Original General Order 95 

Section VIII

Detailed Construction Requirements for Communication Lines
(Class C Circuits)

84.6    Vertical and Lateral Conductors

A.    Open Wire

Open wire conductors from one level to another level on a pole or structure shall not pass within the climbing space (see Rule 84.7), and shall not pass between conductors of any other circuit except between pole-pin conductor positions.

B.    Ground Wires

Ground wires, other than lightning protection wires not attached to equipment or ground wires on grounded structures, shall be covered by metal pipe or suitable covering of wood or metal for a distance above ground sufficient to protect against mechanical injury but in no case shall such distance be less than 7 feet, Such covering may be omitted providing the ground wire in this 7-foot section has a mechanical strength at least equal to the strength of No.6 A WG medium-hard-drawn copper.

Portions of ground wires which are on the surface of wood poles and within 6 feet vertically of unprotected supply conductors supported on the same pole, shall be covered with a suitable protective covering (see Rule 22.2).

C.    Lateral Conductors

Lateral runs of suitably insulated communication conductors on poles which support supply conductors may cross the pole or run laterally from the pole at a clearance less than the 15 inches from center line specified in Table 1, Case 8, provided those portions of such runs less than 15 inches from center line of pole and located less than 6 feet below the level of unprotected supply conductors are supported by and underneath the bottom surface of cross- arm or guard arm, or are supported on the side of such crossarm or guard arm not less than 2 inches below the top surface thereof.

D.    Vertical Runs

Vertical runs of communication wires or cables supported on the surface of wood poles or structures, shall be covered by a suitable protective covering (see Rule 22.2) where within a vertical distance of 3 feet above or 6 feet below unprotected supply conductors supported on the same pole or structure. Vertical runs of communication wires or cables on the surface of a wood pole shall be covered by a suitable protective covering where within a 6-foot radius of any other pole supporting supply conductors except that those portions of such runs which are more than 3 feet above or 6 feet below the level of unprotected supply conductors need not be covered. Cable and drop wire runs to or from terminal boxes are excepted from these requirements for covering, under the following conditions:

Where guard arms are installed above messengers or longitudinal cables which are less than 6 feet below but not less than 4 feet below unprotected supply conductors of 0-750 volts, or where cables are supported on crossarms at not less than 15 inches from center line of pole, in which cases any portion of metal sheathed cable runs on the surface of pole below the guard arm and in the same quadrant as the longitudinal cable (see App. G, Fig. 86), or below and on the same side of the pole with a crossarm which supports a longitudinal cable, need not be covered.

Runs of bridled conductors, attached to surface of pole, need not be covered provided such runs are below the guard arm and in the same quadrant as the longitudinal cable, or where such runs are below and on the same side of pole with a cable arm and are not in the climbing space, or are connected to service drops which are placed in accordance with the provisions of Rule 84.8-B2b.

Where bridled runs are not required to be covered by these rules, they shall be supported by bridle hooks or rings spaced at intervals of not more than 24 inches.

Vertical runs shall be treated as risers (see Rule 84.6-E) where within a distance of 8 feet from the ground line.

E.    Risers

Vertical risers of wires or cables shall be encased in grounded iron or steel pipe, or protected by other suit- able grounded metal covering of equal strength, from the ground line to a level not less than 8 feet above the ground line.

Vertical risers shall be covered by suitable protective covering where within a vertical distance of 3 feet above or 6 feet below the level of unprotected supply conductors supported on the same wood pole or structure.

Vertical risers where within both a 6-foot radius of another pole supporting supply conductors and within a vertical distance of 3 feet above or 6 feet below the level of any unprotected supply conductor shall be covered.

F.    Protective Covering

Protective covering shall be attached to poles, crossarms, and structures by means of corrosion-resistant metal straps or staples which are adequate to maintain such covering in a fixed position.

Where such covering consists of hardwood moulding the, distance between straps or staples shall not exceed 3 feet.

Where such covering consists of a wood trough, due care shall be exercised to avoid the possibility of nails protruding through any inner surface.