March 1, 2007 -- BICSI has released the fourth edition of its Outside Plant Design Reference Manual (OSPDRM).
According to BICSI, written for individuals who design, inspect or maintain the outside plant (OSP) infrastructures in a campus environment, the manual provides a comprehensive, vendor-neutral overview of the components of OSP design. The manual is also the basis for BICSI's RCDD/OSP specialty program.
New topics covered in the fourth edition include a chapter titled "Legal Considerations for the OSP Designer." BICSI says this chapter introduces the most current information regarding potential issues/problems that OSP designers and installers may encounter, given the complexity of OSP projects.
OSP cabling systems can support a wide variety of communication services including telephone and data transfer, live video, security, building automation control systems and any other low-voltage circuitry.
"This is a truly unique outside plant manual in the fact that the information contained within this new edition reflects a broader applicability," comments John Adams, RCDD/OSP specialist, owner of Adams Telecomm of Valrico, Florida, and BICSI's Technical Information and Methods (TI&M) committee OSPDRM subject matter expert team leader (SMETL).
BICSI's TI&M Committee works to develop and produce the technical information in BICSI manuals such as the OSPDRM. First published in 1999 as the Customer-owned Outside Plant Design Manual, the fourth edition of the OSPDRM is the product of the continuing evolution toward a global document, says BICSI.
"It is an invaluable reference for anyone that is involved in the designing, inspecting or the construction of OSP information transport systems," adds Adams.
While previous editions of the manual relied almost exclusively on U.S. standards, BICSI says the manual now also addresses global best practices, and that the newest edition "can be applied almost anywhere, making it a relevant reference material for ITS professionals around the world."
"The knowledge gained by using this new manual will be an important asset to designers, consultants, engineers, end users, students taking BICSI outside plant courses, and candidates for the RCDD/OSP Specialty exam," comments David Labuskes, RCDD/NTS/OSP Specialist, vice president of RTKL Associates' special systems design group, and BICSI's TI&M committee chair.