Slack Storage Loops and Snowshoes

Purpose

Store slack for future splicing, repair and relocation, without kinking the cable. Slack is cheap when the cable goes up and very expensive to add later. When a pole gets hit or a splice is needed, stored slack is what lets a crew fix the cable without adding a new splice point.

When to Do It

• During or right after lashing (AE-09 Cable Placement and Lashing), at each slack location in the design.
• Before closures and terminals are mounted, because closure locations usually need slack.
• Next step: AE-11 Terminal Coils, Closures, Drops and Risers.

Roles

• Foreman: checks slack locations and lengths against the design and records them.
• Lineworker: mounts the snowshoes and forms and secures the loop.
• Ground worker: measures and feeds slack, and keeps the cable off the ground and out of traffic.

Equipment and Materials

• Snowshoes sized for the cable, so the loop keeps bend radius.
• Outdoor-rated cable ties or straps of the type the owner allows.
• Measuring wheel, or the cable’s sequential footage marks.
• Slack tags or labels.

Safety

Procedure

Hold Points

Records to Keep

• Slack location (pole id or span) and length at each location.
• Footage marks at the start and end of each loop.
• Photo of each slack loop.

Common Mistakes

• Too little slack. The closure will not reach the splicing vehicle, and the repair needs a new splice.
• Tight loops. Small loops break the bend radius and add loss or crack fibers.
• Storage in the climbing space, which blocks the next climber.
• Ties cinched tight enough to deform the jacket.

Standards and References

• Owner construction standards for slack lengths, locations and storage hardware.
• ANSI/TIA-568.3 for bend radius at rest.
• NESC (IEEE C2) for clearances from supply facilities and climbing space.
• 29 CFR 1910.268 § (m)(3) for voltage testing of pole metal.
• 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.
• Cable and snowshoe manufacturer instructions.

On the Map

• Snowshoe: strand brackets that store a slack loop without kinking the cable.
• Aerial Slack Loop: stored cable for future splicing, repair or relocation.
• Lashed Fiber Cable: the cable the slack comes from.

Related Tools

• Cable Footage and Slack Estimator: add up the cable the job needs, including stored slack, and compare it with the reel.