When best practices for identifying cabling and wiring are followed, the expenses for installation are decreased, and clients are more satisfied with the work. For large industrial facilities, construction delays and millions of dollars in losses can result when there are major labeling errors of cables and wires. These mistakes become more costly as the number of wire pulls and terminations increase.
Overview
Nowadays, facilities are filled with computers, networks, and other technological equipment. In addition to their cabling, wiring for access, fire detection, emergency communication, security, and surveillance must also be installed. As a result, the proper management of cables and wires is a challenge Cable management is difficult during the construction phase, and retrofitting projects have their own hurdles. Hiring experienced cabling professionals who utilize best practices for identification will minimize problems.
Practices & Standards
As the NEC (National Electric Code) only provides standards that ensure minimum safety standards, extra effort beyond compliance must be taken to attain effective cable management. To illustrate, the NEC mandates identifying the wires and cables of all electrical construction. However, materials and practices are not specified. It may be the case that in some cases military specifications must be implemented to complete the project. Otherwise, best practices based on industry standards and hard-earned experience obtained from previous jobs will provide the guidelines.
Basics for Speed and Efficiency
By using printers and easy-to-read fonts, not hand labeling, the numbering and naming system should be hierarchical and logical. Generally, the abbreviations will be four characters and item numbers will be four digits long. Using this methodology can allow teams to standardize the sizes of labels. In addition, it promotes readability and faster identification of wires and cables for technicians working inside a panel.
An important feature of best practices is also the creation of a master index of the components that will be used as guidance for project blueprints. Both items will make current and future cabling work faster and more efficient.
Progressive Office Cabling
Founded in 1986, Progressive Office’s success has been a direct result of years of commitment to seeking solutions on behalf of our clients. Efficiently working together, Progressive teams get cabling installed and operating as fast as possible while minimizing disruption and downtime. Call our toll free number (800) 614-4560 today.