Frequently Asked Questions

Smoking Signs

• Do our no smoking signs need to have Braille? Do they need to be ADA compliant?

• Our teachers are complaining about the smoking that occurs right in front of our entrance. What signs would you recommend?

• I don’t understand why it took so long for the smoking bans to be put into place. Presumably, there has been a big onslaught of new customers. Were you ready?

• When should we use a bilingual door sign?

Do our no smoking signs need to have Braille? Do they need to be ADA compliant?

Braille no smoking signs are required in public buildings, such as a restaurant, bar, or hotel.

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Our teachers are complaining about the smoking that occurs right in front of our entrance. What signs would you recommend?

Separating smokers from non-smokers is the key here. Entrance signs should be used to describe your Smoke Free policies. But, just as a important are signs that point the way to Smoking Allowed areas. By creating a separate area for smokers (and also showing the way with signs), you start to break the dilemma. Smokers are only too happy to comply.

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I don’t understand why it took so long for the smoking bans to be put into place. Presumably, there has been a big onslaught of new customers. Were you ready?

We have been making no smoking signs for over 20 years. Of course, the state bans have brought in new customers. But, the need for No Smoking reminders is not new. The rational for remains universal: second-hand smoke increased the risk of heart disease, cancer, emphysema and other acute diseases. Also, customers have always been aware of the impact that smoking has - fire risks, increased ventilation for smoking areas, cleanliness in places where food is prepared and the corrosive impacts of litter and discarded cigarettes. The bans, frankly, just add some teeth and legal liability to the mix of motivations.

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When should we use a bilingual door sign?

This is one of those questions that really only you can answer. There is no regulation as far as federal or state laws which require or prohibit the use of bilingual signs. But you have to consider the people who will use the facilities when deciding whether or not you want to use a bilingual sign. Is another language the primary conversational language of employees or visitors?

• Does the area feature Spanish newspapers or radio stations? Are there bilingual schools in the neighborhood? In these cases, you will want to at least consider using a bilingual sign.

• Another thing to consider with bilingual signs is equality. You want to be sure that the bilingual signs you order do not feature one language much larger than the other. And you want to be sure that they do not offer drastically different messages. Obviously different fonts, colors, and terms are going to make the sign more effective, but the goal is to make both languages equally helpful to users.

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