A technology-focused newsletter from Bank Design and Equipment Customer Service Is Our First Priority November, 2010 www.bankdesign.net A Message From Bernie Our research revealed that the new updates to the American Disabilities Act (ADA) are a little bit like an iceberg. There is a lot more there than meets the eye. The new ADA specifications will affect just about any financial institution that uses an ATM. How To Master The ADA Revisions- Part I If you were thinking of putting the ADA Revision projects on the back burner, you better change gears. The new ADA Title III Revised Standards were published September 15, 2010. That’s right. They are already approved. The clock is ticking. The regulations take effect March 15, 2011. That’s early spring. Thankfully, most NCR units will only require minor upgrades. It is a different story for financial institutions with non-NCR ATMs. They may have to buy new units. And with punitive fines of over $100, 000 for non-compliance, we felt that we better sound the warn- Penalties Are Big Money ADA Standards carry ing to help our customers steer significant fines. They around the risk. range from $55,000 for the first violation; and Our consulting team and experts $110,000 for all subsefrom NCR have developed a quent violations. process that will help your Penalties for non-comcompany assess, strategize and pliance can be levied in implement the changes required March of 2012. Comby the law. panies must provide a financial hardship justiTime is critical. So we encourage fication, or make a case you to review the first of our two- for excessive burden in part series and give us a call. order to avoid penalties. Good luck with that strategy. Sincerely Yours, Privacy for All Handicapped users must be provided with the same privacy protections as the nonhandicapped. The revisions require enhanced “Blank Screen” privacy for ATM terminals. This feature is available on NCR APTRA™ Advance models and will be available on NCR APTRA™ Advantage models. Audio Revisions are Significant Speech-enabling all ATMs is one of the most challenging revisions. Voice guidance options must be provided that will direct a vision-impaired user through transactions. The NCR APTRA™ Series is already equipped with this capability. It is clear that there is a lot more to the ADA revisions than just a few minor tweaks. The Act includes new specifications for function keys, display screen visibility, braille requirements, input controls and numeric keys. Team-up with a Lawyer and a Consultant Each institution should consult its legal advisors and an expert consultant like BD&E. We have developed a unique process that streamlines your ADA upgrade projects from start to finish. Height and Reach Revisions are Key G. Bernie Barnhart President & CEO DCJS 11-2166 The new standards provide the handicapped with more room to maneuver. All forward or side access must be unobstructed. The new high reach specification is 48 in. maximum; and the low reach is 15 in. minimum above the finish floor. BD&E’s design team is uniquely qualified to help you visualize the parameters for each of your ATMs to ensure compliance. Bank Design & Equipment, Inc. | The best place to start is with a BD&E ADA Assessment Plan for each branch. Matt Dugas will describe our approach in the next Financial News Update. To get to work right away, contact us at 1-800-671-7300. For more information, visit us on the web at: www.bankdesign.net. 1401 Hopeman Parkway, Waynesboro, Va. 22980 | Ph. 800-671-7300