A small group of experts is working on a European standard on tactile lettering in the built environment. Tactile lettering means information provided both in Braille and raised characters. The document sets out rules for content, design, arrangement and application so that blind and partially sighted people are able to locate, identify, fluently read and interpret this information.
The aim is to standardise frequently asked questions like: at what height should we hang the tactile labels for hotel or meeting room doors, what information should we provide on handrails, how do we label the function of lift buttons and other controls and so on.
The draft standard is prepared in working group 13 of technical committee 293 of CEN, the European Centre dedicated to writing standards. The document has reached public enquiry phase: this means it is publicly available to all European citizens who may express there support and submit comments or feedback.
European standardisation involves the so-called national standards bodies. There is one in each member state. Examples are DIN in Germany, AFNOR in France, AENOR in Spain, BSI in the UK, SIS in Sweden, Standards Norway, NBN in Belgium, NEN in The Netherlands, UNI in Italy and so on.
Each national standards body publishes the draft standard and offers a commenting system. The draft tactile lettering standard can be found with the number prEN 18156. The text is written in English and translated in French and German. If the document is in a format that can’t be read by screenreaders, request an accessible version from the national standards body.
Submit your support or comments to the document through the system put in place by the national standards body. If you comment, make it very clear which words in which paragraph you comment on. Always propose an alternative.
Your feedback is received by a so-called national mirror committee. These national experts decide on a national vote on the standard and decide which comments to forward to CEN. They may also nominate new experts to the CEN working group.
The deadline to submit national votes is April 24 but your standards body will have an earlier deadline to receive your feedback (probably end of March).
The authors of the draft standard on tactile lettering are very interested to receive your feedback. positive votes are needed to continue the work on this standard.
Concretely:
- Contact your national standards body.
- Search for prEN18156 Tactile lettering – Requirements on the presentation and application of Braille and raised characters.
- If the document is not accessible for screenreaders, request an accessible version.
- Find out how to submit feedback to your national mirror committee for CEN TC 293 and check what is their deadline (probably end of March).
- Read prEN18156 and provide comments to improve its contents.
- If you agree with the contents, encourage the mirror committee to submit a “yes” vote to the draft standard.
- If you want to contribute, ask to be nominated as an expert to CEN TC 293 WG13.