§ 703 Signs

§ 703.1 General

Signs shall comply with 703. Where both visual and tactile characters are required, either one sign with both visual and tactile characters, or two separate signs, one with visual, and one with tactile characters, shall be provided.

§ 703.2 Raised Characters

Raised characters shall comply with 703.2 and shall be duplicated in braille complying with 703.3. Raised characters shall be installed in accordance with 703.4.

§ 703.2.1 Depth

Raised characters should be at least 1/32 inch above sign base.

§ 703.2.2 Case

Characters shall be uppercase.

§ 703.2.3 Style

Characters shall be sans serif, and not decorative or unusual forms. Characters shall not be italic, oblique, script, highly decorative, or of other unusual forms.

§ 703.2.4 Character Proportions

Characters shall be in a font in which the width of the uppercase letter “O” is at least 55 percent minimum and at most 110 percent of the height of the uppercase “I”

§ 703.2.5 Character Height

Character height measured from the baseline of the character shall be at least ⅝ inch and at most 2 inches based on the height of the uppercase letter “I”; EXCEPTION If a sign has raised and visual characters with the same information, raised character height can be at a minimum of ½ inch.

§ 703.2.6 Stroke Thickness

Stroke thickness of the uppercase letter “I” shall be no more than 15 percent of the height of the character.

§ 703.2.7 Character Spacing

Character spacing shall be measured between the two closest points of adjacent raised characters within a message, excluding word spaces. Where characters have rectangular cross sections, spacing between individual raised characters shall be 1/8 inch minimum and 4 times the raised character stroke width maximum. Where characters have other cross sections, spacing between individual raised characters shall be 1/16 inch minimum and 4 times the raised character stroke width maximum at the base of the cross sections, and 1/8 inch minimum and 4 times the raised character stroke width maximum at the top of the cross sections. Characters shall be separated from raised borders and decorative elements 3/8 inch minimum.

§ 703.2.8 Line Spacing

Spacing between the baselines of separate lines of raised characters within a message shall be 135 percent minimum and 170 percent maximum of the raised character height.

§ 703.3 Braille

Braille shall be contracted (Grade 2) and shall comply with 703.3 and 703.4.

§ 7703.3.1 Dimensions and Capitalization

Braille dots shall have a domed or rounded shape. The indication of an uppercase letter or letters shall only be used before the first word of sentences, proper nouns and names, individual letters of the alphabet, initials, and acronyms.

§ 703.3.2 Position

Braille shall be positioned below the corresponding text. If text is multi-lined, braille shall be placed below the entire text. Braille shall be separated 3/8 inch minimum from any other tactile characters and 3/8 inch minimum from raised borders and decorative elements.

§ 703.4 Installation Height and Location

§ 703.4.1 Height Above Finish Floor or Ground

The baseline of the raised characters must be located between 48” (lowest Raised Character) and 60” (highest Raised Character) above the finished floor.

§ 703.4.2 Location

Signs with tactile characters should be mounted on the latch side of the door.

The sign shall be located so that a clear floor space of 18 inches minimum by 18 inches minimum, centered on the tactile characters, is provided beyond the arc of any door swing between the closed position and 45 degree open position.

Where a tactile sign is provided at double doors with one active leaf, the sign shall be located on the inactive leaf.

Where a tactile sign is provided at double doors with two active leaves, the sign shall be located to the right of the right hand door.

Where there is no wall space at the latch side of a single door or at the right side of double doors, signs shall be located on the nearest adjacent wall.

§ 703.6 Pictograms

§ 703.6.1 Pictogram Field

Pictograms shall have a field height of 6 inches minimum. Characters and braille shall not be located in the pictogram field.

§ 703.6.2 Finish and Contrast

Pictograms and their field shall have a non-glare finish. Pictograms shall contrast with their field with either a light pictogram on a dark field or a dark pictogram on a light field.

§ 703.6.3 Text Descriptors

Pictograms shall have text descriptors located directly below the pictogram field.