Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Americans with Disabilities Act?
The ADA is Federal civil rights legislation written and enacted to provide disabled people with access and accomodations equal to or similar to those of the general public. The ADA assumes that an individual has only one disability. For example, if a person is hearing impaired, the ADA assumes they are not visually handicapped also. The ADA went into effect January 26, 1992.

Who must comply with ADA requirements?
The ADA is Federal legislation and is applicable in all 50 states. Any person who owns, leases or operates a place of public accomodation must comply with the ADA requirements for elevator emergency telephones.

How does Rath Microtech's Smartphone V comply with the ADA requirements?
All Smartphone V models comply with the emergency communication requirements of the safety code for elevators and escalators. A preprogrammed emergency number is dialed automatically each time the Smartphone V is activated. Two-way communication is established between the elevator and a point outside the hoistway and the emergency service can begin the rescue procedure.

Location
The Smartphone V can be installed behind or below the car operating panel in the elevator. It is the responsibility of the installing contractor to make sure the highest operable part of the emergency phone is no more than 48 inches from the floor of the car.

Braille/Raised Letter Labels and Pictogram
Each Smartphone V has all the labels required by ADA. Operating instructions are provided in Grade 2 Braille and raised letters that meet all ADA specifications. The international telephone symbol pictogram appears on the face of the phone in both a raised and printed format. All printing on the Smartphone V label is white characters on a black background.

Mechanical Operation
Smartphone V is a non-handset speaker phone activated by pressing a pushbutton. No tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist is required. The force required to activate the Smartphone V is 3 LBF (foot pounds).

General Operation
Voice communication with the emergency service is not required. The Smartphone V is equipped with the Call Tracker location identification message feature. The Call Tracker feature is a field recordable, 18 second message that notifies the emergency service that an emergency is taking place and gives the exact location of the emergency. The Call Tracker message plays automatically when the service answers an incoming call. A sample Call Tracker location identification message would be:

There is an elevator emergency at 123 Main Street, elevator number two.
Please send help

A red LED on the front of the Smartphone V lights when the phone is activated and flashes when the emergency service answers the emergency call. Instructions on the front of the Smartphone V let the passenger know their emergency call has been received.