California Code of Regulations › Title 8 - Industrial Relations › Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations › Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety › Subchapter 21 - Telecommunication Safety Orders › Article 1 - Telecommunications › Section 8601 - Definitions

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
Aerial Splicing Platform. A device designed to attach to
						a cable strand on which an employee(s) may stand or sit while working
						aloft.
Aerial Tent. A small tent designed to protect employees
						in inclement weather while working on ladders, aerial splicing platforms, or
						aerial devices.
Barricade. A physical obstruction such as tapes, ropes,
						cones, or "A" frame-type wood and/or metal structure intended to warn and limit
						access to a work area.
Barrier. A physical obstruction which is intended to
						prevent contact with energized lines or equipment, or to prevent unauthorized
						access to work area.
Bond. An electrical connection from one conductive
						element to another for the purpose of minimizing potential differences or
						providing suitable conductivity for fault current or for mitigation of leakage
						current and electrolytic action.
Cable. A conductor with insulation, or a stranded
						conductor with or without insulation and other coverings (single-conductor
						cable), or a combination of conductors insulated from one another
						(multiple-conductor cable).
Cable Sheath. A protective covering applied to
						cables.
Circuit. A conductor or system of conductors through
						which an electric current is intended to flow. May also be an optical link of
						glass fiber which provides a transmission path for pulses of light.
Communication Lines. The conductors and their supporting
						or containing structures for telephone, telegraph, railroad signal, data,
						clock, fire, police-alarm, community television antenna and other systems which
						are used for public or private signal or communication service, and which
						operate at potentials not exceeding 400 volts to ground or 750 volts between
						any two points of the circuit, and the transmitted power of which does not
						exceed 150 watts. When communications lines operate at less than 150 volts to
						ground, no limit is placed on the capacity of the system. Specifically designed
						communications cables may include communication circuits not complying with the
						preceding limitations where such circuits are also used incidentally to supply
						power to communication equipment.
Conductor. A material, usually in the form of a wire,
						cable, or bus bar, suitable for carrying an electric current.
Effectively Grounded. Intentionally connected to earth
						through a ground connection or connections of sufficiently low impedance and
						having sufficient current-carrying capacity to prevent the build-up of voltages
						which may result in undue hazard to employees.
Energized Parts (Live Parts). Parts which are of a
						potential different from that of the earth, or some conducting body which
						serves in place of the earth.
Equipment. A general term which includes materials,
						fittings, devices, appliances, fixtures, apparatus, and similar items used as
						part of, or in connection with, an electrical supply or communications
						installation.
Ground (reference). That conductive body, usually earth,
						to which an electric potential is referenced.
Ground (as a noun). A conductive connection, whether
						intentional or accidental, by which an electric circuit or equipment is
						connected to reference ground.
Ground (as a verb). The connecting or establishment of a
						connection, whether by intention or accident, of an electric current or
						equipment to reference ground.
Ground Tent. A small tent used to protect employees from
						inclement weather while working at buried cable pedestal sites or similar
						locations.
Grounded Conductor. A system or circuit conductor which
						is intentionally grounded.
Grounded Systems. A system of conductors in which at
						least one conductor or point (usually the middle wire, or the neutral point of
						transformer or generator windings) is intentionally grounded, either solidly or
						through a current-limiting device (not a current-interrupting device).
Grounding Electrode (Ground Electrode). A conductor
						imbedded in the earth, used for maintaining ground potential on conductors
						connected to it, and for dissipating into the earth current conducted to
						it.
Grounding Electrode Conductor (Grounding Conductor). A
						conductor used to connect equipment or the grounded circuit of a wiring system
						to a grounding electrode.
Guy Wire. A tension member used to withstand an otherwise
						unbalanced force on a pole, crossarm or overhead structure.
Insulated. Separated from other conducting surfaces by a
						dielectric substance (including air space) offering a high resistance to the
						passage of current.
NOTE: When any object is said to be insulated, it is
						understood to be insulated in suitable manner for the conditions to which it is
						subjected. Otherwise, it is, within the purpose of these orders, uninsulated.
						Insulating coverings of conductors is one means of making the conductor
						insulated.
Insulation (as applied to cable). That which is relied
						upon to insulate the conductor from other conductors or conducting parts or
						from ground.
Joint Use. The sharing of a common facility, such as a
						manhole, trench or pole, by two or more different kinds of utilities (e.g.,
						power and telecommunications).
Ladder Platform. A device designed to facilitate working
						aloft from an extension ladder.
Ladder Seat. A removable seat used to facilitate work at
						an elevated position on rolling ladders in telecommunication centers.
Manhole. A subsurface enclosure which personnel may enter
						for the purpose of installing, operating, and maintaining submersible equipment
						and/or cable.
Manhole Platform. A platform consisting of separate
						planks, plywood or other material which are laid across and secured to steel
						platform supports. The ends of the supports are engaged in the manhole cable
						racks.
Microwave Transmission. The act of communicating or
						signaling utilizing a frequency between 1 GHz (gigahertz) and 300 GHz
						inclusively.
Nominal Voltage. The nominal voltage of a system or
						circuit is the value assigned to a system or circuit of a given voltage class
						for the purpose of convenient designation. The actual voltage may vary above or
						below this value.
Optical Link. Glass strands encased in flexible cables
						used to transmit pulses of light from one point to another.
Pole Balcony or Seat. A balcony or seat used as a support
						for workers at pole-mounted equipment or terminal boxes. A typical device
						consists of a bolted assembly of steel details and a wooden platform. Steel
						braces run from the pole to the underside of the balcony.
Pole Platform. A platform intended for use by a worker in
						an elevated position adjacent to a pole.
Qualified Person. A person designated by the employer who
						by reason of training and experience has demonstrated the ability to safely
						perform assigned duties.
Qualified Telecommunications Worker. A worker who,
						through related training and/or on the job experience, is familiar with the
						techniques and hazards of telecommunications work and the equipment used in the
						specific operations involved; and has demonstrated the ability to safely
						perform assigned duties, and, where required, is properly licensed in
						accordance with federal, state, or local laws and regulations.
Safe. See Labor Code Section
						6306.
Strand. Wires laid parallel and twisted used to support
						wires, cables and equipment; sometimes called aerial strand, supporting strand,
						suspension strand, cable strand or messenger.
Suitable.
(A)
					 Function. Capable of performing with safety the particular function specified
					 in these Orders, or
(B) Equipment.
					 Equipment or devices intended for the anticipated exposure which by way of
					 design, strength and quality will eliminate, preclude or mitigate a particular
					 hazard, and
(C) Use. The
					 conditions, practices, means, operations or processes used which will
					 eliminate, preclude or mitigate a particular hazard.
Telecommunications. A science dealing with the provisions
						of Communication Service.
Telecommunication Center. An installation of
						communication equipment under the exclusive control of an organization
						providing telecommunications service, that is located outdoors or in a vault,
						chamber, or a building space used primarily for such installations.
NOTE: Telecommunication centers are facilities
						established, equipped and arranged in accordance with engineered plans for the
						purpose of providing telecommunications service. They may be located on
						premises owned or leased by the organization providing telecommunication
						service, or on the premises owned or leased by others. This definition includes
						switch rooms (whether electromechanical, electronic, or computer controlled),
						terminal rooms, power rooms, repeater rooms, transmitter and receiver rooms,
						switchboard operating rooms, cable vaults, and miscellaneous communications
						equipment rooms. Simulation rooms of telecommunication centers for training or
						developmental purposes are also included.
Telecommunication Line Truck. A truck used to transport
						personnel, tools, and material, and to serve as a traveling workshop for
						telecommunication installation and maintenance work. It is usually equipped
						with auxiliary equipment for setting poles, digging holes, and elevating
						material or personnel.
Telecommunication Service. The furnishing of a capability
						to signal or communicate at a distance by means such as telephone, telegraph,
						police and fire alarm, community antenna television, or similar system, using
						wire, conventional cable, coaxial cable, wave guides, microwave and radio
						transmission, or other similar means.
Vault. An enclosure above or below ground which personnel
						may enter and which is used for the purpose of installing, operating, and/or
						maintaining equipment and/or cable which need not be of submersible
						design.
Vault, Unvented. A vault in which the only openings are
						access openings.
Vault, Vented. A vault with provision for air changes
						using exhaust flue stack(s) and air intake(s), which operate on differentials
						of pressure and/or temperature resulting in air flow throughout the
						vault.
1.
						Amendment filed 10-20-77; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 77, No.
						43).
2. Amendment filed 3-30-82; effective thirtieth day thereafter
						(Register 82, No. 14).
Note: Authority cited and Reference: Section
						  142.3, Labor
						  Code.