Terminal Coils, Closures, Drops and Risers

Purpose

Install closures, terminals and drops so they are serviceable, protected and clear. These are the pieces technicians come back to for years. A closure with no slack, an uncapped port or a drop hanging low over a driveway turns every service call into rework or a safety problem.

When to Do It

• After slack is stored at closure and terminal locations (AE-10 Slack Storage Loops and Snowshoes).
• Splicing inside closures follows the splicing SOPs from SPL-01 Job Preparation on. SPL-10 Closure Sealing, Grounding and Mounting covers closing and mounting the closure.
• Risers connect to underground work at the handhole (UG-09).
• Next step: AE-12 Labeling, Inspection and As-Builts.

Roles

• Foreman: checks locations, clearances, bonding and riser protection against the design.
• Lineworker: mounts closure brackets, terminals, coil brackets and risers.
• Splicer: prepares and seals closures; see the splicing SOPs.
• Drop installer: runs drops to buildings, attaches them and bonds metallic members.
• Ground worker: watches drops over roads and driveways and keeps the public clear.

Equipment and Materials

• Closure mounting brackets for the strand.
• Multiport service terminals (MSTs) or drop terminals, with connector caps in place.
• Coil brackets for tail coils.
• Drop clamps, drop hooks and drip loop hardware.
• U-guard and riser conduit, and riser standoff brackets only for poles where existing risers leave no clear climbing path (NESC; owner spec).
• Bonding and grounding hardware for the building entrance.
• Ladder with non-conductive (fiberglass) side rails for the building attachment.

Safety

Procedure

Hold Points

Records to Keep

• Closure and terminal ids and locations.
• Drop addresses with the terminal and port used.
• Photos of each closure, terminal, drop attachment, bond and riser.
• Riser locations and the handhole each one feeds.

Common Mistakes

• Low drops over driveways. Trucks and trailers catch them.
• Uncapped terminal ports. Dirt and water in a port means cleaning or replacing it before service.
• Risers that block the climbing space. A riser set on its own side of the pole, away from the existing communication risers, splits the clear part of the pole and can leave no clear side for the next climber.
• Unbonded metallic members. Surges come into the building on the cable.
• No slack at the closure, so it cannot be lowered for splicing.

Standards and References

• NESC (IEEE C2) Table 232-1 for drop clearances.
• NFPA 70 (NEC) Articles 770 and 800 for building entrance bonding.
• Owner construction standards for closure, terminal, drop and riser details.
• Closure, terminal and drop hardware manufacturer instructions.
• 29 CFR 1910.268 for work near power.
• 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.
• MUTCD Part 6 for traffic control while a drop is run across a road.

On the Map

• Aerial Splice Closure: the sealed closure on the strand where fibers are spliced.
• Multiport Service Terminal: the hardened terminal with connectorized ports for plug-in drops.
• Terminal Tail Coil: the stored coil of the terminal’s tail cable.
• Aerial Drop: the drop from the terminal to the building, held with drop clamps.
• Riser: U-guard and conduit where cable moves between aerial and underground.

Related Tools

Not applicable: no FAHMY tool covers closures, terminals, drops or risers.