atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Security, Alarms and Paging Who is responsible

A question that comes up every now and again is the installing of a RJ31X for the customers alarm system.

I have always believed it was the alarm companies job to install these, do you agree?

I've been told by the alarm people that they don't do it, that they don't even carry RJ31X's anymore and that it's the cabling crew or the telephone company job to install it.

Most companies that I've worked for, as well as my own belief, won't take on the responsibility of correctly wiring this without a liability waiver.

So I thought I'd ask the guys who install alarm systems for their thoughts.

I have always believed it was the alarm companies job to install these, do you agree?

No, and there are beanie boys walking around with broken hands to prove it.

-Hal

I always argue with my partner about RJ31X. Why in the whall world somebody would do Security System Installation and making money on it but would never install an RJ31X? This is a part of the SS. But no metter how hard I'm trying to not to do it I always endup of doing it. Pisses me off.

I always install my own. If the phone vendor leaves one for me, I will use it, if not I put my own in. The problem is a good majority of installers do not know how to properly install them and even fewer own any of the proper tools for telecom work.

I would rather put it in because then I know it will be done right...half of the time they use 22 gauge stranded wire half-way wrapped around the screw terminals of the RJ31X and punched down to a screwdriver on a block. Also we can't forget when they pull pairs off the RJ21 and then beanie on to the pair...

The FCC says that it is the responsibilty of the LEC, and we know that to be the case because???...let's not always see the same hands, class...it is a REGISTERED JACK and by definition it is ordered from, and installed by, the LEC, and becomes the first point to which a customer is allowed to connect. The end user or his agent (meaning us) is not allowed to terminate exchange service (the CO side) on a registered jack, or even, if you strictly read the tariffs, do any work on the CO side of one.

Personally speaking I do not allow anyone other than myself to install the RJ31X block for an alarm system that I'm responsible for.

But then again I was a phone man long before I was an alarm man!

YEP :thumb:

Another thought occurs. Where does liability, if there is any, begin or end?

The point has been suggested that the alarm installer should be the only one to install and maintain an alarm jack because there is a chance that lawsuits will fly should the alarm system not function. If it is determined that the problem was with the jack, we as phone guys don't want the liability and the alarm installer doesn't want to rely on someone else to keep him out of trouble.

That arguement is bogus because if there is going to be a lawsuit anybody and everybody even remotely involved is going to be named as a party. Obviously the alarm installer doesn't run his own wiring from the jack back to the central monitoring station, so like it or not other people are involved. Many times our premises wiring is used to bring dial tone to where the jack location is. So if we are part of the link anyway, what difference does it make which one of us installs the jack? We are all just as guilty to the lawyers.

Point is if the alarm installer wants to try to mitigate liability for everybody he needs to make the system as reliable as possible and provide redundant means of reporting. I wouldn't worry about the jack.

-Hal

Arthur, you wouldn't happen to be looking for a room mate would you?

Yes, this is yet another of those "mandatory" issues that were fine back when the LECs actually wanted to do inside wiring. Once they decided to turn their noses up at it (thankfully), they seemed to have forgotten about the enforcement of the very rules that they wrote for the FCC to enforce.

The whole industry has become nothing but a millionaire's club anymore. Quality, rules and enforcement are so far gone that I wonder when and if they ever really existed. It's only the sparkie regulators that are doing anything at all. Kind of like the fox guarding the chicken coop.