In a move to pre-empt any imposed legislation and promote international uniformity in packaging requirements for the visually impared, the International Association of Diecutting and Diemaking (IADD), in conjunction with the Braille Authority of North America (BANA), has created “Can-Am Braille,” a set of guidelines and recommendations for the use of braille on packaging, particularly paperboard applications, for Canada and the U.S.
Based on pharmaceutical and food product packaging trends in Europe, Stephen Brighton, chair of the IADD braille task force, predicts an increase in the use of braille on packaging in North America. In October 2005 a directive of the European Commission regarding the use of braille for pharmaceutical packaging was implemented as law for newly-approved products. As a result the European Carton Manufacturers Association, in concert with national groups, developed a set of guidelines. And although no government legislation requiring pharmaceutical packaging to have braille on it is pending in Canada or the U.S., the IADD elected to take a proactive industry-initiated approach in developing and implementing its own standard (based on the European model).
Working with BANA over the past 18 months, the IADD Board approved the standard this past January. The new Can-Am Braille standard will be offcially released Friday, May 8th, during the 2009 IADD•FSEA Odyssey trade show and conference in Atlanta. A workshop during the event, “Let Your Fingers Do The Talking: Braille on Folding Cartons” will include distribution of the standard, and following the show the guidelines will be available at the IADD and BANA websites.
