Checking an existing hearing loop

Why do loops stop working without anyone noticing?

These are the common reasons:

• The amplifier is off or unplugged. Someone unplugged it during cleaning or a renovation, and nobody plugged it back in.
• A damaged cable. The loop cable ran under a carpet, a counter or the floor, and was damaged during works.
• The microphone is not connected, or is in the wrong place. The loop transmits, but it carries the room noise rather than the speech.
• The sound system was replaced. In a hall or synagogue a new system was connected, and the loop was not connected to it.
• The staff do not know there is a loop. A new staff member does not know how to switch it on, or what to answer when a customer asks.
• The sign has disappeared. Without a sign, people do not know they can switch their hearing aid to T mode.
• New interference. Electrical equipment added near the service point causes a hum in T mode.

What gets checked?

• A check with a measuring instrument of the field the loop creates, in the area where the audience stands or sits.
• Coverage: whether the sound reaches the whole planned area, or whether there are weak spots.
• Background noise: whether there is a hum or magnetic interference from other equipment.
• A listening check with a hearing aid in T mode, to hear what the user actually hears.
• The components: amplifier, cables, microphone, headphone output.
• Signage: a T-mode sign next to the service point, and marking where there is a loop.
• The staff: whether the people working there know how to switch the system on and check it.

The check also suits a system that is already installed on site, at a service point, in a synagogue or in a hall. If you do not have a loop yet: planning and installation · synagogues and halls.

What do the regulations say about a periodic check?

According to the Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities (Service Accessibility Adjustments) Regulations, 5773-2013, whoever is required to make accessibility adjustments carries out a periodic check that the assistive systems meet the requirements, at least once every 5 years from the date the accessibility adjustments to the service were completed (regulation 28(a)). If the service is part of a chain, the check is carried out by the chain and approved by a service accessibility consultant. The results of the check and, where needed, the service accessibility consultant’s approval are available for public inspection. Accessibility adjustments following the results of the check are carried out no later than 6 months from the date of the check (regulation 28(b)).

G-Sound carries out the technical check of the loop system (our technical check is not the periodic check under regulation 28, which is done on the Commissioner’s form). Where approval is required, it is given by a service accessibility consultant.

How often is it worth checking in practice?

Separately from the regulations: a system that someone can disconnect by mistake is worth checking regularly, not only when someone complains. RNID, the UK charity for people with hearing loss, recommends checking and maintaining a loop every 12 months. It is also worth checking after a renovation, a change of sound system or moving the service point.

Our check is a technical check of the system. It is not an accessibility approval and does not replace the service accessibility consultant. A summary of the regulations: When a hearing assistance system is required (in Hebrew).

What happens after the check?

After the check you will know what was found in order and what needs attention: the amplifier, a cable, the microphone, the position, the signage or an explanation for the staff. When a repair or a new installation is needed, you receive a quote. You can also book a follow-up check in advance, so you do not have to remember when it was last checked.

Why does a hearing aid company check loops?

G-Sound fits hearing aids, so we check the loop from the side of the person who uses it: with a hearing aid in T mode, where they stand or sit. If the users at your place are not sure whether their hearing aid has a telecoil, see hearing aids with a telecoil.

Further reading

Hearing loops: what they are and how they work · Installation for service points, counters and buildings · Loops for synagogues and halls · What the regulations require (in Hebrew) · Auracast for businesses (in Hebrew) · Services for institutions · Hearing aids with a telecoil

Sources

• Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities (Service Accessibility Adjustments) Regulations, 5773-2013 (text on Nevo, in Hebrew) · checked 03.11.2026
• RNID — Providing a hearing loop in your venue or business · checked 03.11.2026
• HLAA — Hearing Loop Technology · checked 03.11.2026

Updated: 05.11.2026 · Written by the G-Sound editorial team. General information. The check examines the technical condition of the system on the day of the check. It is not legal advice and is not an accessibility approval.

More in English

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