What is cable-work safety?
Working on AGL series-circuit cables without harm: identify the cable, isolate and prove it dead, earth it, and test before it goes live again.
AGL lighting runs on series circuits: the CCR forces a set current round the whole loop. That makes cable work different from ordinary wiring. A live loop must never be opened, because the CCR will keep driving current and a dangerous voltage can appear across the break. So the work starts by identifying the right cable and circuit, then isolating at the CCR, locking and tagging the isolation, and confirming the cable is dead.
Even a dead cable can be made hazardous by induced voltage or stored charge, so where the procedure requires it the circuit is shorted and earthed at the work point. Joints and terminations are made by trained people with insulated tools and the right protective equipment, keeping to the cable’s bend limits and keeping joints dry. Before the circuit is re-energised the cable is tested, the earths are removed, people and tools are clear, and the isolation is lifted by the person who applied it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What is cable-work safety in AGL?
The precautions used when working on airfield lighting cables, joints and terminations. It covers identifying the right cable, isolating and locking out the circuit at the CCR, proving it dead, earthing it, working with the right tools and training, and testing before the circuit is re-energised.
Q2Why is opening a live series circuit dangerous?
AGL lighting runs on series circuits, where the CCR drives a set current round the whole loop. If a live loop is opened, the CCR tries to keep that current flowing and a high voltage can appear across the break. A live circuit is never opened, and a cable is never cut until the circuit is isolated.
Q3Why must the cable be identified before work starts?
Many cables run together in ducts and pits, and cutting or touching the wrong one can mean working on a live circuit. The cable is identified from drawings, markers and tags and an approved identification method, and the circuit it belongs to is confirmed before any work begins.
Q4Why is a dead cable also shorted and earthed?
A cable that tests dead can still become dangerous. Voltage can be induced from nearby live cables, and a charge can remain after testing. Where the site procedure requires it, the circuit is shorted and earthed at the work point so that nothing can reach the worker.
Q5What are the main hazards when handling and jointing cable?
Damaged insulation, cable bent tighter than its minimum radius, moisture in joints, wet or confined pits, and unsuitable tools. Work is done by trained people using insulated tools and the right protective equipment, following the joint and termination instructions.
Q6What must be confirmed before the circuit is re-energised?
That the joints and cable have been tested and pass, the shorts and earths are removed, people and tools are clear of the work point, and the isolation is lifted by the person who applied it. The circuit is then re-energised under the site procedure and checked.
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