• Sign It All
• Precision Plastics
• Rivermeade Signs Limited
• Disability Rights Commission
• Signs & Visual Products
• Disability Rights Commission