1. Prepare for installation of ribbon fibre

1.1 Select safety equipment to protect self, co-workers and public in line with work health and safety (WHS) and environmental requirements

1.2 Identify and obtain tools and appropriate equipment required for the installation

1.3 Check physical conditions relevant to the installation and confirm layout of equipment to be installed

1.4 Inform appropriate personnel of identified hazards on work site

1.5 Locate other services from relevant authorities

1.6 Secure the work site with tests for dangerous gases and guards around open manholes

1.7 Obtain approval for alterations to the design within organisational guidelines

2. Check and secure existing optical fibre cable

2.1 Following WHS practices, verify that cable was installed according to the installation plan and inspect cable for signs of sheath damage

2.2 Maintain minimum bend ratios of cable according to manufacturer specifications while manoeuvring into position

2.3 Secure cable according to safe industry practice, avoiding damage to cable and sheath

3. Install ribbon fibres into high density drawers and/or pivot sub-racks in internal cabinets

3.1 Introduce cable into cabinet rack though appropriate route

3.2 Remove cable sheath and lay up ribbon loose tubes into sub-racks without damage to fibre

3.3 Remove loose tubes, clean ribbon fibres and prepare for splicing using organisational techniques

3.4 Splice ribbon fibres and secure into splice holders

3.5 Confirm that fibres are accurately spliced according to organisational specifications

4. Install and splice ribbon cable in underground enclosures

4.1 Select appropriate enclosure for function and cable type

4.2 Prepare cables for mid-span and butt splicing following vendor guidelines

4.3 Feed cable accurately into enclosure according to network owner guidelines

4.4 Lay up ribbon fibre in enclosure splice tray to allow accurate and efficient splicing

4.5 Cross-reference fibre numbering to match fibres accurately

4.6 Strip ribbon fibres to specifications

4.7 Splice ribbon fibres accurately

4.8 Apply heat-shrink sleeves to ensure protection of spliced ribbon fibres

4.9 Secure spliced ribbon fibres in splice holders

5. Close and seal enclosure

5.1 Check cable and ribbon fibre placement in splice trays conform to vendor and network owner specifications and adjust if necessary

5.2 Close and secure splice trays and fit enclosure cap

5.3 Heat shrink seals around cable entry ports when using heat shrinking techniques, according to vendor and network owner guidelines

5.4 Close and tighten seals around ribbon fibre cables when using mechanical sealing techniques according to vendor and network owner guidelines

5.5 Check for signs of effective seal and re-seal if necessary

6. Complete site reinstatement, reporting and sign-off requirements

6.1 Place sealed enclosure in pit and secure to vendor and network owner specifications

6.2 Identify signs of damage or potential damage to pit and cable and take steps to mitigate

6.3 Reinstate site to network owner specifications

6.4 Prepare and finalise reports, including test results and alterations to plans, according to network owner requirements

6.5 Advise client of work completion and obtain sign-off

Overview of assessment

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

Evidence of the ability to:

prepare cable for mid-span splicing – strip and coil

prepare cable for butt end splicing – strip and coil

install cable into:

three types of enclosures

two types of FAN cabinet racks and sub-racks

splice ribbon fibre according to specifications

observe all network owner requirements and product practices to ensure optimal performance of cable systems

adapt techniques to a range of technical and environmental conditions.

Context of and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure access to:

optic fibre cabling and equipment

a range of cabinet types and other housings requiring cable-handling techniques

personal protective equipment

first aid and fire safety equipment.

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 installing cable into:

enclosures

cabinets

direct observation of the candidate following network owner and product-specific instructions

oral questioning to assess knowledge of installation principles and practices.

Guidance information for assessment

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

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.

WHS and environmental requirements may relate to:

environmental considerations:

clean-up protection

stormwater protection

waste management

identifying other services, including power and gas

need to decommission and isolate work site and lines before beginning work

personal protective clothing and equipment

safe work practices, such as the safe use and handling of:

asbestos

chemicals

materials

tools and equipment

work platforms

safety equipment:

flashing lights

gas and other hazard detection equipment

safety barriers

traffic cones

trench guards

warning signs and tapes

special access requirements

suitable light and ventilation.

Appropriate equipment may include:

hand-held optical power meter

OFI-FTTx network terminal detector

optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR)

passive optical network (PON) meter.

Physical conditions relate to:

access to the site

equipment at the site

other construction activities at or adjacent to the site

road and other traffic conditions

weather.

Hazards may include:

earth potential rise (EPR)

optical cable:

bare fibres

hazardous laser light

remote power feeding.

Relevant authorities may include:

cable location services (Dial Before You Dig)

environment protection

local government

private owners

utility providers, such as:

electricity

fire services

gas

other telecommunications providers

water.

Dangerous gases may include:

asphyxiating gas

carbon dioxide

carbon monoxide

combustible gas

natural gas

noxious gas.

Guards may include:

barricades

plates

temporary fencing.

WHS practices may relate to:

determining that optical fibre cable is not live according to guidelines and standards

handling optical fibre cable in a safe manner to avoid risk of injury

labelling fibre cable and laser devices

locating and identifying adjoining services according to organisational guidelines and WHS practices

observing AS/NZS 2211:2006 Safety of laser products (Parts 1 and 2)

testing for presence of dangerous gases according to organisational guidelines.

Cabinets may include:

FAN distribution cabinets

fibre distribution hub (FDH) cabinets

distribution cabinets.

Splice ribbon fibres may relate to:

ribbon fusion splice techniques

preparing connection ends to a smooth flat surface to ensure no optical path redirection from joint

removing all coatings from exposed optical fibre and removing all possible contaminants.

Enclosures may include:

access joint location (AJL)

distribution joints

local joint location (LJL).