New BICSI OSP manual broadens the landscape

Incorporating legal issues for the outside plant (OSP) designer as well as an international scope concerning standards and installation guidance, the new fourth edition of BICSI’s Outside Plant Design Reference Manual (OSPDRM) is being touted as relevant reference material for IT professionals worldwide.

“This is a truly unique outside plant manual in the fact that the information contained within this new edition reflects a broader applicability,” says John Adams, RCDD/OSP Specialist, owner of Adams Telecomm in Valrico, Florida, and BICSI’s Technical Information and Methods (TI&M) Committee OSPDRM subject matter expert team leader (SMETL).

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. “It is an invaluable reference for anyone that is involved in the designing, inspecting or the construction of OSP information transport systems,” Adams adds.

Previous editions of the manual relied almost exclusively on U.S. standards. Now addressing global best practices, BICSI says the newest edition can be applied almost anywhere. In addition, new topics covered include a chapter on “Legal Considerations for the OSP Designer,” which introduces the most current information regarding potential issues/problems that OSP designers and installers may encounter given the complexity of their projects.

Written for professionals who design, inspect or maintain the OSP infrastructures in a campus environment, the OSPDRM aims to provide a comprehensive, vendor-neutral overview of the components of OSP design. The manual is also the basis for BICSI’s RCDD/OSP Specialty Program.

“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,” says David Labuskes, RCDD/NTS/OSP Specialist, vice president of RTKL Associates’ special systems design group and TI&M Committee chair.

For more information about the new OSP manual and BICSI’s RCDD/OSP Specialty Program, visit: www.bicsi.org.