CSA Z317.14-17 (R2022)

Preface

This is the first edition of CSA Z317.14, Wayfinding for health care facilities.

This Standard defines the essential elements in planning, implementing, and continually improving wayfinding systems.

CSA Group acknowledges that the development of this Standard was made possible, in part, by the financial support of the governments of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Yukon, as administered by the Canadian Association for Drugs and Technology in Health (CADTH).

Scope

1.1

1.1.1

This Standard establishes requirements for the planning, design, implementation, maintenance, evaluation, and continual improvement of wayfinding systems for HCFs.

1.1.2

This Standard addresses the following components of wayfinding as a user experience, a process, a plan, and a system:

a) place;

b) people;

c) elements; and

d) continual improvement.

1.2

This Standard sets out requirements for intuitive, accessible, and understandable wayfinding through the following:

a) facility design as the starting point of a user friendly wayfinding system;

b) natural orientation concept in wayfinding strategy;

c) consistency in sign content, layout, and program organization;

d) visual continuity and order in signage for all types of HCFs and sites;

e) the number of decision-making points through HCFs and sites;

f) clarity and consistency in all forms of communication to the patients, visitors, and providers;

g) the number of signs on existing HCFs and sites;

h) waylearning for return patients, visitors, and providers:

i) accessible wayfinding elements;

j) applicable multicultural and multilingual requirements;

k) digital and emerging technologies; and

l) a sustainable approach in implementation of wayfinding strategies.

1.3

This Standard does not include emergency and life safety aspects of egress as determined by the authority having jurisdiction.

1.4

This Standard applies to all classes of HCF.

1.5

In this Standard, “shall” is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; “should” is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and “may” is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Standard.

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material.

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.

1.6

The values given in SI units are the units of record for the purposes of this Standard. The values given in parentheses are for information and comparison only.