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Obligations of registered cablers

Article for FireTalk or Fire Australia by Russell Porteous of Maintenance Essentials (on behalf of TC/2)

In a recent TC/2 committee meeting, there was a general discussion about the obligations of registered cablers, this article explores the requirements of registered cablers carrying out cabling work in accordance with the requirements of the Telecommunications Act 1997.

All customer cabling work in the telecommunications, fire, security and data industries must be performed by a registered cabler.  Cablers are required to register with one of only five Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) accredited registrars that includes Fire Protection Association Australia (FPA Australia).

The Telecommunications Cabling Provider Rules 2000 (CPRs) regulate the cabling industry and replaced the previous cabler licensing system with an industry-managed registration scheme.

The definition of cabling work is defined in Section 4181 of the Telecommunications Act 1997 and is generally described as the installation, connection and maintenance of customer cabling connected to a telecommunications network or facility.

Types of cabling work2

  • Open cabling work
    Open cabling work is any type of cabling work (including aerial or underground cabling work on private or public property) in which the customer cabling that is used terminates at the network boundary on a socket, a network termination device or a distributor.
  • Restricted cabling work
    1. Subject to the definition of open cabling work, the following cabling work is restricted cabling work:
      1. cabling work (including aerial or underground cabling work on private property):
        1. that is performed only in relation to a customer’s premises; and
        2. in which the electrical supply voltage does not exceed typical domestic single-phase and three-phase electrical supply voltages; and
        3. in which the customer cabling that is used terminates at the network boundary on a socket or network termination device;
      2. cabling work in which customer cabling is connected to customer equipment that complies with:
        1. the Act; and
        2. the requirements of the Labelling Notice;
      3. cabling work that meets each of the following criteria:
        1. the work is performed only in relation to a customer’s premises;
        2. the electrical supply voltage exceeds the typical domestic single-phase and three-phase electrical supply voltages;
        3. the supply voltages are identifiable by every person performing the cabling work;
        4. the electrical power cables are inaccessible to any person performing the cabling work

        Note 1
        Domestic single-phase and three-phase electrical supply voltages are nominally 240 and 415 V a.c. (Volts Alternating Current) respectively.
        Note 2
        Section 4.6 sets out requirements that must be met if a cabling provider is performing restricted cabling work that relates to aerial cabling.

    2. Subsection (1) does not apply to cabling work:
      1. performed between customer equipment and any of the following jumperable distributors or jumperable frames, and terminating at the distributor or frame:
        1. a Building Distributor;
        2. a Campus Distributor;
        3. a Local Distributor;
        4. a Floor Distributor;
        5. a System Distribution Frame;
        6. a Test Point Frame; or
      2. involving cable pairs that are included in cable sheaths shared with other services; or
      3. performed between customer equipment and a patch panel, and terminating at the patch panel.

      Examples of restricted cabling work

      1. Cabling work connected behind an alarm panel or modem (but not via a jumperable distributor, a jumperable frame or a patch panel).
      2. Cabling work connected directly behind a Customer Switching System (but not via a jumperable distributor, a jumperable frame or a patch panel).
      3. Cabling work for additional phone points (other than the first point) in a commercial, high rise or multi-storey building, if the service involved is a standard telephone service (but not via a jumperable distributor, a jumperable frame or a patch panel).
      4. Cabling work for a home automation system (but not via a jumperable distributor, a jumperable frame or a patch panel).
    3. Lift cabling work

      Lift cabling work is cabling work:

      1. that is performed in relation to a lift that has been installed, or is to be installed; and
      2. in relation to which the customer cabling that is used connects:
        1. a cross connection point adjacent to the lift motor room; and
        2. the lift control cubicle within the lift motor room; and
        3. the lift cars.


By these definitions, cabling work carried out on fire systems would generally be considered restricted cabling work and is subject to the requirements of the Telecommunications Act 1997.

Responsibilities of Registered Cablers

In addition to carrying out cabling work in accordance with the Cabling Provider Rules 2000; Registered Cablers are also required to certify their cabling work3 by completing the Telecommunications Cabling Advice Form4 (known as a TCA1 form) at the completion of all cabling work.

The original copy of the TCA1 form is to be completed and given to the customer, and a second copy must be retained for not less than twelve months by the cabler. Registered Cablers may be requested by ACMA to submit completed TCA1 forms for all jobs conducted in the last twelve months, for audit purposes.

The role of the FPAA

The Australian Communications & Media Authority (ACMA) by authority of the Telecommunications Act 1997 requires mandatory registration of technicians carrying out cabling work. On behalf of the fire protection industry, the Fire Protection Association has been accredited by the ACMA to register technicians in one of the three registration categories.

Registered cablers are required to demonstrate competency requirements and sign a declaration that they are competent before being able to register.  Applicants must provide evidence to the registrar that they meet the competency requirements.  This evidence can be in the form of:

  • certificate(s) from a Registered Training Organisation showing that you have attained the relevant competency, or
  • a certificate of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) issued by an accredited assessor.  (This option is suitable for experienced cablers who have either worked in a related cabling industry (eg electrical) or have previously performed telecommunications cabling, but do not hold a current Australian cabling registration.)

Technicians carrying out cabling work must therefore be registered (or be directly and constantly supervised). If this not the case then technicians may be undertaking illegal work. Cabling work is subject to a random inspection, or a formal complaint and may lead to fines and penalties for non-compliance.

Technicians can contact the FPAA for more information about registration.

This is a brief overview of the Cabling Provider Rules (CPRs) and does not list all the obligations and responsibilities of registered cablers performing telecommunications cabling work. Cablers should make themselves familiar with the requirements of the Telecommunications Cabling Provider Rules 2000, or contact;

  • Fire Protection Association Australia - Tel: 1300 731 922
  • Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) - Tel: 1300 850 115

This document is intended as a guide only. For this reason, the information should not be relied on as legal advice or regarded as a substitute for legal advice in individual cases.

References

  • Telecommunications Act 1997
  • Telecommunications Cabling Provider Rules 2000 incorporating Ammendment 1 (2005)



  1. http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ta1997214/s418.html
  2. http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/telcomm/cabling/telecomcablingprovrules2000.pdf
  3. Cabling Provider Rules 2000, Section 4.5 - Certification of cabling work
  4. http://www.acma.gov.au/webwr/_assets/main/lib310111/t019-telecomms_cabling_advice-tca1.pdf