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Ampetronic’s technical director, Leon Pieters, delivered a very well received paper at the recent ISCE conference. Entitled An Update of Audio-Frequency Induction Loop Systems Pieters’ paper emphasised his plea to the industry is to raise standards. This is a timely message, as there are many challenges facing the multitude of facilities that have to comply with current Disability Discrimination Act legislation. However, compliance is only part of the issue, as providing the hearing disability with an excellent service is just as big a concern.
Pieters spoke about the challenges facing this very specific area of communication and demonstrated how the fabric and building techniques employed in modern structures can seriously affect AFIL systems and compromise their effective operation.
“It is not about ‘tick in the box compliance,” explains Pieters. “It’s about producing and installing equipment that really makes a positive difference to the end user. Facilities managers in particular should not view the DDA legislation as a costly but worthless necessity. It’s an opportunity to improve on their relationships with their customers. If they adopt a negative attitude to the legislation then the end result is that they are more likely to waste money. They will be tempted into buying the cheapest so-called solutions, which will either not work well, or not work at all. The end user will gain no benefit and the company’s reputation is at best unchanged, but they still run the very real risk of court action.”
Pieters went on to explain that if a more positive approach is taken, although initial outlay may be 20% to 30% higher, a more effective solution is achieved. “As an industry, we have a duty to ensure that facilities managers understand why they are installing audio induction loops,” adds Ampetronic commercial director, Ken Hollands. “If they appreciate that it’s largely about improving signal to noise ratio, rather than just amplification of all noise in the applicable area, they will be able to judge for themselves the suitability of an installation. It then becomes obvious that insisting the induction loop system operates completely independent from the installed PA or audio system is not the ideal solution, and that integration with the rest of the installed audio system becomes the best and most cost effective answer.”
“I would like to see the industry adopt an intelligibility test as the basis for a workable code of practice,” concludes Pieters. “After all, an induction loop system serves no purpose if the sound reproduction is so distorted that you struggle to understand what is being said.”
19th April 2005
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