The definitions in this section apply throughout this subchapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) “Board” means the electrical board under RCW 19.28.311.

(2) “Department” means the department of labor and industries.

(3) “Director” means the director of the department or the director’s designee.

(4) “Telecommunications administrator” means a person designated by a telecommunications contractor to supervise the installation of telecommunications systems in accordance with rules adopted under this chapter.

(5) “Telecommunications backbone cabling systems” means a system that provides interconnections between telecommunications closets, equipment rooms, and entrance facilities in the telecommunications cabling system structure. Backbone cabling consists of the backbone cables, intermediate and main cross-connects, mechanical terminations, and patch cords or jumpers used for backbone to backbone cross-connection. Backbone cabling also includes cabling between buildings.

(6) “Telecommunications closet” means a room for housing telecommunications equipment, cable terminations, and cross-connect wiring that serve that particular floor. The closet is the recognized transition point between the backbone and horizontal cabling systems.

(7) “Telecommunications contractor” means a person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other entity that advertises, offers to undertake, undertakes, submits a bid for, or does the work of installing or maintaining telecommunications systems.

(8) “Telecommunications horizontal cabling systems” means the portions of the telecommunications cabling system that extend from the work area telecommunications outlet or connector to the telecommunications closet. The horizontal cabling includes the horizontal cables, the telecommunications outlet or connector in the work area, the mechanical termination, and horizontal cross-connections located in the telecommunications closet.

(9) “Telecommunications network demarcation point” means the point or interconnection between the service provider’s communications cabling, terminal equipment, and protective apparatus and the customer’s premises telecommunications cabling system. The location of this point for regulated carriers is determined by federal and state regulations. The carrier should be contacted to determine the location policies in effect in the area.

(10) “Telecommunications scope of work” means the work of a telecommunications contractor as defined in this section and as specified by rule of the department. This includes, but is not limited to, the installation, maintenance, and testing of telecommunications systems, equipment, and associated hardware, pathway systems, and cable management systems, which excludes cable tray and conduit raceway systems. The scope also includes installation of open wiring systems of telecommunications cables, surface nonmetallic raceways designated and used exclusively for telecommunications, optical fiber innerduct raceway, underground raceways designated and used exclusively for telecommunications and installed for additions or extensions to existing telecommunications systems not to exceed fifty feet inside the building, and incidental short sections of circular or surface metal raceway, not to exceed ten feet, for access or protection of telecommunications cabling and installation of cable trays and ladder racks in telecommunications service entrance rooms, spaces, or closets.

(11) “Telecommunications service entrance room or space” means a room or space used as the building serving facility in which the joining of inter-building and intra-building backbone facilities takes place. The service entrance room may also house electronic equipment serving any telecommunications function.

(12) A “telecommunications structured cabling system” is the complete collective configuration of cabling and associated hardware at a given site and installed to perform specific telecommunications functions.

(13) “Telecommunications systems” means structured cabling systems that begin at the demarcation point between the local service provider and the customer’s premises structured cabling system or the wiring, appliances, devices, or equipment as specified by rule of the department.

(a) Telecommunications systems include, but are not limited to, all forms of information generation, processing, and transporting of signals conveyed electronically or optically within or between buildings, including voice, data, video, and audio.

(b) Telecommunications systems include, but are not limited to, structured cabling systems, compatible connecting hardware, telecommunications equipment, premises switching equipment providing operational power to the telecommunications device, infrared, fiber optic, radio-frequency, power distribution associated with telecommunications systems, and other limited-energy interconnections associated with telecommunications systems or appliances.

(c) Telecommunications systems do not include horizontal cabling used for fire protection signaling systems, intrusion alarms, access control systems, patient monitoring systems, energy management control systems, industrial and automation control systems, HVAC/refrigeration control systems, lighting or lighting control systems, and stand-alone amplified sound or public address systems.

(d) Telecommunications systems may interface with other building signal systems including security, alarms, and energy management at cross-connection junctions within telecommunications closets or at extended points of demarcation. Horizontal cabling for a telecommunications outlet, necessary to interface with any of these systems outside of a telecommunications closet, is the work of the telecommunications contractor. Telecommunications systems do not include the installation or termination of premises line voltage service, feeder, or branch circuit conductors or equipment.

(14) “Telecommunications worker” means a person primarily and regularly engaged in the installation and/or maintenance of telecommunications systems, equipment, and infrastructure as defined in this chapter.

(15) “Telecommunications workstation” means a building space where the occupant normally interacts with telecommunications equipment. The telecommunications outlet in the work area is the point at which end user equipment plugs into the building telecommunications utility formed by the pathway, space, and building wiring system.

Effective date—2014 c 156 § 1: “Section 1 of this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [March 31, 2014].” [ 2014 c 156 § 3.]

Severability—2000 c 238: See note following RCW 19.28.301.