Can your phone system handle emergency calls?

The Ray Baum’s Act, which recently went into effect, ensures that when employees dial 911 from a company’s phone system, they can get help. Specifically, a dispatchable location must be conveyed with the call.

That includes calls from a multi-line telephone system (MLTS). Individuals often utilize such a phone system from an office building, campus or hotel.

Make your IT folks aware: The law applies to software programs employers may use. That includes Jabber, Webex, Teams, Zoom and other platforms that allow users to make phone calls from a computer, says Jon Farnsworth. He’s a partner in the Minneapolis office of Spencer Fane.

5 capabilities of your systems

Farnsworth recommends employers doublecheck that their phone system and technology system can do the following:

1. Call 911 directly by typing “911” (without the use of any prefix, such as “9”).
2. Provide immediate notice to a central location at the facility from which the 911 call is made.
3. Send the notification to the central location immediately, without delaying the 911 call.
4. Ensure someone at the central location will likely see or hear the notification.
5. Provide a physical address that’s as precise as possible (e.g., suite/office number in addition to the physical street address).

Farnsworth reminds employers that enforcement of the provision of the Ray Baum’s Act which deals with on-premises, non-fixed devices and off-premises devices began Jan. 6, 2022.

Prior to that, on Jan. 6, 2021, another provision of the law kicked in. That section of the law pertained to employers that used on-premises, fixed devices as part of their MLTS. Furthermore, that deadline impacted MLTS manufacturers, importers, sellers, lessors, installers, managers and operators.