ABC cable suspended from beef wood trees

[Thys LOW Elektries]

Good day

Out on the farm farmers can make good plans
Can one use a couple of beefwood trees to run your cable from one structure to another??

I can think of a number of reasons why it is unsafe but can't find any legal reason to stop a person from doing it

Hope their is someone with more knowledge and experience out there that might point me in the right direction

Have fun

[adrianh]

Telkom inadvertently did that with the telephone lines in my area - the trees grew and the lines failed!

[GCE]

If I am struggling to find a definite regulations to fail a part of the installation because it looks and feels wrong , I have a go to clause, 5.1

5 Fundamental requirements
5.1 General
All commodities in an electrical installation shall be installed in accordance
with the requirements in this part of SANS 10142 and with the manufacturer's
instructions, where applicable.
NOTE 1 This clause contains the general safety principles applicable to electrical
installations.
NOTE 2 The manufacturer's instructions may contain more stringent requirements.

An existing "live" tree would not pass and could put some kids life at risk when he decides to climb it , and as the tree grows so the strain on the cable will change

You could also use 6.2.14.4 + 6.3.4.2 + 6.4.1e

6.2.14.4 ABC cables are intended to be suspended between structures and
shall not be buried directly in the ground.

6.3.4 Aerial conductors
6.3.4.1 An aerial conductor shall be of
a) hard-drawn copper,
b) stranded aluminium, or
c) composite construction, such as steel-cored aluminium.
6.3.4.2 A surge protective device should be installed at each end of each
aerial conductor circuit in an installation (see 6.7.6).
The arrangement, support and, where required, insulation of an aerial
conductor shall comply with the relevant statutory requirements.

6.4 Positioning and fixing of cables
6.4.1 Positioning
A cable shall not be run
a) in the same trench or wireway as a supplier's cable, except with the
supplier's permission,
b) in the same wireway as the cables or wires of telecommunication, radio
and signalling circuits that are not covered by this part of SANS 10142,
c) where it is likely to be damaged by liquids such as oil, acid, acetone and
alkali or by gases such as sulfur dioxide,
d) within 150 mm of hot services such as hot pipes and flues if the heat is
likely to damage the cable, unless the cable is cooled or shielded from
heat, or
e) in a position where it is likely to be damaged, unless it is mechanically
protected.

[GCE]

Power lines are also covered under the OHSA , Electrical Machinery regulations



Overhead power lines
19. (1) A supplier, employer or user shall cause the supports, clearances,
insulators and fittings and conductors for power lines to be designed, installed
and maintained in accordance with the relevant health and safety standard
incorporated into these Regulations under section 44 of the Act.

(7) The employer or user shall ensure that all supports of the lattice type
which are used to carry overhead conductors or live parts of other ~lectrical
equipment are adequately protected in order to prevent any unauthorized person
from coming into dangerous proximity of the conductors by climbing such
supports, and an inspector may require an employer or user similarly to protect a
support of any other type.