IADD Introduces a New Braille Standard on Folding Cartons - Making a Difference with Special Needs

As you begin to read this article, I feel that it is only fitting that we take a moment to reflect on the vision of the IADD so all of us can put into perspective the reason for doing the things we do. The vision of the IADD is to be the definitive resource for the diecutting converting industry, bringing together and serving people who convert soft to semi-rigid materials into finished cut parts.  By sharing collective knowledge, expertise and information, the IADD leads and stimulates creativity and innovation, provides opportunities for professional growth, serves the diverse needs of all industries engaged in diecutting and exemplifies the philosophy of “Progress Through Participation”.

As you may already be aware, the European Commission gave a Directive in 2001 that the use of braille be implemented for Pharmaceutical packaging.  The Directive was implemented as law in October 2005 for newly approved medicinal products.  However, medicinal products that were authorized prior to October 2005 have until October 2010 to comply with the braille requirements.

To address these requirements, the European Carton Manufacturers Association worked very closely with several National carton associations from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom to develop a standard that is being used as a set of guidelines and recommendations for the use of braille on packaging.

Already the North American (Canada & USA) packaging market is experiencing the effects of these requirements and is finding that some larger pharmaceutical companies have been  incorporating braille on their packaging for the last few years.  Many members of the IADD feel that the use of braille will increase over the next several years and changes will be necessary to meet the requirements of the visually impaired.  Just recently, I was informed that the use of braille has already started to be implemented on food products in grocery stores in parts of Europe.  Therefore it is essential that a recommended standard should be in place to ensure that blind & visually impaired individuals will be able to benefit from its use.  In recognition of this, on June 19th, 2007 the IADD Executive Committee gave a mandate to form a Task Force to review the European Standard and develop a standard that can be used as a set of guidelines and recommendations for the use of braille on packaging in North America.

As the Chair of the Braille Task Force and Implementation Task Force, I have been given the distinct honor of  announcing the completion and introduce to you, the IADD Can-Am Braille, a common standard for use throughout Canada and the United States of America.  The development of this standard marks a historical event for the IADD and BANA.  It shows how the IADD leads the way to bring the printing, paperboard packaging and pharmaceutical industries together to satisfy the needs of the visually impaired in North America.  The standard has been reviewed and received its final approval by the IADD Executive Committee and Board of Directors in January 2009.

On January 20th of this year, one of the most significant political changes in world wide history took place with the Inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America.  Even though his speech was full of encouragement and hope for the American people, I was particularly impressed with three segments that are quite relevant:

“For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.”

“For the world has changed, and we must change with it.”

“Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.”

It is time for our industries to embrace the necessary changes to make our world around us a better and easier place to be a vital part of.

During the past year and a half of the development of the IADD Can-Am Braille standard, we have been working in cooperation with the Braille Authority of North America which has its offices in the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.  “The mission of the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) is to assure literacy for tactile readers through standardization of braille and/or tactile graphics. BANA's purpose is to promote and to facilitate the use, teaching and production of braille. It publishes rules, interprets and renders opinions pertaining to braille in all existing and future codes. It deals with codes now in existence or to be developed in the future, in collaboration with other countries using English braille. In exercising its function and authority, BANA considers the effects of its decisions on other existing braille codes and formats; the ease of production by various methods; and acceptability to readers.”

“BANA has established technical committees composed of transcribers, braille readers, and educators whose purpose is to update the braille codes, formats, or techniques. These changes, which may be suggested by readers, transcribers, and/or producers, are carefully studied. Proposed new codes or revisions are submitted to other technical committees to avoid conflict with existing braille codes. The BANA Board issues final approval for adoption and dissemination throughout the USA and Canada.”  The BANA Board reviewed and has approved the IADD Can-Am Braille standard in November 2008.

Surprisingly, one question that has already been posed to members of the Task Force was “What about the preservation of our packaging industries US autonomy? Shouldn’t we be developing our own standard and not using a European one?  My answer to that is simple, No.

There is nothing about braille that we can hold autonomous.  We have had the opportunity to collaborate with BANA to marry their knowledge of braille with our knowledge of what’s practically possible when applying braille to paperboard substrates. What we are really dealing with is the autonomy of the visually impaired.  Our responsibility is to ensure that their autonomy is respected and we as an industry do the best that we can to produce pharmaceutical, fast food or whatever types of paperboard packaging with the best quality braille for readability and continuity through the use of the standard.  Otherwise the purpose of producing the braille and the resources it takes in these economic times, ends up being an exercise in futility for everyone involved.

Another very valid question that has been asked revolves around that of legislation.  “Is there any existing government legislation being developed or is the IADD going to be lobbying for a legislation proposal that would require pharmaceutical packaging to have braille on it, similar to that of Europe?”

There is no government legislation proposed in the USA or Canada that we are aware of, nor from the IADD.  The original concept stemmed from a Braille workshop and discussions at a Can-Am Chapter meeting. Some members had participated in a Braille workshop at the IADD Annual Meeting in Switzerland in November 2006.  It was felt that a proactive approach on the part of industry to develop and implement its own standard would be a way of reducing or even eliminating legislative intervention.  We could develop it on our own time, ensuring continuity to make it more of an international standard and ensure that whatever was developed would work from a practical standpoint.

The official release of this new North American standard will be at Odyssey 2009 in Atlanta, GA.  There will be a special workshop called “Let Your Fingers Do The Talking: Braille on Folding Cartons” that will review the standard in detail on Friday, May 8th from 8:30am to 9:30am.  Get yourself signed up for this informative technical workshop.  All participants will receive their own hard copy of the standard to take with them.  Further distribution will take place through the IADD booth at Odyssey, IADD website and also through the BANA website after Odyssey.

After Odyssey is finished in May, the IADD would like to enter into Phase 2 of the overall project.  Phase 2 was identified through the testing and development of the standard.  Since there is a variety of methods used to produce braille, several substrate compositions and thicknesses, it is clearly understood that one specification for tactile height is impossible.  Therefore we would like to put out a “Call For Assistance” to all of our paperboard converters or related suppliers, whether you are in the USA or Canada.  Our intention is to develop a comprehensive chart of specifications that would be relative to the different methods of application and include male/female tool materials & specifications, types of machinery being used, substrate compositions, thicknesses, etc…

If your company or a representative from your company is interested in knowing more or would like to be involved with this specialized workgroup, please contact Stephen Brighton at (519) 451-1232 or sbrighton@die-x.com. If you are planning to attend the workshop at Odyssey, a sign-up sheet will be made available for any converters who might want to help out on the next phase.

Recognition and Thanks goes to Stephen Brighton – Braille Task Force Chair (Die-X Limited), Judy Dixon (BANA Chair), Andrew Carey (Cimex Corporation), Samuel Vial (Marbach), Yvan Magni (Bobst Group) and Jill May (IADD) for their many hours contributed to the Braille Task Force.

Special thanks to Ingersoll Paper Box (Canada), Bobst (Switzerland), Marbach (Germany) and CITO (Germany) for test samples and also to the many people who performed testing or gave valuable technical advice.  Special thanks also goes to Francis Berry (London,ON) for her shared knowledge of braille templates, manual brailling and testing of various folding carton substrates.