AE Aerial AE-06 Step 6 of 12

Anchors

Set anchors that hold the designed load, in line with the guy, at the designed lead, with a valid locate ticket.

Crew

Foreman
Equipment Operator
Ground Worker

Hazards

Buried Utility Strike
Rotating Equipment
Struck by Vehicles
Overhead Power Contact by the Derrick

Crew: Foreman · Equipment Operator · Ground Worker
Hazards: Buried Utility Strike · Rotating Equipment · Struck by Vehicles · Overhead Power Contact by the Derrick
Governing Rules: State one-call law · CGA Best Practices · 49 CFR 196.107 and 196.109 · state one-call law · equipment manual · employer emergency plan · OSHA 29 CFR 1926 (construction work) or 29 CFR 1910.268 (telecommunications maintenance and service) · employer safety program · NESC · Equipment manufacturer instructions · MUTCD Part 6

Job / route		Date
Location / station		Locate ticket

Purpose

Set anchors that hold the designed load, set in line with that load, and placed without hitting buried utilities. The anchor is the foundation of the guy. An anchor out of line or too close to the pole pulls out or overloads the pole, and the failure shows up later, under ice and wind.

When to Do It

After framing (AE-05 Framing Poles), and before guys and strand.
With a valid locate ticket covering every anchor location. Installing an anchor is excavation.
Next step: AE-07 Down Guys and Guy Guards.

Roles

Foreman: checks the locate ticket, confirms anchor type, location and lead against the design, and records the result.
Equipment operator: installs the anchor with the digger derrick or anchor machine and reads the torque.
Ground worker: spots the derrick near power, keeps people clear of rotating equipment and digs inside the tolerance zone only with the methods state law allows.

Equipment and Materials

Digger derrick or anchor installation machine.
Torque indicator for screw anchors.
Anchors and anchor rods of the type and size the design calls for.
Measuring tape or wheel to set the lead.
Non-powered hand tools or vacuum excavation, as your state law allows, for work inside the tolerance zone.

Safety

Safety, Governing Rule: 49 CFR 196.107 and 196.109; state one-call law; CGA Best Practices; equipment manual; employer emergency plan

Know the strike response before the rod turns.

Gas (gas line): stop. Shut off engines only if you can do it without moving toward the leak. Evacuate upwind, keep people away and eliminate ignition sources without going toward the leak. Call 911 from a safe distance, then the gas operator. Do not try to stop the leak, and do not restart equipment.
Electric: if you are on the machine or at its controls, stay there and touch nothing else. Take only the strike actions in the equipment manual. If fire forces you off, jump clear without touching the machine and the ground at the same time, land with feet together and shuffle away (as in AE-04). Everyone else moves away from the machine, the rod and the hole with short shuffling steps and keeps others out, because the ground can be energized. Call the utility, and 911 if anyone is hurt or there is a fire. Do not touch a person who may be in contact. Do not restart until the utility confirms the line is clear.
Any damage, even a nick, a scrape or damaged pipe coating: stop, notify the facility operator (and the one-call center where state law requires it), and do not backfill. A nick left buried becomes a leak or a failure later. Reporting duties vary by state (per state one-call law).

Procedure

Confirm a valid locate ticket, wait for the legal start time, confirm every member utility has responded, and check the marks at every anchor location.
- Missing marks do not mean the area is clear. Call the one-call center or the operator before you install.
- If a marked facility is near the anchor path, expose it before you install, digging inside the tolerance zone only with the methods your state law allows. Or move the anchor with the engineer’s approval.
Choose the anchor type for the soil and load per the design: screw (helix), expanding, plate or rock.
- If the soil does not match the design (rock, swamp, fill), stop and call the engineer.
Set the anchor location in line with the load at the designed lead.
- At a corner pole, set it on the bisector of the line angle (bisect guy).
- A common practice is a lead about equal to the guy attachment height (lead about equal to guy attachment height). The design governs.
Install the anchor to the manufacturer’s method or installation torque (per manufacturer instructions and design).
- Keep the rod in line with the guy, so it pulls straight and does not bend.
- Leave the eye above grade per spec (per owner spec).
Stop at once if the rod hits anything unexpected or you see, smell or hear signs of a damaged facility.
- Follow the strike response in the safety section for gas or electric.
- For any other damage, notify the facility operator (and the one-call center where state law requires it) and leave the damage exposed for the operator to inspect.
- Do not resume at that location until the operator releases it.
Record the anchor type, location and installation torque.

Hold Points

Records to Keep

Locate ticket number for each anchor location.
Positive responses for the ticket.
Anchor type, size and location (coordinates or offset from the pole).
Installation torque for each screw anchor.
Photo of each anchor showing rod alignment and the eye above grade.
Any facility damage: damage report, location, time, the operator notified, who you spoke to, and the one-call notice number where one was made.

Common Mistakes

Anchor out of line with the guy. The rod bends and the anchor loses holding power.
Short lead. A steep guy puts more load on the pole and the anchor than the design expects.
No locate ticket. An anchor rod through a gas service is a gas leak.
Backfilling over a nick or scraped coating and hoping no one notices. Report it so the operator can repair it now.
Ground workers leaning on the derrick while the boom works near power.
Anchors in driveways or sidewalks where avoidable. They become trip hazards and get hit. Pick a better spot with the engineer, or use a sidewalk guy or span guy (AE-07).

Standards and References

811 and State one-call law.
CGA Best Practices for excavation near buried facilities.
49 CFR Part 196: excavation near gas and hazardous liquid pipelines, including reporting any pipeline damage to the operator and calling 911 on a release.
Anchor manufacturer instructions for installation and torque.
Owner construction standards for anchor types, leads and the eye height.
29 CFR 1910.268 for work near overhead lines.
MUTCD Part 6 for temporary traffic control and high-visibility safety apparel.
OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 for construction work, which 29 CFR 1910.268 excludes (1910.268(a)(2)(i)). Your employer’s safety program says how to comply.

On the Map

Anchor and Anchor Rod: the screw, expanding, plate or rock anchor set in line with the load.
Down Guy: the guy the anchor will hold.
Corner Pole and Bisect Guy: an angle pole with its anchor on the bisector of the line angle.

Not applicable: no FAHMY tool covers anchor selection or installation.

AE-06 · Field Checklist

Checklist

0/8items ticked

Tick each procedure step and hold point as the crew completes it. Ticks stay on this device only. They are a personal aid, not a hold-point release or a project record; follow the owner’s sign-off process.

Procedure

Step 1: Confirm a valid locate ticket, wait for the legal start time, confirm every member utility has responded, and check the marks at every anchor location.Missing marks do not mean the area is clear. Call the one-call center or the operator before you install.If a marked facility is near the anchor path, expose it before you install, digging inside the tolerance zone only with the methods your state law allows. Or move the anchor with the engineer's approval.
Step 2: Choose the anchor type for the soil and load per the design: screw (helix), expanding, plate or rock.If the soil does not match the design (rock, swamp, fill), stop and call the engineer.
Step 3: Set the anchor location in line with the load at the designed lead.At a corner pole, set it on the bisector of the line angle (bisect guy).A common practice is a lead about equal to the guy attachment height (lead about equal to guy attachment height). The design governs.
Step 4: Install the anchor to the manufacturer's method or installation torque (per manufacturer instructions and design).Keep the rod in line with the guy, so it pulls straight and does not bend.Leave the eye above grade per spec (per owner spec).
Step 5: Stop at once if the rod hits anything unexpected or you see, smell or hear signs of a damaged facility.Follow the strike response in the safety section for gas or electric.For any other damage, notify the facility operator (and the one-call center where state law requires it) and leave the damage exposed for the operator to inspect.Do not resume at that location until the operator releases it.
Step 6: Record the anchor type, location and installation torque.

Hold Points

Hold PointStop and Verify before InstallingBefore the anchor goes in the ground, confirm the ticket is valid for this location today, the legal start time has passed, every member utility has responded (positive response where the state has one), and the marks are present at every anchor location. Missing marks do not mean the area is clear; call the one-call center or the operator before installing. Then confirm the location is in line with the load at the designed lead, and the anchor type matches the soil.
Hold PointStop and Verify the InstallationIf a screw anchor does not reach the required installation torque, do not attach a guy to it. Call the engineer for a larger anchor, more helix or a different anchor type.

Records to Keep

Locate ticket number for each anchor location.
Positive responses for the ticket.
Anchor type, size and location (coordinates or offset from the pole).
Installation torque for each screw anchor.
Photo of each anchor showing rod alignment and the eye above grade.
Any facility damage: damage report, location, time, the operator notified, who you spoke to, and the one-call notice number where one was made.

Completed by		Signature
Checked by		Notes

AE-06 v1.0.0 · https://fahmy.io/aerial/ae-06/ · Printed from FAHMY. Check the page for the current version before use. FAHMY is a reference, not a substitute for owner specifications, the authority having jurisdiction, manufacturer instructions, training or qualified supervision. Follow your employer's safety program and all applicable laws.

OSP Map · Plan View

On the Map

Open the map

Anchor and Anchor RodScrew, expanding, plate or rock anchor set below grade in line with the guy load.
Down GuySteel strand from the pole to an anchor that balances the line’s unbalanced tension.
Corner Pole and Bisect GuyAngle pole guyed on the bisector of the line angle.

Anchors

Crew

Hazards

Purpose

When to Do It

Roles

Equipment and Materials

Safety

Procedure

Hold Points

Records to Keep

Common Mistakes

Standards and References

On the Map

Checklist

On the Map

Operations

More

Crew

Hazards

Purpose

When to Do It

Roles

Equipment and Materials

Safety

Procedure

Hold Points

Records to Keep

Common Mistakes

Standards and References

On the Map

Related Tools

Checklist

On the Map

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