In part one of this series, we talked about the Americans with Disabilities Act. In this episode, we’ll talk about what integrators must do to remain compliant.
What A/V integrators must do to remain ADA compliant
Regarding the ADA, the first question is: Does this project necessitate ADA compliance?
Because this is a federal act, there are numerous exceptions and gray areas that integrators may have to consider.
In general, though, if the A/V technology is installed in an “assembly” area or an area accessible to the public, it must remain ADA compliant.
These are very open-ended definitions, and they include classrooms, most meeting rooms, theatres, auditoriums, concert halls, stadiums, arenas, convention centers, lecture halls, public lobbies and the like.
Any room that is not accessible to the public, including some A/V rack rooms, do not have to be ADA compliant. However, even in this instance, there may be exceptions.
For example, if an A/V equipment room is attached to an auditorium or lecture hall, and academic staff is expected to access it to configure or control equipment, then it does have to be ADA compliant.
For the sake of perfect compliance, and just because it’s beneficial to make A/V technology as accessible as possible, some A/V integrators design their systems for optimal accessibility no matter what space they are placed in.
That’s just a taste of what’s required. In our final installment, we’ll go over guidelines for ALS (Assistive Listening Systems), Height, Reach and the one most overlooked, Protruding Objects.