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Safeguarding Telecoms Infrastructure: Protecting Against Influx of Gas, Water, and Rodents
In today’s fast-paced world, safeguarding your telecoms infrastructure is crucial to ensure the smooth functioning of your operations.
From protecting against the influx of gas, water, and rodents to securing customer assets, it’s essential to be proactive in addressing potential risks.
In this blog post, we will delve into the importance of sealing ducts and highlight the unseen dangers that can threaten your assets to help raise awareness and provide effective solutions.
Protecting Against Influx of Gas, Water, and Rodents
To prevent danger due to the influx of water, or any noxious or explosive liquid, hydrocarbon, or gas from the surrounding ground into street cabinets, (active and passive) broadband network access points, hubs, data centres and chambers into buildings.
Telecoms / utility have an approved method and material to seal ducts in all new, altered or retro-fitted cable installations – this includes the sealing of cable ducts where the ducting enters the building. These entries such as open cable ducts entering cabinets or buildings should be sealed with or without cables installed to prevent influx of the above.
It’s important to understand the hidden risks associated with neglecting seal ducts, which can pose a threat to your assets.
Here are a few concerning examples where ducting was left unsealed, allowing the entry of flammable gases and so on. Numerous incidents of gas explosions demolishing buildings can be found on the internet.
Unfortunately, cabling teams often face time pressure to complete their tasks and may lack the necessary information, instructions, training, or awareness of the risks associated with leaving ducts open. Additionally, they may not have access to the materials required for sealing open ducts.
Examples of Non-Compliant Sealed Ducts
(White cable identified a potential influx from the chamber into the building)
All the examples provided below can be effectively addressed through remedial works. There are numerous products available in the market that can be easily installed. (Provided they are approved and compatible with the cable sheathing).
Expanding foam spray is effectively banned for sealing cable ducts in electrical and water utility sectors – the soft large cell structure will inevitably break down over time and fail to provide adequate protection against water ingress or flooding into substations or buildings.
Gland Caulking
Gland Caulking is a duct sealing product used in conjunction with two discs and Compound 16A. The Gland is fixed onto the duct with two discs inside it. The cable is passed through the discs into the duct. The space between the discs is filled with Compound 16A.
Gas and water can accumulate in underground ducts such as those carrying telephone or electric supply cables. Where ducts terminate inside buildings, manholes or chambers they must be sealed against gas and water. This solution is especially suitable for applications where ducts are wet or liable to fill with water.
Gland Caulking are used for sealing of Duct 54D/ Duct 56.
- Duct 54D size is 96.3 to 96.7 mm Outer Diameter.
- Along with this we need 2 nos. of discs.
- The Compound 16A is filled in between the 2 discs and the quantity will depend upon the number of cables installed.
- Gland Caulking 3
- Used for the sealing of Duct 56 in combination with disc caulking 4 and compound 16A.
Re-Enterable Duct Seals
Below are duct sealing system engineered solutions for sealing cables and ducts. These products are very easy to apply regardless of the type of cable scenario in the cable ducts as it uses strong but flexible hexagonal tubes to support the cable and provide a strong backing for the seal.
The unique design of the hexagonal tubes makes positioning and separation of the cables very simple while also providing a strong backing for the product to be applied on.
Please remember the above product are examples, and this is not an exhaustive list
Need further support?
If you require an independent health, safety and quality auditing solution for your infrastructure rollout or field engineering maintenance, PSM can provide an on-going solution to ensure your assets are compliant.
Do you want better compliance?
Hey, I’m Alex Burbidge. I’m determined to make a business health and safety compliant. My only question is, will it be yours?
About Pro Safety Management
We are a Specialist Telecoms Health and Safety Consultancy with over 40+ years experience. Serving some of the global leading telecommunication companies, we provide specialist and strategic health and safety management ensuring operational standards at the highest level.
Do you want better compliance?
Hey, I’m Alex Burbidge. I’m determined to make a business health and safety compliant. My only question is, will it be yours?
