Incognito Incendiaries: Abandoned Cable is a Fire Code Concern
April, 2009

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By Kent Porter
 
Not-so-neatly tucked away within the plenum spaces of many commercial buildings are generations of idle cable, some of it forty to sixty years old. It’s estimated that six billion feet of cable is installed in the plenum spaces within Canadian buildings – enough cable to run the length of the Trans-Canada Highway more than 240 times – and a significant portion of it is abandoned.

In recent years, the health and safety risks of cable abandonment have gained attention because old cables hidden in the spaces above ceiling tiles, below floor space and in riser rooms provide an ideal path for fire to spread within a building. In 2005, the National Fire Code mandated the removal of abandoned cable, and provincial codes have been following suit in adopting this code.

Non-compliance with the new regulations could cause the Fire Marshal to deny occupancy permits. Insurance companies could also potentially use non-compliance to refuse payment in the event of catastrophe or disaster. Plus, there could be additional risks of injury, loss of life, property damage and the associated damage to a landlord’s reputation.

The older the cable is, the more toxicity it likely to have in its sheathing since materials in the communication and data cables used prior to 2006 are a major source of potential environmental contamination. This cabling typically had a PVC sheathing that contains many substances including petroleum products that have since become strictly regulated by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances regulation and other environmental directives. Testing has shown that some of these substances, most notably lead, can separate from the sheathing as it ages and potentially contaminate the environment and endanger tenant health.

Several generations of idle cable can accumulate in commercial buildings as tenants turn over and new cable is added, while obsolete cable remains. Fire can travel along these abandoned cables between offices and floors. Some cables could fill a room full of smoke almost immediately posing a serious threat of injury and death, while other cables could smoulder and burn over time.

Property owners are advised to move quickly to clean up common areas and riser rooms. Guidelines state that cable should fill no more than 40% of the conduit, but it is often far more congested. An initial audit will gauge the extent of abandoned cable and help set priorities for its removal.

Within tenants’ spaces, the best time for cable removal is between leases. If there is a known owner of the cabling, the responsibility for the abatement of that cable rests there. Without an audited account of spaces and known owner, the property owner may be the assumed owner of the risks and liability for all of the cable in the building.
It often becomes difficult to determine who owns what because many buildings have a large amount of abandoned cable. Building managers should conduct an inventory of what is in place and, if possible, remove any abandoned cable, before they set requirements for sitting and/or incoming tenants.

By starting with a clean slate, the removal of tenant cabling can easily be added to the terms and conditions of a tenant’s lease. Tenants then become responsible to either remove the cable themselves or to cover the expense of having the building management do so.
 
ABATEMENT CHECKLIST

In addition to removing abandoned cable, property managers must be vigilant to ensure the problem does not reoccur. The following checklist outlines some issues and measures to consider.

• Work to set a baseline where plenum spaces are clear of excess and abandoned cabling. Building management can then offer tenants flexibility and options around removing installed cable.
• Develop a consistent, ongoing program at all locations, or use a service provider with an existing program. Cable abatement is a lifecycle activity. Treat it like a lifestyle change for the health of the building and its occupants.
• Be green. In the past, recyclers targeted only the valuable copper conductors in cables and the potentially-toxic sheath became landfill. Look for a service provider that can help to recycle as many of the materials as possible.
• Expertise in installation does not necessarily mean expertise in removal. Fire-stopping is an area of expertise in itself. Determine infrastructure service providers’ experience and knowledge in this field.
• Talk to those responsible for telecommunications infrastructure about any possible programs to offset the costs of cable abatement.
• Document everything. Be sure the organization conducting the cable abatement is one that documents and certifies the removal and the recycling. This transfers liability away from the landlord and makes good business sense.