Safety concerns are everywhere

Jim Hayes

President

Fotec, Fiber U

Medford, MA

As usual, you`re on top of an important issue with your January editorial (see " `Safety first` should be more than just a slogan," January 1999, page 7). Safety in fiber and low-voltage copper cabling is something that many vendors, trainers, and installers don`t fully appreciate. I still get questions like, "Will I burn out my eyeball if I look into the end of this fiber?" because few people actually understand the real issues.

In fact, one real issue could be deadly. Last fall, I received a call from an osha inspector regarding the electrocution of a fiber-optic installer who touched a high-voltage line during an aerial installation. Even in premises installations, cabling installers are regularly exposed to areas filled with power cables. Most installers are woefully ignorant of the National Electrical Code (nec) regulations on electrical safety and can expose themselves and their customers to potential electrical hazards. At Fiber U, we recommend that every fiber or low-voltage installer take a course on the nec. In such a course, they`ll also learn about firestopping--another area that`s sometimes ignored.