Data Cabling - who does it themselves

[MattDLEA]

Just looking for a bit of guidance on this.

 

Im thinking of offering data cabling as part of my services. But not sure if there is any legal or regulations that I need to be aware of.

So just wondered if any of you guys or gals do your own cabling?

Im OK with making patch cables, and pretty sure i could terminate ports.

 

Just every so oftern the schools want the classrooms moving round so computers move locations and the ports need moving, they get an external company in to do this who charge a fair wack.

 

So would I be able to just pull that cable from its origianal port and reterminate it at another point in the room.

Also what about running another cable run from the server room to a classroom.

 

Is this doable as I am or would i need to get a certificate or something?

[simpsonj]

The only regulation I'm aware of is the requirement to use 'smokeless' cables when traversing ceiling spaces.

 

Whether I would want to spend hours of my time cabling is another matter! I usually ask the electricians to put in the cable, and I terminate both ends, best of both worlds as it doesn't add much to the electricians bill, and I know exactly where the cable is terminated at cabinet and port as I did it.

[Steve21]

Cabling within rooms we sometimes do, but mainly all the big pulls we go external with.

 

It's more things like asbestos etc why we don't do the big runs, especially being an older school, which then leads into CSCS cards etc

 

Steve

[Griff]

Love cabling do as much as I can woohooo LOW SMOKE ZERO HALOGEN!!!!!!

[AngryTechnician]

Perfectly feasible to do it yourself. I do small jobs myself here as I was trained to do it in my last school. For larger jobs such as cabling for extensions/new builds, we often get the ducting put in by the electricians and I do the cable pulls and termination. This is especially true when the ducting is being flushed into the walls as that's a messy job I can do without!

 

Apart from the LS0H rules and asbestos, I believe if you are doing any substantial amount of drilling it would be wise to check you are covered by the school's insurance in case you drill through something important/dangerous by accident, such as embedded electrical cabling or pipes in the walls.

 

External companies (should!) have public liabilities insurance to cover this, so make sure you have equivalent protection - and buy a good stud/pipework finder before drilling into anything.

[Valyyn]

Same here, we do all cabling ourselves, from switching points around to new runs.

[buzzard]

Again a point to consider is fire regulations, if you go breaking holes through firewalls (the real ones not the IT Ones ) you need to ensure where the cables pass through the wall that they are sealed (think they're called fire pillows??). I fell foul of that running the odd cable when we where inspected by a Fire service inspection thingy. I wouldn't "extend" an existing run, i'd always run a new cable back to the nearest cab, and if you're pulling one cable pull another one whilst you're at it, it will always be used! Edited October 22, 2013 by buzzard

[alexsanger]

If you're employed by the school, the site team/caretakers or Bursar/business manager should be able to tell you everything you need - ladder training, confirmation of their insurance etc. to cover their liabilities as your employer. If you're an external contractor you'll need liability insurance (our cover is < £5m) and various bits of paperwork (H&S assessment, scope of work, access to schools asbestos register etc.) - again, bursar or caretakers should be able to tell you everything they need.

 

After that, if you want to guarantee your work you'll need a half decent fluke tester. Bigger companies will offer 25yr guarentees, but the kit needed for that level of certification is pricey. Add a decent drill and a cheap face mask (loft insulation particles are unpleasant in the throat) and you're pretty much good to go!

[synaesthesia]

We do most of ours, site super does long runs for us.

[themightymrp]

For big jobs we get an external contractor in, for small jobs i.e. one or 2 data points moving/adding we do it ourselves. It's not a big deal for us, as long as you follow the advice above for asbestos/fire breaks and insurance etc then go for it

[Griff]

Its great when you do a really long run a week later some guy installing some 'emergency lighting' slices straight through your network cable because he decided to use the data trunking to install the light... CHEERS MATE!

[w-clarke101]

Whether I would want to spend hours of my time cabling is another matter! I usually ask the electricians to put in the cable, and I terminate both ends, best of both worlds as it doesn't add much to the electricians bill, and I know exactly where the cable is terminated at cabinet and port as I did it.

 

We do the same here, If it's just a run of one or two cables we do it, But if a new PC room get electricians to put cables in.

[m25man]

Matt,

There are no regulations as such regarding Data Cabling, only specifications.

All such additions however must meet building regulations.

So drilling through structural walls, Girders etc, etc, would need to be cleared other than that, you can do what you want.

The use of LSOH cables in concealed ducts or plenum spaces would actually come under Building Regs not Electrical Safety.

 

Even electrical works within schools are not notifiable unless connected to a residential circuit (such as the caretakers flat or house) which then falls within Part P

The EAWR's have not changed since 1989 and even 17th Edition is not enforceable.

The definition of "competent person" is a pretty lame cop out considering the rules that now exist for domestic installations under Part P

 

I know some pretty good sparks and data installers, but I also have met some I wouldn't trust to change a battery!

Whoever is responsible for the building and its maintenance will ultimately be held responsible if something went horribly wrong so they may have a set of guidelines or local rules that determines who is deemed "competent" or not.

 

As has been said, your more likely to fall foul of H&S and be uninsured because you went more than two steps up a ladder without the required training!

 

See below,

 

So long as you can show that your work complies with BS7671 & you have complied with EAWR 1989 (electricity at work regulation), the second of which is a statutory regulation so would be the one you were taken to court over if somebody were injured or worse by any work you had undertaken, you have no worries.

EAWR description of a competent person:

 

• Persons to be competent to prevent danger and injury
  16. No person shall be engaged in any work activity where technical knowledge or experience is necessary to prevent danger or, where appropriate, injury, unless he possesses such knowledge or experience, or is under such degree of supervision as may be appropriate having regard to the nature of the work.
  

 

• The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
  

[detjo]

The only thing I dont touch is fibre.

The small Cat5 stuff I do myself. Bigger jobs is more a case of cant be bothered, as I have other things to do, so we get the electrician in to run the cables and i'll terminate them.

[catch21]

Asbestos: you shouldn't be working anywhere until you've checked the asbestos register, and if they don't have one or can't explain how it affects you, then walk.

 

Fire compartmentation: seal the gaps back up with intumescent sealer as appropriate.

 

Label everything!

[caffrey]

I do all ours too, except fibre unless preterm is feasible - got quite a bit to do this half term in fact.

[MattDLEA]

Does it have to be ZS0H if its a patch cable going from a network port in the room up some trunking and along the top of the ceiling tiles to a AP

[cpjitservices]

We do, least then we know it works and were it goes.

[MattDLEA]

If I'm running a cable from back of a patch panel along the wall and to terminate in a network socket. Would you use solid core or stranded cable?

[Boredguy]

That would be the job for solid. Stranded is more for patch leads, and instances where the cable will get moved about a lot.

[MattDLEA]

Thanks @Boredguy that's what I though, just wanted to check as the sales guy on the phone said stranded

[detjo]

Stranded is a whole lot easier with RJ45 crimping too.

[Griff]

mmm data cabling I need some of this in my life we have a few projects coming up yay...

[MattDLEA]

Yeah I dont mind doing it, just some of the places that it needs to go to is difficult.

[localzuk]

Just looking for a bit of guidance on this.

 

Im thinking of offering data cabling as part of my services. But not sure if there is any legal or regulations that I need to be aware of.

So just wondered if any of you guys or gals do your own cabling?

Im OK with making patch cables, and pretty sure i could terminate ports.

 

Just every so oftern the schools want the classrooms moving round so computers move locations and the ports need moving, they get an external company in to do this who charge a fair wack.

 

So would I be able to just pull that cable from its origianal port and reterminate it at another point in the room.

Also what about running another cable run from the server room to a classroom.

 

Is this doable as I am or would i need to get a certificate or something?

 

We do minor runs only here - ie. odd little jobs here and there. Proper 'run new sockets' or 'move points' gets outsourced.

 

With the question about pulling a cable from its original port and reterminating it at a different point? I'd advise against it. Installed cables usually use solid CAT5e, so it 'sets' in place over time. Moving it can cause the internal wires to break.