panels, including suspended ceiling panels.
770.24 Mechanical Execution of Work. Optical fiber cables shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner. Cables installed exposed on the surface of ceilings and sidewalls shall be supported by the building structure insuch a manner that the cable will not be damaged by normal building use. Such cables shall be secured by hardware including straps, staples, cable ties, hangers, or similar fittings designed and installed so as not to damage the cable. The installation shall also conform with 300.4(D) and 300.11.
FPN: Accepted industry practices are described in ANSI/NECA/BICSI 568-2001, Standard for Installing Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling, ANSI/NECA/FOA 301-2004, Standard for Installing and Testing Fiber Optic Cables, and other ANSI-approved in- stallation standards.
770.25 Abandoned Cables. The accessible portion of abandoned optical fiber cables shall be removed. Where cables are identified for future use with a tag,
the tag shall be of sufficient durability to withstand the environment involved.
770.26 Spread of Fire or Products of Combustion. In- stallations of optical fiber cables and raceways in hollow spaces, vertical shafts, and ventilation or air-handling ducts shall be made so that the possible spread of fire or products of combustion will not be substantially increased. Openings around penetrations of optical fiber cables and raceways through fire-resistant-rated walls, partitions, floors, or ceilings shall be firestopped using approved methods to maintain the fire resistance rating.
FPN: Directories of electrical construction materials published by qualified testing laboratories contain many listing installation restrictions necessary to maintain die fire-resistive rating of assemblies where penetrations or openings are made. Building codes also contain restrictions on membrane penetrations on opposite sides of a fire-resistance-rated wall assembly. An example is the 600-mm (24-in.) minimum horizontal separation that usually applies between boxes installed on opposite sides of the wall. As- sistance in complying with 770.26 can be found in building codes, fire resistance directories, and product listings.
D. Cables Outside and Entering Buildings.
770.48 Unlisted Cables and Raceways Entering Build- ings.
(A) Conductive and Nonconductive Cables. Unlisted conductive and nonconductive outside plant optical fiber cables shall be permitted to be installed in locations as described in 770.154(C), where the length of the cable within the building, measured from its point of entrance, does not exceed 15 m (50 ft) and the cable enters the building from the outside and is terminated in an enclosure.
FPN No. 1: Splice cases or terminal boxes, both metallic and plastic types, typically are used as enclosures for splicing or terminating optical fiber cables.
FPN No. 2: See 770.2 for the definition of Point of
Entrance.