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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. 

Using Portable PA Systems for Auctions Blog Header

Using Portable PA Systems for Auctions

By | General, Auction | No Comments

Being heard is one of the most important parts of an auctioneer’s job. But the myriad locations where auctions take place can make that challenging. Uber quiet art galleries, elegant charity events, rowdy cattle yards, vast impound lots–these locations can be distracting for buyers or cause a distraction to other guests.

A portable PA system is an effective and cost-efficient way to ensure that bidders can hear your every word. Following are five other benefits that portable PA systems provide to auctioneers and audiences.

Save Your Money Maker

For auctioneers, your voice is your money maker. Hollering over the din of noisy crowds and background clatter puts a strain on your voice and, if done for long periods of time, can cause vocal fatigue and irrevocable damage. Using a wireless audio streaming systems allows you to speak at a normal volume and still have the audience hear you.

Broadcast Even in Remote Locations

Portable PA systems for local audio streaming create a wireless network. So even if you’re in a location with poor cellular service like a rural stockyard or a cavernous warehouse, your audience can use the integrated wifi to download and access the app for live streaming.

Help Hearing Impaired Audience

Even if the auction is taking place in a quiet location without any distractions or risks of distracting others, your audience may have hearing impairments that require some type of assistive listening device. And while many people have hearing aids, they may have forgotten them, don’t like to wear them or get annoying feedback in certain locations. With wireless audio streaming, all the listener needs is a smartphone or mobile device and headphones.

Minimal Setup and No Wires

Portable PA systems are small and lightweight. They can easily be strapped to a belt or slipped into a pocket for hand-free operation. Very little setup is required. Simply charge the equipment, connect to wifi and configure channels, and you’re ready to go!

If you’d like expand coverage or connect with other audio sources for larger venues or ongoing auction events, you can add a transmitter and receiver, but these are entirely optional.

Affordable with No Monthly Fees

Local audio streaming systems start at just $500 and do not require recurring monthly usage fees. And once you purchase the equipment, it’s yours to use as much as you like.

Ensuring that your audience can hear every word creates a more pleasurable auction experience and helps to increase bids. To learn more about how a wireless audio streaming system can help grow your auctions, contact us today.