Change List for this Rule

 

General Order 95

 

Section III

 

Requirements for All Lines

 

34    Foreign Attachments

 

Nothing in these rules shall be construed as permitting the unauthorized attachment, to supply, street light or communication poles or structures, of antennas, signs, posters, banners, decorations, wires, lighting fixtures, guys, ropes and any other such equipment foreign to the purposes of overhead electric line construction.

 

Nothing herein contained shall be construed as requiring utilities to grant permission for such use of their overhead facilities; or permitting any use of joint poles or facilities for such permanent or temporary construction without the consent of all parties having any ownership whatever in the poles or structures to which attachments may be made; or granting authority for the use of any poles, structures or facilities without the owner’s or owners’ consent.

 

All permanent attachments must be approved by the Commission (see Rule 15.1 ) and the owner(s) involved.

 

All temporary attachments shall be restricted to installations where the period is estimated to be one year or less.

 

The utilities, or other governmental entities may require construction standards which are more restrictive than the requirements of this Rule 34 .

 

The following rules shall apply to approved temporary foreign attachments installed on climbable poles and structures and shall be maintained as required by Rule 12.2 .

 

A.    Supports

 

(1)    Messengers and Span Wires: Messengers and Span Wires (when used under the definitions of Rules 22.3 and 23.5 respectively) may be used as supports when the following requirements are met:

 

a)    Material and Size Requirements: See Rule 49.7 Messengers and Span Wires.

 

b)    Sectionalizing Requirements: Insulators shall be installed in all messengers and span wires, when used within the scope of this rule, and shall be located at a distance of not less than 6 feet and not more than 9 feet, measured along the messenger or span wire, from the points of attachment to the poles or structures. Sectionalizing insulators shall meet the requirements of Rules 56.8 and 86.8 .

 

c)    Attachments: Messengers and span wires shall be attached to poles with through bolts and shall be protected by the use of guy thimbles or their equivalent where attached to the through bolts. Steel pole bands or their equivalent shall be used for steel and concrete poles.

In no case shall any apparatus (decorations, banner, wire, cable, lights, etc.) be supported by the utilities’ or licensees’ conductors, cables, messengers, span wires or guys.

 

(2)    Rope: Rope may be used as a support for banners and decorations for short periods of time (to be determined by the granting authority) when the following conditions are met:

 

a)    Only non–energized banners and decorations shall be supported with rope.

 

b)    The rope must be securely tied to the pole or structure with all excess rope removed and must not contact or obstruct any pole steps.

 

c)    The rope must supply a safe minimum working load strength of 200 pounds, which is equivalent to 3/8 inch manila rope.

 

(3)    Apparatus Supported on Brackets Attached to Poles: All attachments supported on brackets with a supply voltage of 0 - 750 volts shall meet the requirements of Rules 58.5–B and 92.1–F5 .

 

B.    Climbing Space

 

All apparatus shall be installed outside of climbing space.

 

EXCEPTION:    When temporary pole bands or ropes are used to support attachments, the bands or ropes shall be limited to 6 inches in width with no more than one band or width of rope allowed in any 24 inch section of climbing space.

 

Note:    Revised October 9, 1996 by Resolution SU–40.

 

C.    Clearances

 

(1)    Messengers and Span Wires:

 

a)    Messengers: Messengers supporting energized apparatus, insulated wires or cables, etc. shall meet the clearance requirements of Rule 57 .

 

b)    Span Wires: Span wires supporting non–energized equipment (banners, decorations, etc.) shall meet the clearance requirements of Rule 56 .

 

(2)    Energized Apparatus: All energized apparatus (decorations, wire, cable, lights, etc.) shall maintain the same clearances from conductors as those required for

 

0 - 750 volt service drops ( Table 2, Column D , and Rule 54.8 ).

 

(3)    Non–Energized Apparatus, Vertical and Radial Clearances:

 

a)    A minimum vertical clearance of 6 feet below any energized conductor level shall be maintained to any part of attachments supporting non–energized equipment.

 

b)    A minimum radial clearance of 1 foot shall be maintained from any street light and its supporting fixtures.

 

c)    A minimum radial clearance of 1 foot shall be maintained from all communication cables and messengers.

 

(4)    Miscellaneous Equipment: A minimum radial clearance of 1 foot shall be maintained from any supply or communication device (power supply cabinets, communication drop distribution terminals, switch enclosures, operating equipment, etc.) where access may be required by workers. To ensure access and operation a greater clearance may be required by the utility or licensee involved.

 

D.    Vertical Clearance Requirements above Thoroughfares, Ground, etc.

Vertical clearance requirements as in Rule 37 , Table 1, Column B, Cases 1 to 5 inclusive, shall be maintained.

 

E.    Vertical and Lateral Runs

For the requirements of vertical and lateral runs of conductors see
Rule 54.6 .

 

F.    Energized Conductor (Wire or Cable)

All energized conductor (wire or cable) shall be covered with an insulation suitable for the voltage involved (See
Rule 20.9–G ).

 

G.    Guying

Where mechanical loads imposed on poles or structures exceed safety factors as specified in Rule 44, or at the request of the granting authority, additional strength shall be provided by the use of guys or other suitable construction. When guying is required, refer to Rules 56 and 86 for applicable requirements.

 

Note:    Revised November 6,1992 by Resolution No. SU–15.