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, or of plastic
conduit material as specified in Rule 22.8–A
, 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 AWG 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 22.8
).
Note: Revised May 1, 1961 by Resolution No. E–1088, February 13, 1980 by Resolution No. E–1863 and January 19, 1994 by Resolution SU–25.
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 crossarm
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 22.8
) 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 exempted 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 Appendix G, Figure 87
), 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 87.7–D
) where within a distance of 8 feet from the ground line.
Runs which terminate
in the top of enclosures which afford ample mechanical protection to the
runs may extend within 8 feet of the ground but not less than 6 feet of the
ground without being treated as risers.
EXCEPTION: Fiber optic cable transitions shall meet the requirements of Rule 87.10.
Note:
Revised June 7, 1965 by Decision No. 69071, January 19, 1994 by Resolution
SU–25, October 9, 1996 by Resolution SU–40
and January 13, 2006
by Decision
No.
05-01-030.
E. Intentionally Left Blank (Note: Risers revised
and moved to 87.7–D
)
Note: Deleted
October 9, 1996 by Resolution SU–40.
F. Protective Covering
Protective
covering shall be attached to poles, crossarms and structures by means of
corrosion–resistant straps, lags or staples which are adequate to maintain
such covering in a fixed position.
Where such
covering consists of hardwood or rigid plastic moulding, the distance between
straps, lags or staples shall not exceed three feet on each side and due
care shall be exercised to avoid the possibility of nails protruding through
any inner surface.
When U–shaped
moulding is utilized appropriate gaps between sections shall be provided
to permit expansion due to temperature variations and such gaps shall be
covered by corrosion resistant straps to prevent contact with conductors covered
by moulding.