Tom
Shuster Electrical, Inc.
Tom Shuster Electrical, Inc. has established a Fiber Optic Safety Program to provide requirements when working with or around Fiber Optic Cabling.
Scope
-All employees are required to comply with Tom Shuster Electrical, Inc. Fiber Optic Safety Program. Qualified personnel are required to perform Fiber Optic related tasks in accordance with this program.
-Qualified personnel shall be instructed in the safety significance of the Fiber Optic Safety Program procedures, as well as how to use those procedures. Only qualified personnel may perform Fiber Optic related tasks.
Purpose
-The goal of this program is to avoid accidents that can occur while installing and/or terminating Fiber Optic cabling.
-This procedure establishes requirements for the installation and termination of Fiber Optic cabling. It shall be used to ensure that all potential hazards have been identified and proper safety precautions followed to prevent serious injury.
Definitions
Infrared:
Refers to electromagnetic radiation at wavelengths longer than the red end of visible light and shorter than microwaves. Infrared light cannot be seen by the naked eye. Infrared light does not trigger normal visible bright light reactions in the eye.
Laser:
Acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. It's a device that produces a coherent beam of optical radiation by stimulating electronic, ionic, or molecular transitions to higher levels so that when they return to lower energy levels they emit energy. Laser light is in the infrared region.
LED:
Acronym for Light Emitting Diode. LED light is in the near-infrared and infrared region.
PPE:
Acronym for Personal Protective Equipment.
UV:
Acronym for Ultra-violet. Ultraviolet light cannot be seen by the naked eye.
VCSEL:
Acronym for Vertical Cavity Surface Emission Laser. VCSEL light is in the infrared region.
Useful
Reference Documents
ANSI (American National Standards Institute)
-Safe Use of
Optical Fiber…Diodes…LED’s (Z-136.2)
OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration)
-General Requirements for PPE (1910.132)
-Eye and Face Protection (1910.133)
-Laser Hazards (Technical Manual, Section III, Chapter 6)
EIA/TIA (Electronics Industries Association/Telecommunications Industry Association)
-Commercial building Telecommunications Wiring Standard (EIA/TIA-568)
-Commercial Building Telecommunications Pathway/Spaces Standard (EIA/TIA-569)
-Residential/Light Commercial Telecommunication Wiring Standard (EIA/TIA-570)
-Administration Standard for Telecommunications Infrastructure of commercial Buildings (EIA/TIA-606)
NEC (National Electrical Code)
-Optical Fiber Cables and Raceways (NEC Article 770)
TSB (Telecommunications Systems Bulletins)
-Centralized Optical Fiber Cabling Guidelines (TSB-72)
Responsibilities
Tom Shuster Electrical, Inc. is responsible for:
-Training personnel in the proper methods of installing and terminating Fiber Optic cable.
-Training personnel in the proper safety procedures to install and terminate Fiber Optic cable.
-Oversee the correct application of this specification to all aspects of the work including periodic inspections.
-Furnish all
appropriate tools and safety equipment.
Authorized personnel is responsible for:
-Be knowledgeable in the potential hazards and personal protective equipment requirements.
-Proper work procedures to be used.
-Stop work immediately and resolve unusual or unexpected situations at the moment they arise.
-Inspect and test all safety equipment before each use.
-Following all customer safety related programs
Training
Tom Shuster Electrical, Inc. will conduct training for all authorized personnel every two years according to the following guidelines:
-Each authorized employee shall complete proficiency-training including:
1. Recognition of applicable hazards
2. Type and magnitude of each hazard
3. The means, devices, and methods of isolating each hazard
4. The means of verification the hazard has been isolated
5. Authorized employees will be given a written examination. Any associate whose grade is less than the acceptable minimum will be re-trained and re-tested.
-Training logs will be maintained on file. These logs will contain the dates, names, and times of training classes.
-Retraining shall be provided when:
1. Change in existing procedures
2. Change in equipment or processes that present a new hazard
3. A periodic inspection reveals, or there is reason to believe, that there are deviations from or inadequacies in the authorized employee’s knowledge or work practices.
-Certification establishing training/retraining has been accomplished and is being kept up to date. For documentation purposes, training sign-in sheets will be considered appropriate certification of training.
General Rules
-All employees involved in the installation or terminating of Fiber Optic cable shall be accountable for compliance with this program.
-Appropriate tools and safety equipment used in this program will be specified and provided by Tom Shuster Electrical, Inc. Only these devices shall be used to implement this program and they shall be used for no other purpose.
-Tom Shuster Electrical, Inc. disciplinary procedures apply to any violation of this program.
Fiber Optic
Safe Working Procedures
-Most of what is
referred to as standards are voluntary standards, created by industry groups to
insure product compatibility. They
are not “codes” or actual laws that must be followed to be in compliance
with local ordinances. The only
mandatory standard is the NEC. The
NEC specifies fire prevention standards for fiber optic cables.
They are however, the standards we must follow.
Installation
Hazards:
When installing burial or aerial cable, cables containing conductive materials could pose a potential shock hazard. These types of cable shall be tested for hazardous voltage before handling. A temporary grounding and bonding harnesses shall be attached to the cable during installation. All applicable trenching, confined space, aerial, and L-T-V precautions shall be adhered to.
When installing fiber optic cable, proper installation procedures must be followed. As a general rule, attach installation devices to Kevlar braiding or guide wires, never directly to fiber strands. View cable manufactures documentation for recommended installation procedures for specialty optical fiber cables.
Termination
Hazards:
Safety glasses with side shields are required PPE. Tiny shards of glass will be present in your work area when splicing and terminating. Eye contact may cause serious injury.
Lasers can be harmful, but injuries from lasers are easily preventable. Always assume that every fiber is active. Nearly all communication systems use infrared light to communicate. An infrared detection card must be used to detect any infrared light. The biggest area of concern is inspecting connectors with a microscope. It is easy to forget to deactivate a fiber before viewing it. Remember, you will not see or feel the danger. Different manufacturers will use different sources depending on the intended use of the fiber. A laser, VCSE, or LED may cause permanent damage to your retina.
When
working with bare fibers, assume at all times that your fingers are covered with
glass fragments. It is imperative
that your hands are washed before rubbing your eyes and immediately after
leaving the work area. If fiber particles are ingested, they can cause internal
hemorrhaging. Never eat or drink in
your work area.
Work area:
Only trained personnel shall be allowed in work area. It is the technician’s responsibility to be sure that unqualified personnel are unable to enter the work area. Barricades or other approved methods must be used to establish this work area.
The work area shall be well lighted with a stable work surface. Sufficient light is required for the delicate task of handling very small pieces of glass. The work surface provides room for your fiber optic tools and safety equipment. The top of a ladder is not considered a stable work surface.
Technician shall work on a dark, preferably black, work mat. Glass fragments are not visible on light surfaces.
Upholstered
chairs shall not be used. A hard, smooth surfaced chair or stool prevents glass
shards from standing vertical.
A disposable apron shall be worn and properly disposed of when work has been completed. Do not brush yourself off when leaving your work area. Tiny particles of glass could be on your person.
Thoroughly
clean your work area when you are done. The work surface and floor in your work
area shall be properly cleaned. All
hazardous material shall be disposed of properly.
All scrap
shall be placed in a spill-proof container that is properly identified as
fiber-optic waste. Cleaved or scribed ends must be disposed of as created. Every
bare fiber scrap must be accounted for and disposed of properly. Always follow
the proper procedure for putting fiber scraps in the container. 2” wide tape
shall be the only approved method for scrap recovery.
A full fiber-scrap-trash-can shall be sealed with 2” tape to completely
seal off the lid and scrap insertion hole. Place in a double layer of trash bags
and discard.
Many fiber
cables contain a metallic shield or copper talk circuits.
These types of cables must be treated as conductive cables. All standard
safety practices shall be observed.
Do not use a
fusion splicer in a manhole. Electrical sparks are not permitted in confined
space.
Termination kits utilizing chemicals and ovens shall be used in a well-ventilated area. Some chemicals are flammable, hazardous to breath, and may cause allergic reactions. All combustible materials shall be kept away from curing ovens. Technicians shall follow all precautions listed on the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) data sheets. Some chemicals may require the use of protective gloves. Ultra-violet light has damaging invisible rays. When UV light is used to cure adhesives in splices and connectors, proper UV rated safety glasses shall be worn. Long-term exposure to skin can cause tissue damage.