Standards and legislation
IEC 60118-4
It is important to follow the planning procedure and to check the performance of the installation, to fulfill the international standard IEC 60118-4. No installation is finalized until it has been certified by the installer or other part. Use a FSM field strength meter, a professional stand-alone measuring instrument for installers, sound engineers and technical staff to make the necessary measurements. The “Test record and certification” enclosed to the FSM and with all Univox amplifiers, provides you with an easy step-by-step instruction how to perform the measurements to fulfil the standard.
Once installed, a loop installation will work for years and no further certification is necessary. However, we recommend that the loop is checked regularly by the staff of the premises, using for example a Univox Listener. If considerable refurbishments or other major changes are made to the premises we recommend to perform a new certification of the installation.
UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The purpose of the present UN Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. This is of course also applicable to people with a hearing loss.
EU guidelines
Based on the UN Convention, EU demands their member states to work actively to ensure all persons with disabilities their independence, social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community. This is of course also applicable to people with a hearing loss.
Anti-discrimination laws
Many countries all over the world have implemented anti-discrimination regulations and/or laws to provide equal access to society. For example in UK there is the DDA, the Disability Discrimination Act and in US ADA, American’s with Disabilities Act to provide equal access for the hearing impaired.
Some acts mandates the use of assistive listening devices and others are actually mandating the use of induction loops.
Accessible design of public and private infrastructures
There are also local regulations for the construction of buildings with auditoriums or bigger conference rooms for public use.
One example is the Swedish regulation stating:
“Conference rooms for more than 50 people shall be equipped with an induction loop, infrared system or other technical solution that makes it possible for people with a hearing loss to participate.
The requirements of good audibility, good speech intelligibility and good orientability regards public spaces, for example Premises for public transport, Travel Terminals, Premises for Health Care, Assembly Halls and Receptions. Examples of assembly halls are auditoriums, theaters, churches and large conference rooms which can accommodate at least 50 people.”
Recently was also added demands regarding information desks and similar in public buildings.