How Do Blind People Find Braille Signs in Buildings?

Tactile braille signage allows people with vision impairments to identify each room in the building and better navigate their way through the space. But how do blind people find braille signs in the first place? These innovative individuals employ many smart navigation techniques to best explore the world around them. Their ability to find the braille signs is not at all by chance. Instead, they use any or all of the following tactics to locate the signs in every building they visit.

They Have Essential Aides to Guide Them

So, how do blind people find braille signs in the buildings they visit? Well, for starters, they bring along essential aides to use as a guide. With those aides in hand, people with vision impairments can navigate through unknown spaces and quickly gain their bearings. Their aides help them locate the braille signs as well, which then tell them more about the building layout as they navigate to their target destination.

Common Aides Used

Common essential aides for vision-impaired individuals include:

• Probing Cane: Also known as a long cane, a probing cane helps blind people find and avoid obstacles in their path, including curbs, doorways, and walls.  
• Guide Dog: A guide dog provides even more info about the surrounding area by leading their person around obstacles and letting them know when there are curbs, steps, and the like.
• Phone with GPS: A phone with GPS assists with navigation by audibly providing turn-by-turn directions from the starting location to the indicated destination.

The types of essential aides used largely come down to personal preference. What works for one person may not work well for another. Plus, not all venues are set up to work equally well with each aide. So, it’s important to have many options available at all times.

By Asking Beforehand

If there’s a receptionist, concierge desk, or greeter near the front doors, visually impaired people will often just ask where to find braille signs in the building. With a quick inquiry, they can learn tons of important information about their approach to sign placement.

Blind people may learn to look for the ADA tactile signs at about shoulder height on the right side of the doorways, for example, allowing them to quickly check for signs along their route. They’ll also often end up with directions on how to navigate through the building to their target destination.

Installing Braille Signs Have Standards

Braille signs have to abide by all the right fabrication and placement standards to truly comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The writing on the signs must be 1/32 inches thick and 5/8 to 2 inches tall plus have grade 2 braille imprinted nearby.

When it comes to how blind people find braille signs, the mounting location is everything. For that reason, the ADA requires that the signs sit on the latch side of the door. They need to be about two inches from the door and around 60 inches from the floor. You can also place them near an adjacent wall if there’s not sufficient space near the door.  

By following all the standards, you no longer have to wonder if blind people find the braille signs in your building. You’ll just know that you’ve done all you could to create a truly accessible space for all your guests.

Accurate Custom Braille Signs

Now that you know just how blind people find braille signs, you can put yours up with purpose. Start by having our team at Artcraft Sign Company create your ADA tactile signage to standard.  

With our help, you can ensure your signs comply fully with the Americans with Disabilities Act. We have over 140 years of experience designing and fabricating signage using the latest technology. On top of that, our grade 2 braille translation abilities ensure that you’ll always get accurate messaging on all your signs.