Wire & Cable Pulling

Pulling wire and cable through conduit, trays and raceways involves heavy reels, high tension, long ropes and winches. Pulls can fail suddenly: ropes snap, connections slip and cable springs. People are hurt by whipping rope, crushed hands, back strain and electrical contact when they pull near energized equipment. A planned pull is a safe pull.

• Electricians
• Low-Voltage & Data Installers
• Utility Crews

Planning the pull

• Review the drawings and route. Know the conduit run, bends, pull boxes, fill and the cable type and weight. Long runs, many bends and large cable need more planning. Total bends between pull points are generally limited to 360 degrees under the National Electrical Code. See Conduit Bending and National Electrical Code (NEC).
• Check conduit fill and condition. Overfilled conduit leads to excess tension and damage. Make sure the conduit is complete, clean, deburred and free of obstructions, with bushings on the ends.
• Calculate pulling tension and sidewall pressure for long, heavy or multiple-bend pulls, using cable maker limits and software or tables. Exceeding limits damages insulation and can break pulling equipment.
• Choose the right equipment: pulling rope or tape, cable grips (basket or Kellems grips), pulling eyes, swivels, lubricant, sheaves, tuggers or winches, and tension meters, all rated for the load with a safety factor. Replace worn or damaged rope.
• Make a plan and hold a pre-pull meeting: assign roles at the feed end, pull end and winch, decide on communication, hazards and stop signals.
• Check for energized equipment at pull points, panels, switchgear and splices, and lock out circuits where needed. See Lockout/Tagout and Absence-of-Voltage Testing.
• Set up the area: keep people out of the line of the pull, barricade, protect floors and walls, and keep the area clear of trip hazards. See Housekeeping.

Hazards during the pull

• Rope or cable snap and recoil: a rope under tension stores huge energy. If it breaks or a grip slips, it can whip across the work area. Never stand in line with a rope or cable under tension.
• Rope loops and wraps: standing in a loop of rope, or wrapping rope around a hand or arm, can pull you into the equipment. Never wrap rope around your hand or body.
• Crush and pinch points: between cable and conduit, at sheaves, at reel flanges and where cable enters the conduit.
• Heavy reels: reels can weigh hundreds or thousands of pounds. They can roll, tip or fall off a truck or stand. See Rigging Basics and Lifting & Ergonomics.
• Back, shoulder and hand strain from hand-pulling and feeding.
• Electrical hazards: pulling near live bus, in panels and in vaults, or cable contacting overhead lines or energized conductors. Pulled cable can also pick up induced voltage. See Electrical Basics.
• Lubricant: slippery floors and skin or eye irritation. Wire pulling lubricants are slippery and can be flammable in some forms. Check the SDS. See Safety Data Sheets.
• Confined spaces and manholes: pulls in vaults and manholes need air testing, ventilation and attendants. See Manholes & Underground Vaults and Confined Spaces.
• Falls: pulling in ceilings, trays and over heights. See Scissor Lifts and Fall Protection Basics.

Doing the pull safely

• Use a good connection. Attach the cable to the rope with an appropriate grip or pulling eye and swivel, and check that it is firmly attached. Tape or secure the grip as needed. Inspect the connection before pulling.
• Lubricate properly, using the right lubricant for the cable jacket and conduit. Apply it evenly and keep it from the cable end that will be terminated, as the maker says.
• Communicate constantly. Use two-way radios or clear signals between the feed point, the pulling point and the machine operator. Everyone must know the stop signal, and anyone can call stop.
• Start slowly and increase speed gradually. Watch the tension meter if used, and stop if tension rises, the cable binds, or the winch strains. Never force a stuck pull.
• Use sheaves, rollers and guides at bends to protect cable and reduce tension, and keep the cable at the correct bending radius.
• Handle the reel safely: set the reel on a proper stand or trailer, chock it, and control the pay-out. Use a brake to prevent overruns. Keep hands out of the reel flange and cable.
• Stay out of the line of fire. Position yourself to the side and away from the cable path, and keep bystanders out. Never straddle the rope.
• Never exceed the rated capacity of ropes, grips, eyes or winches. Don’t use makeshift pulling arrangements, such as tying the rope to a vehicle or other unrated anchor.
• Wear PPE: safety glasses, gloves, hard hat, safety shoes, and hearing protection with power tuggers. See Hand Protection and Eye & Face Protection.

After the pull

• Support the cable at pull boxes, keep slack and bending radius as required and don’t leave tension on the cable ends.
• Cap or tape cable ends, label cables and clean up lubricant and scrap. See Slips, Trips & Falls.
• Record the pull, including tension if measured, and any issues, so that damaged cable can be traced.
• Test cable (insulation resistance or continuity) as required before energizing. See Test Meters.
• Inspect and store pulling equipment, and retire damaged ropes and grips.

Working near live equipment and overhead lines

• Treat all conductors as live until verified dead. Keep pulling ropes, cable and tools away from energized parts. Use non-conductive rope near live equipment where required, since wet rope can conduct. See Overhead Power Lines and Underground Power Lines.
• Use qualified persons for work in energized panels and switchgear, and observe approach boundaries. See Qualified vs. Unqualified Persons and Energized Work Permits.
• Keep unqualified workers away from equipment and live parts.

Cable pulling checklist

• The route, fill, bends, tension and sidewall pressure were planned; equipment is rated and inspected
• Energized equipment is locked out or guarded, and there is a pre-pull meeting with roles and stop signals
• The cable is attached with a proper grip or eye and swivel; lubricant is applied properly
• Everyone stays out of the line of the rope and never stands in or wraps a rope loop
• Reels are chocked and controlled; I use proper PPE and good lifting
• Cable is supported, labeled, tested and the area is cleaned up

Last updated: October 5, 2026