Gaffing Cables/ Cable trays

[Ashley R]

Hi all

someone just mentioned this to me, and it made me stop and think a bit. They said it was "illegal"(Eventually corrected this to be "against Common sense") to run 110/240v cabling along floors, even when gaffed down, with ample amount of gaff making contact with the floor, and then hazard gaff over the top to make the cable easily identifiable.

His reasoning was that say someone with high heels (can be replaced with metal walking stick, walking frame, metal chair leg, you get the picture) stepped on the cable, the layer of gaff would provide little protection, and the wearer would be electrocuted, and then possibly sue the person who laid the cable. His solution was to use cable trays everywhere/ go over doors(but there are some times when this just cant be done). I have seen 240v cables gaffed to floors everywhere, and was interested to hear your thoughts on the matter.

[BLOW]

I think it comes down to risk management.

Whilst there is a slim possibility of electrocution in the scenario you raised, in 20 years of doing event lighting, I have yet to ever see a cable damaged through people walking on them.

I would be concerned about trip hazards.

If it was only a few cables, gaffing them down neatly would present much less of a trip hazard than solid plastic cable trays.

That said, I would also look at other cable routes to reduce the risk as well.

$0.02

[GL]

This is where Risk Analysis/ Hazard Identification and Control, plus exposing Public Liability is important... which all boils down, basically, to common sense being employed.

Some cable covers (especially those cheap orange drop over and two piece "no grip" type) are more of a trip hazard than a "railway tracked" bunch of extension leads taped down over a floor, while something like a single thick sound mulitcore by itself, taped down across a main entry could be asking for upsets. I've noticed some cable organiser makers going into wheelchair/ low profile trays now... they're basically a much wider Yellowjacket and very easy to walk over. http://www.yjams.com/ps-9.aspx

We always used to tape down (when not possible to fly over a doorway, etc), and then cover over with a mat, to help alleviate risk.
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"No matter what age we are, some have never quite left the schoolyard"

[RoderickvG]

Let me quote from AS3002 - Electrical installations—Shows and carnivals
4.2.2 Installation.
4.2.2.1 General. Cables shall not be laid on the
ground in areas accessible to the public. In all other
situations cables may be laid on the ground for short
distances provided that suitable means of protection
are provided.
Gaffa tape is not a suitable protection.
So whoever made the comment to Ashley is quite correct, it is illegal in Australia.

It is not so much people being electrocuted, much more about internal damage to cables that could lead to overheating and a raft of other problems.
RCD's sure, but how many dimmers have a RCD build in? I'd say that the bulk of cables run for an event or production are connected to dimmers. Do the math.
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Think it is too expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur

[reX]

Hi Roderick

This is one of these very interesting grey areas. I’m not sure AS3002 - Electrical installations—Shows and carnivals would be the applicable standard for ballrooms and lecture theatres. The only other one I have to hand now is AS3012 – Electrical Installations – Construction and Demolition Sites. This lists as all cables must be flown unless within 4m of working site. I’m fairly sure AS3000 does not cover temporary cables to this level. Anyone have a better standard applicable for this environment?

As for “illegal” I’m not sure about this. “Australian Standards are not legal documents but many, because of their rigour, are called up into legislation by government and become mandatory”. We are all legally obliged under OH&S legislation for ensure a safe workplace. Is it not a bit of a stretch to say gaffing a lead down is illegal?

I’m sure there are many circumstances where gaffing is not suitable. However what about the 2m lead running from under the whiteboard to the overhead projector?

Not picking a fight here but this is one of those areas where a bit of discussion can lead to better practices.

[RoderickvG]

Hi,

Always happy to have a good and constructive discussion!

In terms of applicable Standards, AS3002 is the closest I am aware of for our industry. From the abstract:
This Standard sets out requirements for the supply of electricity at low-voltage by wiring distribution systems to power consuming devices used for accommodation, entertainment or display purposes within concessions, tents, living quarters and other structures, associated with events with a maximum duration of four weeks.

There is also AS/NZS 4249:1994 Electrical safety practices - Film, video and television sites but the abstract clearly states:
Specifies the requirements for safe working practices in the use of electrical equipment on film, video and television sites and the in-service testing of the equipment. It does not apply to theatre stages, concert locations or permanent television studios.

As to the legality, it is correct that an Australian Standard is not automatically law, unless it is referenced in a law or regulation at which point they become a legal document. Not 100% sure about the actual status of AS3002 but I tend to keep on the safe side (pun intended).

Look forward to positive contributions!
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Think it is too expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur

[David Ashton]

Mainly because I am tight-fisted I abhor the over use of gaffer tape, we used to manage quite well without the foul, sticky, expensive stuff and any time saved is wasted, cleaning the crap off the cables.It is usually so easy to run cables over doors or find other safer paths.OK a couple of metres on a stage is fine but running miles of the stuff to cover every inch of cable, for "neatness" is, as you may have guessed, one of my pet hates.

[GL]

It could well understood about the requirements for "Shows and Carnivals", purely for the high volume of punter traffic involved.
Easter Shows/ Race Days (eg Bathurst), your big outdoor music events, etc.

But, then again, some of the live music venues/ arenas around Sydney, still just run a rubber mat (no taping down) over the FOH multicores @ FOH.
Two in particular, would have a couple of thousand of punters trapsing over it, on show night.
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"No matter what age we are, some have never quite left the schoolyard"

[zordmaker]

[Ashley R]

That's an interesting take on it.

As if there are a lot of cables, if nicely 'railroaded' they have a very low profile, and unless someone is shuffling across the floor, they shouldn't trip at all, and in the case of Wieland/3 Phase then rubber matting/ Carpet over the top to create more of a ramp over the cable.

With a un secured cable, yes you are more likely to stop and get yourself 'untangled' but its more likely to happen (Say 100 times out of 1000) but may result in less people taking a face plant into the floor, whilst a gaffed cable to the person who dose lift their feet when walking, they will only trip say 50 out of a 1000 times, but the fall may be more magior due to tripping over an 'immoveable' object.

My take on all this is: Hug Walls and natural barriers (As always), but here's where the changes have been made to my personal policy - Prefer to go over door ways, for light duty area's ensure that cables are mechanically protected and not just gaffed (Matting/ carpet), and for more high traffic area's, suitable cable trays.


- I Wonder if this little discussion here has prompted the large acquisition of 100's of meters of cable trays in various sizes by ResX recently?

[zordmaker]

[Andy Ciddor]

[BLOW]

[Andy Ciddor]

[Ashley R]

For Over doorways just 2x 10ft Push Up's and a length of scaff pipe the easiest way of doing it?

(Except for putting gaff all over the walls)