In instances of non-compliant cabling work being discovered, cablers should turn to the ACMA’s TCA2 form to find a solution. Paul Skelton explains.

How often are you called out to a premises only to find that you can’t do your job properly because the previous cabling provider has made a mistake, or has finished an installation without complying with the mandatory Wiring Rules Standard?

It makes things unnecessarily difficult and annoyingly time consuming. What a lot of cabling providers don’t appear to realise is that they do have a method of recourse at their disposal.

The TCA2 form was created as a result of various enquiries made to the regulator over an extended period of time by registered cabling providers who encountered existing non-compliant cabling work and were unsure what to do about the non-compliance.

The cabling provider can fill out and present the TCA2 form to the customer to advise that a non-compliance issue exists. It is up to the customer to decide what to do, but the cabling provider should also impress on the customer the degree of seriousness of the noncompliance.

Specifically, the TCA2 form allows cablers to highlight issues pertaining to:

• The inadequate separation of communications and electrical cabling;
• The inappropriate or inadequate support provided to cables;
• Cables not being secured correctly;
• Non-compliant cabling product being used;
• Non-compliant customer equipment installed;
• Non-complaint earthing;
• Wrong colour conduit being used;
• Records that are misleading or out of date;
• Pre-existing cables that are worn or frayed;
• Pre-existing cabling that is not compliant.

ACEA Cabling Advisory Group (CAG) chairman and Anixter business development manager Barney Tomasich believes cablers aren’t using the forms to their full potential.

“The key issue is how to highlight areas of non-compliance and hold cabling providers to account for their workmanship,” he says.

“With very little site auditing being currently carried out by ACMA, sites with shoddy and even unsafe cabling workmanship are going unnoticed.

“The purpose of the TCA2 form is to alert the customer or building manager of any non-compliant cable installations that are outside the contracted scope of work. As a result, I would like to see two things happen.

“Firstly, greater awareness of the existence of the TCA2 forms by cabling providers and customers/building owners. They are a great tool, but the greatest tool in the world is worthless if no-one is using it. Secondly, I want to see the use of the TCA2 forms result in more ACMA cabling complaints.

“The ACMA has given assurances that they will investigate all written cabling complaints. If cabling providers, customers or building owners were to start filling in the ACMA’s Cabling Industry Complaint Form and attaching their TCA2 forms, a wave of complaints would result. These complaints will flesh out the problem areas, and problem cabling providers, and raise the bar on safety and compliance in the industry.”

Barney explains that as the ACMA is the only effective policeman for the industry, complaints are currently the best way to get a favourable response.

“The ACMA’s visible presence in the industry following up on complaints will raise the bar on cabling workmanship and safety,” he says.

“Cabling providers are already obliged to use TCA1 forms, and TCA2 forms are not a huge amount of extra work as they very easy and quick to fill in. This can have the double benefi t of informing and educating the customer on cabling compliance and, once attached to the complaint form, bringing the ACMA into the picture. “It’s all about raising awareness of the existence and purpose of these TCA2 forms.”