Technical Manual

Chapter 2 • Warnings, Cautions, and Notes
D C U M a i n t e n a n c e a n d O p e r a t i o n M a n u a l 7
Fall Hazard When Working at Elevation
Working at elevation can result in the worker, parts, or tools falling to the ground
below. A fall from such an elevation can result in injury or death.
Use appropriate PPE and observe all applicable safety procedures when working
more than 4’ off the ground. In some cases this might include a fall restraint
system for the worker, hardhats for the workers on the ground below, and signage
to keep the public temporarily out of the work area. Follow all instructions on the
ladders and other equipment being used. Also, beware of weather conditions
which may result in strong gusts of wind which may affect your safety.
Pole-Mount Installations
The NESC describes many of the safety requirements for work on or around power
poles. Only properly trained and authorized electric workers are allowed up into
the supply space on the pole. Do not venture up into the supply space on the pole
unless you have been properly trained in working around high voltages (12kV and
higher.)
Required Grounding
Lightning strikes could feed into AC power sources.
The equipment chassis must be grounded according to local, regional, and national
codes to ensure proper protection from lightning strikes. If the DCU is ever
disconnected from earth ground, while AC power is fed from building premises
wiring, a lightning strike could feed into the building’s power system. This could
create a fire hazard within the building under some conditions.
Always ensure a proper earth ground is installed and maintained for the DCU,
particularly when power is fed to it from premises wiring.
The grounding system recommended herein, and described by the grounding
standards, will arrest a lightning strike and route the energy along an exterior path
to ground.
RF Exposure Hazard
Holding the antenna in one's hands while it is transmitting, or standing near a
transmitting antenna for a prolonged period of time, could result in RF exposure
that exceeds FCC and Health Canada recommendations.
Once the DCU is powered up and operational, it will emit RF energy. Installers,
technicians, and the public at large should keep a distance of 1 meter or more from
the plane of the antenna.
Most antenna mounting designs elevate the antenna well above the horizontal
plane where technicians and the public might dwell. Some however do not. For
these installations, it was expected that the DCU installer would have placed an RF
warning sign near the antenna, or near the stairs leading to the antenna. It is still