This unit applies to customer cabling terminated on sockets and network termination devices (NTD). It applies to the installation, maintenance and modification of indoor and external cabling.

Customer cabling, for the purpose of the 'Restricted' Cabling Provider Rule, may be used to connect devices for a range of applications including telecommunications, simple data and computer use, security alarm panels and fire control panels.

Cabling may be metallic or optical fibre and may be aerial or underground.

The cabling task may be a new cable installation or upgrade of cable capacity for an existing network or subsystem for convergence to Next Generation Networks (NGN) applications.

The cabling installer may provide services in telephony, voice over internet protocol (VoIP), internet protocol TV (IPTV) and computer data over a single metallic customer cable or optical fibre cable in a specific customer location.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Work within the constraints imposed by customer premises and ACMA regulatory environment

1.1. Prepare for restricted cabling work within the regulatory environment, cabling environment, cable type, cable identification, termination systems, earthing and protection, records and relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards

1.2. Identify building infrastructure which places critical constraints on cabling

1.3. Develop strategies to manage other infrastructure in relation to cabling

1.4. Notify appropriate personnel of safety hazards at the cabling work site

2. Manage remote power feed

2.1. Identify and avoid the risks posed by contact with remote power feeding services when performing cabling activity

2.2. Make site safe by identifying remote power feeding services which operate at above telecommunications network voltage (TNV) inside customer premises

3. Install cables and protective earth wires

3.1. Install cables according to manufacturer's application specifications, including tension and bending stress requirements

3.2. Identify and avoid sources of possible damage to cable, including hot pipes, sharp edges and cable burn

3.3. Allow sufficient excess at cable ends to facilitate termination

3.4. Place and secure cable to maintain safety and interference segregation according to legislative and industry standards

3.5. Install cable ties with correct tension to prevent cable sheath damage or transmission impairment and trimmed flush to prevent risk of personal damage

3.6. Install underground cables to minimum depth of cover and segregation from hazardous electrical and other services according to AS/ACIF S009:200

3.7. Install underground cables excluding blown fibre tube systems to incorporate a blocking agent within the cable to prevent the ingress of water

3.8. Install aerial cables to minimum clearance, segregation from hazardous electrical and other services and minimum height requirements according to AS/ACIF S009:2006

3.9. Install over-voltage protection devices according to AS/ACIF S009:2006 to all cable pairs, where required, to suppress voltage surges and protect from earth potential rise (EPR) hazards and protectively earth the devices

3.10. Protect earth wire insulation against damage and segregate protective earths according to relevant legislative and industry standards

4. Terminate and test cables and earth wires

4.1. Remove cable sheath to allow for correct termination length and without damage to underlying conductors and their insulation

4.2. Install NTD terminating modules according to manufacturer's specifications and cable pairs neatly and sequentially fanned for termination

4.3. Terminate conductors according to recommended colour code sequence using appropriate termination tools in the manufacturer's specified manner

4.4. Earth cable shield, if applicable, to manufacturer's specifications, relevant industry codes of practice and AS/ACIF S009:2006

4.5. Conduct visual inspection to confirm termination colour code sequence has been followed prior to end-to-end testing of wire and pair termination integrity

4.6. Terminate earth wires with connectors recommended by manufacturers according to accepted industry codes of practice and AS/ACIF S009:2006

4.7. Maintain earth wire continuity throughout and observe interface requirements with electrical systems

4.8. Test earthing installation for continuity, insulation resistance and conductive resistance according to accepted industry standards including AS/ACIF S009:2006

4.9. Confirm compatibility of alterations with existing systems and test new work both in isolation and when integrated with existing systems

5. Inspect cable route to ensure correct separations

5.1. Inspect separations along the entirety of the cable route and rectify separations which do not comply with regulations

5.2. Install barriers to achieve separations where sufficient spatial separation cannot be met

6. Create records

6.1. Provide the client with a job sign-off, telecommunications cabling advice form, at the completion of each cabling task

6.2. Complete NTD record cards for the work undertaken

7. Monitor work activity

7.1. Supervise cablers not holding appropriate registration for the task to ensure cabling activity is according to legislative requirements for safety and network integrity including AS/ACIF S008:2006 and AS/ACIF S009:2006

Required skills

communication skills to liaise with work associates, supervisors, team members and clients

literacy skills to interpret:

related legislation, codes regulations and standards

technical documentation, such as equipment manuals and specifications

numeracy skills to take and analyse measurements

planning and organisational skills to organise and maintain equipment

problem solving skills to solve equipment and logistics problems

safety awareness skills to:

check environmental conditions are suitable for termination

make site safe and secure for cable installation

work systematically with required attention to detail without injury to self or others, or damage to goods or equipment

task management skills to:

apply work practices which avoid cable damage

conform to work specifications and relevant industry standards

technical skills to:

check cable route for obstructions and make clear using suitable methods

handle cable according to manufacturer's specifications so that conductors, sheath and insulation are not damaged during installation

select cabling system to meet customer performance needs

read and interpret drawings related to:

cable coding system, identifiers and distributor locations

cable layouts

outlet location

terminate copper twisted pair, including indoor, external, aerial and underground cabling

use diagnostic equipment

use hand and power tools

Required knowledge

ACMA cabling provider rules, cabler registration rules, regulations and standards

features and operating requirements of recognised cabling specific industry test equipment

information required to operate equipment according to a test specification

legislation, codes of practice and other formal agreements that impact on the work activity

manufacturer's requirements for safe operation of equipment

specific occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements relating to the activity and site conditions

test methods and performance requirements

typical issues and challenges that occur on site

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.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

complete a cabling installation and termination:

three different types of telephone sockets:

Australian modular socket

United States modular socket

Mode 3 alarm socket

one network termination device (NTD)

one alarm panel including completion of a TCA compliance form and NTD records

one Ethernet cable

apply cable conductor identification codes

conduct and interpret cable test results

interpret and apply standards and regulations

comply with all related OHS requirements and work practices.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

a site on which communications cabling activities may be carried out

use of cabling and field equipment currently used in industry

licensing requirements and other site related documentation.

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 undertaking cabling installations and tests, and applying cable conductor identification codes

oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of test results, standards requirements and specific technical procedures.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

ICTCBL2137A Install, maintain and modify customer premises communications cabling: ACMA Open Rule.

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.

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.

Restricted cabling work refers to:

aerial and underground cabling work on private property

cabling work that is performed only in relation to a customer's premises

customer cabling that terminates directly at the network boundary on a socket or network termination device.

Regulatory environment refers to:

accredited registrars and registration

ACMA

Certified Components List

Communications Alliance

labelling requirements

Telecommunications Act 1997.

Cabling environment may refer to:

indoor environments, including concealed locations:

ceilings and false ceilings

internal wall space

modular workstations

under floor

outdoor environments, including cable installations:

aerial telecommunications cabling for restricted cabling work but does not include installations on poles shared with low voltage (LV) or high voltage (HV) electrical power cables or terminations

external walls

underground cabling in an exclusive trench or shared trench with electrical LV cables and other utilities.

Cable type may include:

aerial

coaxial

copper twisted pair

data cables:

Category 5, 6, 6A, 7 or &A

external

indoor

optic fibre cable

underground.

Cable identification refers to:

cable conductor identification codes:

banded

colour coded

lettered

numbered.

Termination systems must include:

network termination device

socket types:

Australian modular socket

Mode 3 alarm socket

United States modular socket.

(Note: jumperable distributors are not included in this requirement).

Earthing and protection must include:

earthing for protection

surge suppression.

Records may include:

NTD record cards

telecommunication cabling advice forms TCA1 and TCA2.

Relevant legislation, codes, regulations and standards include:

accredited registrars and registration

Australian Communications Industry Forum (ACIF) standards and codes

ACMA

AS/NZS 3000:2007

AS/ACIF S008:2006 and AS/ACIF S009:2006

Certified Components List (CCL)

AS Communications Cabling Manual (CCM) -restricted

labelling

Overview Telecommunications Act 1997.

Building infrastructure may include:

availability and suitability of existing cabling trays and fixing systems

building hazards

elevated working

high voltage (HV) power

restricted access.

Cabling may include:

aerial customer

external customer

indoor customer

underground customer.

Strategies to manage other infrastructure may include:

appropriate separations

correct use of cable trays and support systems

fastening techniques.

Safety hazards may refer to:

access points that may contain:

hazardous light or non-visible laser

radio frequency (RF) emission

electrical supply and areas of earth potential rise (EPR) that require mandatory separation from communications cable

hazardous conduit as according to AS 1345:1995 conduit colours associated with a hazardous service.

Termination may include:

Australian modular socket

Ethernet connectors terminated at both ends of an Ethernet cable and tested

Mode 3 alarm socket

NTD

United States modular socket

(Note: jumperable distributors are not included).

Separations refer to:

correct separations between communications cable and other services:

LV

HV single core

HV multi-core

open terminations

separations covered by AS/ACIF S009:2006.

Unit sector

Telecommunications

Cabling

This unit contains employability skills.