In Part 2, we looked at failure factors and concluded that you must address the results of cable testing rather than those factors. We didn’t discuss one factor that you can — and — should address. You will still need cable testing because of the other factors, but attention to this one is critical to a reliable installation.
This factor is “care in handling.” It applies to everyone coming into contact with the cabling.
Suppose you lay several cables out on the ground prior to pulling them. What happens if someone drives a pickup truck over them? The mechanical damage will be severe. Even if someone walks on those cables, it could lead to some type of damage.
Protect cabling from this kind of damage by erecting proper barricades around the staging area. You also want to protect cabling from abrasion (even while spooled) and perforation.
Another way a cable gets irreparably damaged is when its bend radius is exceeded. If helper Bob “kinks” the cable just one time while unspooling it, it’s already too late for cable maintenance to matter.
