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AudioFetch Blog Header_ADA Compliance

ADA Compliance and Hearing Impairments: Everything Your Business Needs to Know

By | airports, Auction, Business, Casinos, Churches, Education, Government, Hearing Assistance, Hearing Loss, Stadiums, Theater, Tour Guides, Wireless Audio | No Comments

Every public business, organization, or venue should be thinking about how to improve accessibility at their establishment. Not only does it create a more welcoming environment for any and every-one that visits, but it can also be a legal requirement. 

Read on to learn more about how your business can (and must) improve accessibility through ADA compliance and other accessibility-friendly solutions.

What is ADA compliance?

The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990. It prohibits discrimination and seeks to improve accessibility at public government entities and privately-owned “places of public accommodation,” and requires employers with 15+ employees to provide reasonable accommodations for those with disabilities.

What are ADA guidelines for hearing impairments?

The ADA requirements for hearing impairments vary by platform, business type, or entity. For example, all airlines within and into the United States must accommodate hearing loss, according to the Air Carriers Access Act (ACAA), which is typically accomplished by adding captions to airport TVs
 
Other public venues must provide assistive listening devices (ALDs) in each assembly area where audible communication is integral to the use of the space. These venues include movie theaters, concert and lecture halls, schools, museums, hospitals, stadiums and arenas, courtrooms, conference rooms, convention centers, nursing homes, community centers, and the list goes on and on. 
 
If your venue provides fixed seating (e.g., theater or stadium) for 50 or more people, ADA compliant receivers must be available for a percentage of seating capacity. Originally it was 4% of capacity, but that figure was updated in 2010 to give larger venues a bit of a break with a scaled quantity. Additionally, at least 25% or a minimum of two receivers must be hearing-aid compatible.

What is an ADA-compliant device?

ADA compliant products for hard-of-hearing individuals include assistive listening systems (ALS) or assistive listening devices (ALDs). An assistive listening system is defined as an amplification system utilizing transmitters, receivers, and coupling devices to bypass the acoustical space between a sound source and a listener by means of induction loop, radio frequency, infrared, direct-wired equipment or wireless connection.

Who enforces ADA compliance?

Several agencies play a role in enforcing or investigating ADA compliance claims, including The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Department of Labor, and the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (ATBCB).

What are the consequences of not following the ADA guidelines?

Failing to comply with ADA guidelines can result in both financial and reputation repercussions
 
On a purely financial basis, your business or organization can be fined by the federal government up to $75,000 for the first violation and $150,000 for additional ADA violations, and state or local governments may tack on additional fines. Additionally, you open yourself up to lawsuits, personal injury claims, and legal or civil penalties from disabled individuals with legitimate complaints or ambulance-chasing entities looking to make an easy buck. 
 
From a reputation perspective, your brand name can also be dragged through the mud for non-compliance, which can also severely affect your business financially in both the short and long term.

What businesses or organizations are exempt from ADA compliance?

The ADA does not apply to places of worship, religious organizations/schools, private clubs, or any other venue historically excluded from federal civil rights laws. However, many of these organizations decide to provide some type of assistive listening option to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all of their members and patrons. 
 
Learn more about our assistive listening solutions for churches and houses of worship.

Does AudioFetch work with ADA-compliant receivers?

Yes, AudioFetch is compatible with ADA-compliant receivers. AudioFetch can be used to broadcast the audio source live, and then businesses can use a regulation ADA-compliant device to receive that audio. 
 
AudioFetch also integrates seamlessly with hearing aids; listeners connect the hearing aid to their smartphone via Bluetooth and are able to listen in real-time.

AudioFetch works with businesses and organizations of all sizes to help you create a more accessible and welcoming environment for your guests, customers, and employees. If you’re ready to get started, contact us or schedule an appointment to learn more and request a free demo. 

AudioFetch Blog Header_Audio Over WiFi at Business Office

How Audio Over WiFi Benefits Your Business Office or Corporate HQ

By | Business, Fitness Centers, Hearing Assistance, Tour Guides, Wireless Audio | No Comments

After working from home for two years, it can be difficult to get employees back into the office. The convenience and comfort of working from home can oftentimes outweigh the collaboration and communication that comes with being together in one space. And while some companies have vowed to go full-time or remote first, such as Google, Shopify, Quora, US Xpress, Pratt & Whitney, many others are eager to have their staff back in the office environment on a daily basis. 

To encourage staff to willingly and enthusiastically come back, these in-person-ready companies are looking for ways to make the experience more enjoyable, more efficient and safer for everyone. One unique way they can do this is by utilizing a wireless audio streaming system

Below are five ways that corporate HQs and business offices can use audio over WiFi to improve employee satisfaction and productivity: 

1. Employee Training Solution

Training is essential to ensuring your employees are prepared to complete their work in the most effective, efficient, and responsible ways. But if they’re unable to hear or understand the training material, they’ll never be able to perform their job responsibilities to the fullest potential. AudioFetch can be used as an assistive listening solution or live translation system to help your staff learn and comprehend better, leading to better job performance.

Scott M from the US Playing Card Company has found AudioFetch to be particularly useful for their employee training: “We used the tour pack [AudioFetch Express for tour application] and it made a world of difference on the training session. Thank you!!”

2. Fitness TV Audio System

Many corporate headquarters and larger businesses offer a gym or fitness center that their employees can access at any time. Our audio over WiFi system is a perfect solution for allowing staff to stream gym TV audio to their phones. They don’t have to be tethered to any one piece of cardio equipment; rather, they can move around freely throughout the fitness space and use several machines, all while enjoying (and getting distracted by!) the news, a game, a TV show, or anything else playing in the facility. 

3. Wireless Factory Tour Guide System

During tours of factory floors, where conditions can be dangerous and safety is of the utmost importance, it’s imperative that all participants can hear the tour guide clearly. But churning machinery, beeping vehicles, whirring fans, and other loud sounds can easily drown out the audio and potentially put participants at risk and workers at risk. 

Our portable tour guide system is an ideal solution, and a great replacement for outdated, unhygienic, and expensive listening devices you may already be using. Tour groups use their own personal smartphones to listen with the AudioFetch app, eliminating the need to purchase, keep track of, maintain and sanitize numerous devices. The app is simple and intuitive for users of any age or expertise, plus it’s free to download with no monthly fees for your business. 

4. Controlled Music System

Did you know that music can increase your employees’ productivity?! It’s true. Especially for those staff whose tasks are clearly defined and repeated often, such as factory or warehouse workers. Music improves mood, increases concentration, reduces stress, and increases work speed. 

AudioFetch can be used to provide multiple music channels to your team to reap these benefits and more. Select channels can be programmed, offering options for varying musical tastes and work styles, while limiting employees’ ability to access the internet and thus get distracted. All employees have to do is download the free AudioFetch app, select their channel of choice, and start listening. 

5. Emergency Notification Solution

Quick action and widespread communication is required during an office fire or other emergency situation. Audio Over WiFi technology can be used to stream emergency instructions to employees on multiple floors and throughout thousands of square footage, allowing your staff to mobilize quickly and efficiently.

Helping your employees, clients and visitors hear better without distractions or distracting others can increase productivity and enhance the office space, making it a more desirable environment to return to. If you’re ready to get started, contact us or schedule an appointment to learn more and request a free demo.