Are Electricians Qualified to do Data terminations

[Nightfox122]

We have recently carried out some small electrical works as a sub contractor, which included some data cable terminations (Cat 6 mods/RJ45 ends etc). Anyway client we have been working too is a larger electrical contractor and has asked for our engineers certificates which isn't a problem. However they have now come back to say our engineers aren't qualified to carry out works on data cables.

I know there is a course which you can do for this but surely an experience Electrician is more than qualified to terminate data cables? Networking I would expect an IT Technion but for pulling in cables and terminating?

We've carried this work out for years and its the first time an issue of competency on this has arisen, Id be keen to know your thoughts.

 

[Ziggie]

As a complete aside, I worked for a major supermarket as a software engineer.

Part of our job was to pull the data cables &(equipment cables) through the ducting and voids. We had to jump on the floor tiles to get them flat as the voids were so packed.

got paid time and a half as it was out of hours work

memories are made of this

 

[ruston]

@Mike Johnson

Think I have posted this before, so bear with me, On the Tower Hotel project an old boy welder with no qualifications Oxyacetylene welded a Phosphor Bonze supporting angle together, me being the know it all told him it could not be done and I would have it tested, cut a long story short our Geotechnics dept had it X Ray analysed and it was a full penetration weld, competence vs qualified.

I have posted this before, but thought you may like to see it . The phone camera does not do in justice.
To be fair , a time served competent man , but just naturally gifted.
It is made from stainless steel left over scraps.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Nice, but the difference is that the bracket the guy welded together was holding up a couple of tonne's of pre-cast concrete flank wall stones on the Tower Hotel.

 

[telectrix]

Nice, but the difference is that the bracket the guy welded together was holding up a couple of tonne's of pre-cast concrete flank wall stones on the Tower Hotel.

was it bronze to eliminate rust problems as with steel?

 

[Mike Johnson]

All the brackets and dowel bars where Phosphor Bronze to locate the stones and help eliminate pre-mature failure, but it did not stop the local scrotes from digging them out of the grout overnight to sell to the local scrap yard, the main contractor (TWP) used to send one of the guys out in the morning to negotiate their return, now I think about it, they used to send more than one guy out. nudge nudge wink wink say no more.

 

[ruston]

Nice, but the difference is that the bracket the guy welded together was holding up a couple of tonne's of pre-cast concrete flank wall stones on the Tower Hotel.

Yes he is obviously a highly skilled person.
My mate is also a highly skilled coded welder , works all over the world ,mainly in the Petrochemical industry .

 

[telectrix]

did a bit of welding during my 1st year apprenticeship. outof 10, the tutor scored me 1. and that was a sympathy score for actually trying.

 

[Ziggie]

I worked in Sweden within a government department. They ran a mains cable across the floor and us (small team from U.K. ) questioned Health and Safety.
A Swedish colleague took us aside and said that all trades do everything in Sweden and they did.

 

[Zerax]

Think I have posted this before, so bear with me, On the Tower Hotel project an old boy welder with no qualifications Oxyacetylene welded a Phosphor Bonze supporting angle together, me being the know it all told him it could not be done and I would have it tested, cut a long story short our Geotechnics dept had it X Ray analysed and it was a full penetration weld, competence vs qualified.

IMHO... I think it's best to keep oxyacetylene welding well away from Cat5/6 connections and cable... that heat won't do them any good at all... and it's total over-kill !

 

[Zerax]

did a bit of welding during my 1st year apprenticeship. outof 10, the tutor scored me 1. and that was a sympathy score for actually trying.

I was taught gas welding at university... made a toolbox, which I still have but not used as it's too heavy. Also machining... made a vice from rough castings... which I also still have and use... brilliant bit of kit... and lastly, we did some electronics... made an electronic ignition unit for a car... but sadly I left it on a car I subsequently sold.... Happy days indeed.

 

[Ziggie]

to qualify for data cabling you need to be able to do the following:
1. sling 40 cat5 cables over a ceiling grid, making sure they rest on as many recessed lights as possible.
2. break at least 10 tiles whist installing above.
3. only fit back tiles where you need cable support.
4. wherever possible run data cables along with LV cables. 3 phase cables are preferred

All the above but they also need the skill of putting them in the floor void in the reverse order of what needs moving first and not labelling them so that they need to be traced everytime. They also need to be able to pack them into ducting between rooms. For computer room training, they need to remove floor tiles so that people fall into the hole in the dark

 

[Mike Johnson]

I was taught gas welding at university...

Not