Application
Installation contractors, technical staff and field officers from telecommunications service providers or other private and public organisations or regulatory authorities apply the skills and knowledge in this unit. They combine technical skills with organisational and administrative skills to perform tests on broadband passive optical networks (PON), fibre to the x (FTTx) networks, hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) networks and dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) systems during installation, maintenance, commissioning and troubleshooting phases. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
1. Prepare to use optical measuring instruments | 1.1. Obtain relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards and prepare for the given work 1.2. Notify customer for site access, security arrangements and location details of optical system and test purpose 1.3. Identify site hazards and notify appropriate personnel to make site safe 1.4. Devise and implement risk control measures of hazards with handling optical fibres and lasers in consultation with appropriate personnel 1.5. Prepare a testing plan indicating the type of measurement at the nominated wavelength and seek approval from customer 1.6. Select the appropriate tools and test instruments according to the required measurement and enterprise practice |
2. Conduct optical measurements | 2.1. Set up test instrument according to manufacturer's instructions according to occupational health and safety (OHS) and environmental requirements 2.2. Perform measurement using knowledge of appropriate testing techniques and in a safe manner to assess the performance of optical system and component 2.3. Record test results and compare with standard test specifications from manufacturer and enterprise guidelines 2.4. Evaluate the test results and report on the functionality of the optical component or equipment and the performance of the optical system |
3. Document measurement results | 3.1. Document test results for future reference and make recommendations on optimising component and system performance 3.2. Clean work site and make safe according to the enterprise requirements and to customer satisfaction 3.3. Notify appropriate personnel of job completion for sign off and present test documentations |
Required Skills
Required skills |
communication skills to liaise with customers and enterprise staff literacy skills to read and interpret work instructions and document work numeracy skills to gather and record data from measurements planning and organisational skills to plan, prioritise and manage own work safety awareness skills to: apply precautions and required action to minimise, control or eliminate hazards that may exist during work activities select and use required personal protective equipment conforming to industry and OHS standards work systematically with required attention to detail without injury to self or others, or damage to goods or equipment technical skills to: clean an optical connector to an acceptable industry standard safely inspect an optical connector for contamination and determine if cleaning is necessary safely operate: optical loss test set (OLTS) optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) PON power meter |
Required knowledge |
consequences of mating contaminated optical connectors downstream and upstream signals DWDM metro and long haul system architecture HFC architecture (optical section) logarithmic power levels (decibels, dBm) optical connector types optical fibre safety, practices, handling and theory optical spectrum limits, wavelengths used in various applications and International Telecommunications Union (ITU) grid optical transmitters and receivers PON architecture safe handling procedures with optical fibres transmission system line rates: optical Ethernet synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) and DWDM principles and optical multiplexers |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package. | |
Overview of assessment | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the ability to: measure optical power level measure insertion loss of a passive device measure end-to-end fibre loss (bi-directional) measure splice loss measure distance to fault, event, end of fibre using OTDR comply with all related OHS requirements and work practices. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: sites on which optical measurements can be conducted tools and equipment required for measurements manufacturer's documentation for test instruments and equipment under test. |
Method of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct observation of the candidate performing optical measurements review of a written reports and test results completed by the candidate oral or written questioning to assess required knowledge. |
Guidance information for assessment | Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: ICTBWN3100A Work safely with live fibre to test and commission a fibre to the x installation ICTBWN3205A Use optical and radio frequency measuring instruments. Aboriginal people and other people from a non-English speaking background may have second language issues. Access must be provided to appropriate learning and assessment support when required. Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the oral communication skill level, and language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed. In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. Questioning techniques should not require language, literacy and numeracy skills beyond those required in this unit of competency. Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with special needs. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included. | |
Relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards may include: | appropriate licences: crane EWP forklift winch Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) standards and codes AS Communications Cabling Manual (CCM) AS/NZS 3000:2007 AS/NZS 3080:2003 AS/NZS 3084:2003 AS/NZS 3085.1:2004 AS/NZS IEC 61935.1:2006 AS/NZS IEC 61935.2:2006 AS/NZS ISO/IEC 14763.3:2007 AS/NZS ISO/IEC 15018:2005 AS/NZS ISO/IEC 24702:2007 cabling security codes and regulations Environmental Protection Acts OHS technical standards AS/ACIF S008:2006 and AS/ACIF S009:2006. |
Customer may be: | asset manager installation manager maintenance manager nominated customer representative outage manager project manager. |
Optical system may contain: | add-drop multiplexer DWDM system fibre hub HFC network optical line termination (OLT) optical network termination (ONT) optical amplifier optical splitter. |
Hazards may include: | building debris earth potential rise glass fibre live power lines manual handling mud and water natural gas and other gas build up optical fibre cable may contain hazardous light radio frequency (RF) equipment emitting radiation remote power feeding services which operate at above telecommunications network voltage vermin. |
Testing plan may include: | correct test set-up recording and evaluation of measurements test layout test procedures test purpose test sites and location type of measurements use of appropriate test equipment. |
Type of measurement may include: | end-to-end continuity using visual fault locator fibre loss (bi-directional) insertion loss: coupler filter optical splitter WDM optical power level at: drop terminal OLT ONT optical transmitter patch panel optical return loss (ORL) splice loss total end-to-end loss, including splices and connectors. |
Wavelengths may include: | 850 nm 1310 nm 1490 nm 1550 nm. |
Tools may include: | alcohol swabs dry type cleaning cassette for optical connectors hand tools lint-free dry wipes microscope for examining optical connector with: integral safety infra-red filter video microscope display optical connector adaptors FC to LC FC to SC FC to ST SC to ST optical reference cable optical termination. |
Test instruments may include: | bi-directional automated optical loss test set hand-held optical power meter hand-held optical source launch cable for OTDR OFI-FTTx active ONT detector OLTS ORL test set OTDR multimode OTDR single mode PON - OTDR PON meter visual fault locator (VFL). |
OHS and environmental requirements may include: | decommissioning and isolating worksite and lines prior to commencement identifying other services, including power and gas personal protective equipment: earmuffs gloves head protection masks protective suits safety boots safety glasses safe working practices, such as the safe use and handling of: chemicals materials tools and equipment work platforms safety equipment: flashing lights safety barriers warning signs and tapes witches hats special access requirements environmental considerations: clean-up protection stormwater protection waste management. |
Sectors
Unit sector | Telecommunications |
Competency Field
Broadband and wireless networks |
Employability Skills
This unit contains employability skills. |
Licensing Information
Refer to Unit Descriptor