FTN design & development specification (D&D)

SP FTN (D&D) 007

Hand Pulling of Telecommunications Cables

Issue 4.2, Feb 2009 · FTN D&D specs & typical drawings

Short working instruction for contractors hand-pulling fibre, copper and screening cables into troughing and ducts on FTN works. Designers use it for drum records, direction of lay, joint placement near UTXs, access node loops and in-building fixing.

Clause map — what each clause deals with

1	Purpose	Basic hand-pulling instructions for fibre, copper and screening cables on FTN works.
2	Scope	Applies to contractor staff installing cables, mainly into surface concrete troughing.
3	Responsibilities	Contractor owns efficient installation and prompt damage reporting.
5	Safety	Safety is governed by the contract conditions, not this document.
6	Instructions	The working instructions themselves, split by activity.
6.1	Cable	Allocating cut lengths, consistent running end and direction of lay for copper, drum rewinding, route works first, and the full list of per-drum records to keep.
6.2	Unloading of Cable	Drum transport, siting and inspection, batten storage, drum jack set-up, continuous pulls, winch fuse, rollers, figure-of-eight handling.
6.3	Access Node Joints	Leaving a cable loop at future access node joints, spur through UTX, surplus cable allowance for re-siting, concrete cable loop drawing.
6.4	Screening Conductor	Tying FTN copper cables to new or existing screening conductors in ac areas, and what to do when the conductor is buried under other cables.
6.5	Installation of Cable into Route	Time limit for laying pulled cable into troughing, clearing debris, avoiding snaking, tidying other cables off the ballast.
6.6	Installation of Cable into Ducts	Pull length and joint placement near UTXs, platform manholes, duct entry checks, drum position, bell mouths, rodding, duct order, screening conductor, seals.
6.7	Buildings	Screening conductors never enter buildings; fixing intervals and clamps for internal cables, following existing cable lines, returning surplus cable, site clearance.
7	Reference Documentation	Single reference to the on-or-near-the-line protection standard.
8	Definitions	Terms used: figure of eight, occupation crossing, snaking, UP direction, UTX.
9	Appendices	None.