Should I be doing this?

[Badaz52]

Hi,

 

Im wondering if someone can help me. I have been working with a new employer for 3 months now as the ICT Network Manager. I have thoroughly looked at my job description and as a summary my job is to manage the schools ICT network to ensure it is available to all, up to date, secure and to overseen future developments and implementations.

 

Recently I have been told that is my duty to run Cat 5e cables for any new installations around the place. I'm a little concerned about this as I have been also told that it my duty to carry out the DIY tasks associated with running the cables such as drilling holes putting up trunking etc.

 

The Site Manager has told me that it is my job to do the cabling and has briefly showed me how to use a drill and how to use ladders. I have also had some asbestos training but beyond that nothing is formal or in writing and I do not believe that I should be carrying out DIY related tasks or cabling in anyway as I am not qualified to do so and in my opinion not hired to do that.

 

Please could anyone give me some advise on this as I think Im being forced into something here.

 

Thanks

[jamesfed]

Most of the time we will leave the drilling of holes/ect to the site team and do the rest (cable runs/trunking) - you may find that marking out precisely where the holes need to go and asking nicely will work out fine for you as well (but do be precise!).

[twin--turbo]

Does the job description or contract say anything along the lines of "any other duties requested by the headmaster/senior leadership team" it's a catchall that's commonly used in schools.

 

If your getting paid a reasonable network manager wage you could argue that the cost of getting a cabling company in is money well spent, however if you generally not over stretched and the schools money is tight then you may be expected to go the extra mile.

 

In my time as network manager i have done many things not in the original job description or contract. I cleared out a downspout during a torrential rain storm, pumped out water from flood submerged boiler room, re cabled a lighting rig, built shelves , decorated our own office, fitted air-con, etc...

 

Rob

[synaesthesia]

And of course if you're worried, speak to your line manager. Just say it's not something you expect from that job, it's not in your JD (assuming it isn't) and you're not entirely comfortable doing it. But do try and be flexible, we all know what budgets in schools are like and perhaps just making it known that you're happy to do what you can but as you know things are tight, etc. If you're willing to show flexibility then it may go down in your favour in performance management.

[dhicks]

I do not believe that I should be carrying out DIY related tasks or cabling in anyway as I am not qualified to do so and in my opinion not hired to do that.

 

Cabling and general DIY has always struck me as fair enough - it's the schools that won't let you drill/dig holes in things that get on my nerves, you aren't allowed to just get on and fix things. Once you have free reign to use a drill around the place you can get away with all sorts of fun stuff. The school has a duty to make sure you are properly equipped, of course, so you could try asking for a nice new SDS drill and a circular bench saw...

[twin--turbo]

Speaking of DIY tool, I keep geting asked to use a Router...

 

TT

[glennda]

It depends - i always used to do the odd cabling job where is was on a small cable - anything major I got the professionals in.

[3s-gtech]

I have the same job title - but I won't do cable runs etc other than single odd bits around the place. It's not in my JD or skillset (at least to do it well!) and I don't have the appropriate tools or training. We get electricians/cabling specialists in to do it most of the time, who do a neat job with trunking, have required training and are probably cheaper per hour than me. I won't open up three compartment trunking with mains/network in it, as I'd get a major telling off anyway as I'm not qualified to do more than wire a plug on 240v stuff.

[teejay]

I 'can' do it, but don't have the time or the right kit. It's alright having drills etc, but what about proper cable testing gear which can run into thousands. You also need to be clued up on H&S, electrical regs and current building regs. We use a proper cabling company who do a cracking job, certify the cable, provide test reports and guarantee the work for 25 years.

[synaesthesia]

^ that is a damn good point. If something goes wrong, they've only got you to blame, and you've only got yourself to blame - or maybe even the school. If someone else does it, insurance and work guarantees have things covered. That's worth a lot.

[nathan3388]

we do all the work our self as you say the school bidget is tight. But if you do everything in house then the money can get pumped back into ICT for the pupils to benifit and learn new skills. We saved absolute thousands by doing this like the best part of 500 grand at least. We basically rewired the whole school. At the end of the day depends if you are happy in doing what you do and the school trust you and know that you are not qaulified.

[Netwacky87]

My view - Short runs through ceiling tiles room to room etc, not a problem and willing to do - anything I feel uncomfortable with/doing (or big job) then contractors get brought in.

[twin--turbo]

but what about proper cable testing gear ........ certify the cable, provide test reports

 

Hmm, we never saw the reports for our new build, also I wonder how they tested a cable that was not actualy in it's room and was just connected to the module hanging in a void...

 

Our other building, The same company managed to wire 3 entire rooms and label them totaly incorrectly so nothing was right on the cabinet markings. Other points were simply faulty.

 

We had no say in who we used,

 

Two years previously we had some temporary buildings put up and an electrical company did the CAT5.. one computer room ( and this realy is no joke ) read round the room, A A1 A2 B C G K 3 5 2b K AA G 7 8 9 KK 4 10 B2 .. they we again contracted out of our control.

 

When we have control we get the guys I have been using for 12 years, they turn up they do a perfect job. Once we had been badly let down by another "forced" sub contractor, my response was to tell the contractor that if MY provider could get here and do the job then we should do that and stop XYZing around. the contractor was reticent but since My provider droped other jobs and turned up and had the work completed that day the main contractor gave up arguing.

 

Rob

[nathan3388]

if you do everything yourself to then you can fault find and it is must easier than going to diagrams and cabients you can just do it off the top of your head as well makes life so much easier. We have never had contractors in the 14 years that i have been here. We would even let the local authority ICT team come in cable because they are not very good double up on everything pull wires through places that are unreachable like plaster in the cables, etc

[Sylv3r]

We quite often do short cable runs ourselves but the majority are done by external contractors.

 

They can probably do a better job than us in a quicker time allowing us to carryout other tasks during the holiday period. In the end it probably comes cost neautral if you have other tasks to do.

[Andrew_C]

as I am not qualified to do so and in my opinion not hired to do that.

I'd be interested to know what sort of qualification you think there is to drill holes? (Beyond the ladder, tool use, and asbestos briefing etc)

 

Seriously, a little bit of wiring here and there shouldn't be beyond any but the smallest team in a school. However, a large-scale installation would be better sub contracted.

[jinnantonnixx]

Just from the safety angle, where are your asbestos and hazardous materials logs? You need to get a full report of hazards before you drill your first hole or raise your first ceiling tile. I've had a school shut down because we drilled into the wrong pillar. It was a men-in-white-suits job.

 

If it's a new-ish school you should be fine, but '70s schools are a nightmare.

 

I had a letter from my old employer telling us that if anyone had been up into the ceiling void to lay cables (thankfully I didn't) then it was almost certain that we had been in direct contact with asbestos blankets. I wouldn't want the worry of that hanging over me.

Edited June 26, 2012 by jinnantonnixx

[AngryTechnician]

Whether you are capable of doing it and whether they should be asking you are two different things in my opinion.

 

I do small to medium cabling jobs in house as I had a lot of training on it in my last school by people with years of experience. It's very easy to do cabling badly if you have not been properly trained (or even if you have). I've certainly seen enough contractors doing a rubbish job to know that's true. However, we still get contractors in to do the trunking for bigger jobs, and then I will feed and terminate the cable.

 

As @teejay says, you need to have the right tools (including testing kit), you need to know the regs, and your employer absolutely must have the right insurance to do this in house. This is not a job to be treated as 'DIY'.

 

If this sort of works is a) not in your JD, and b) was not mentioned at interview, then it's not on for them to insist on it when you have no prior experience. Consult your union.

[pete]

I'd find out if the previous incumbent did network cabling first of all to determine where the expectation comes from. Tradition is not an excuse for an increased workload.

 

And if the site manager were telling me it's my job to do "X", my response would be "why?". With a hint of "dear cow-orker, you are not my boss".

 

---

 

For small jobs, we'll do it.

For jobs where the potential for fouling up is high (running data near a/c lines for the server room) we'll do it/that part.

 

But I've done it for years and since I have to support the results of the cabling jobs, we ensure it's done well (to OCD levels).

 

For big jobs and fibre it gets contracted out

[cpjitservices]

I think for a start you'll need a H&S assesment (Health and Safety), your using a ladder so you'll need your working at heights checked and ticked off by H&S - IF you have an accident regarding anything your doing outside of what your trained to do/ whats in your JD your employers are in for the high jump!! It's certainly not DIY. This kind of work is ALWAYS contracted here, we have a single company that does all of our cabling network or otherwise. It's ok drilling a hole, but if you drill through a pipe, electric feed or a support for the building someone is going to get seriously hurt.

 

My advice would be steer well clear and advise your boss you'll find a contractor (if needs really must).

[bossman]

You have been employed as a network manager not a data cable engineer, there is a subtle difference, now if the school want to send you on a data engineering course for cabling and fixings that is a different matter.

 

Stand your ground on this as they will then expect you to do other things which you have not been trained to do.

 

Teachers wouldn't think twice of doing anything outside their remit if they hadn't had the appropriate training first.

 

Its all about H&S and this could be construed as dangerous if not completed correctly.

 

Good Luck

[andyturpie]

The same here, short runs done by us, anything else done via our electrical contractors. As someone else above says, try to be flexible and even work with the site team on this and pick up some transferrable skills!

[Oaktech]

basically i do most things, including puting up projectors, but if there is more than a couple of lines to go in/anywhere awkward needs cabling, we have a company who come in and do it simply because it is cheaper to get them to do it, especially if some fibre is involved. Also if drilling lots of holes/confined space access/working height is involved you may need someone to finger if a utility gets hit or someone gets hurt. Edited June 26, 2012 by Oaktech

[Edu-IT]

You have been employed as a network manager not a data cable engineer, there is a subtle difference, now if the school want to send you on a data engineering course for cabling and fixings that is a different matter.

 

Stand your ground on this as they will then expect you to do other things which you have not been trained to do.

 

Teachers wouldn't think twice of doing anything outside their remit if they hadn't had the appropriate training first.

 

Its all about H&S and this could be construed as dangerous if not completed correctly.

 

Good Luck

I'd agree with this.

 

If a projector comes crashing down on somebody's head as it was not properly installed, for example, it could get messy. The same thing could happen if you paid a contractor to do it (and may be more likely to happen based on some of the pics on here!) but at least you go and have a backside to kick if it does happen.

 

Cabling I suppose is less dangerous, but, you start with cabling and then it'll be something else next week. If you aren't confident or comfortable then speak out.

[DSapseid]

i do cabling if its just a couple of points, ive got boxes of cable and its alot cheaper than getting someone in to run one cable 10m! My limit is 15cables in one place anymore than that and i get professionals in.

 

In the last year ive put up 3 cabinets and ran about 40 network points.