Power blackouts and facility downtime are intolerable in today's economy where electricity is a necessity. The utility power-distribution system is exceedingly reliable, but the system is still vulnerable to human error at points where medium-voltage (MV) cables are spliced and terminated to utility equipment.

The National Electrical Code and various manufacturing and engineering standards provide guidelines for safe, reliable cable installations of MV power distributed at 2.1 kV to 35 kV. However, documented fault analysis reveals that workers on-site do not always follow the necessary procedures and specifications to ensure splices and terminations will match the lifetime expectancy of the cable.

Utilities need to be able to measure a qualified person's knowledge, skills and abilities in the MV splicing arena. Specifiers have attempted to assure quality splicing and termination workmanship by making various stipulations in contract documents. However, the industry still needs better assurance that splices and terminations are crafted according to specifications, says Will Southerly, a line-working foreman in the fault locating department of Salt River Project (SRP; Tempe, Arizona).

Utilities can now get the assurance they need by requiring that workers be certified by the National Cable Splicing Certification Board (NCSCB). In order to become certified, an applicant must pass written and performance, or practical, exams.

“Up until now, each individual utility had their own way of training the linemen on cable splicing, but the exam helps to standardize the industry,” says Southerly. “This testing will get our skills up, and because it's national, everyone will get the same testing from coast to coast.”

About the Board

The NCSCB is offering performance-based testing to utilities and other companies that have avoided doing so for fear of possible litigation, invalidation or simply a lack of availability. NCSCB President Steve Anderson says, “Wherever I talk about the board, people never ask me why we are doing this, but how come we did not do it sooner.”

The NCSCB is an independent, nonprofit organization supported by suppliers (of MV insulated cable, cable splicing and termination kits), engineering groups, utilities, contractors and workers employed in the trade. It provides third-party verification of knowledge and, by requiring applicants to demonstrate skills and abilities, will help assure power-system specifiers of reliable, quality workmanship.

“Having a diverse cross section of members on the board will help installers to decipher instructions and splice the cabling properly,” says Southerly, who took the exam to prepare for the future, when such testing might be mandated, and to assess his cable-splicing skills.

“Getting manufacturers together with contractors and utilities ensures that everyone is on the same page,” he says. “From out in the field, I can see that they're going in the right direction.”

The certification also will help to recognize qualified personnel who perform this task in the manner required for safe, reliable operation of MV power-distribution systems. Those specifying MV cable installations may obtain the assurance of certified workers by including this phrase in the appropriate section of construction contract documents: “All splices and terminations of MV cables will be performed by, or under the direct supervision of, personnel certified by the National Cable Splicing Certification Board.”

Designing the Exam

The NCSCB, which was organized in 2004, has developed and validated a core-knowledge written exam as well as the criteria for applicants to demonstrate their skills and abilities in a performance exam. To ensure compliance with professionally recognized standards, the written and performance exams were developed by subject matter experts under the direction of the American Institute for Research Inc., an internationally recognized psychometric testing organization. Beta testing was completed in 2006, and the first session of the written exam and the performance exam commenced in 2006 and 2007, respectively.

Thomson Prometric, a global provider of testing and assessment services, arranged and conducted the independent field proctoring of the written test. NCSCB examiners also provided evaluation and oversight of the performance exam.

Because qualified applicants will likely come from a wide range of backgrounds and have varied experience, personnel who pass both the written and performance exams without stipulating training prerequisites will earn certification, which will be good for three years. However, candidates are required to have at least two years of MV experience before they can apply for certification, which will remain effective for three years.

The core-knowledge written test is a timed exam composed of 100 questions covering applicable electrical theory and related practical knowledge. The premanufactured kits performance exam, conducted by evaluators trained and authorized by the NCSCB, requires the successful assembling of randomly selected splice and termination kits from various manufacturers. The performance exam includes premolded, heat-shrink and cold-shrink technologies.

To prepare for the exam, Southerly says, “Applicants should get as much hands-on experience as possible and have a well-rounded knowledge of cable accessories from different manufacturers. The test is pretty tough, and I think it should be that way so the companies will give their employees training and experience before they can take it. [Because the test is tough] they can also feel good that the certification means something.”

The NCSCB plans to have performance exams for hand-applied taping available in 2008, with paper-insulated lead-covered cable certification to follow. The written test and the practical demonstration are conducted at different times at separate locations selected to minimize the travel needs of applicants. The NCSCB also can arrange written and performance test locations with sponsoring organizations such as utilities, contractors and apprentice training schools that wish to certify qualified candidates.

Cable-Splicing Skills

Electric power engineers and experienced, qualified individuals know that splicing and terminating MV cable is an exacting process requiring the selection of appropriate materials for the application, along with precise attention to detail in cable preparation, installation and workmanship. They recognize that the greatest assurance to prevent premature splice and termination failures remains with the person making the splice or termination.

Southerly says that in his current position, he is repairing the cable-splicing work done during the building boom in the 1990s, and he is seeing the lackluster quality of it firsthand.

“We're getting a lot of power outages because of premature failures in splices and terminations installed in the 1990s,” he says. “I don't think some people understand why they have to be perfect when it comes to cable splicing.”

Reliable cable splices and terminations are dependent on the knowledge, skill and ability of the worker. Southerly says that by certifying cable splicers, utilities will be able to encourage higher-quality craftsmanship and raise the quality of work through standardized testing nationwide.

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Tom Moore joined the Salt River Project (SRP) in Phoenix in 1979. Having worked 18 years as a field-working foreman, Moore has spent the last eight years in supervision for the SRP. He has developed and instructed field-related classes, and has also designed various concept tools that have increased the productivity and enhanced the safety of field personnel. Moore's recent years have continued to be directly or indirectly involved in underground distribution through fault locating, power-quality studies, and instructing the splicing and terminating of MV cables. Moore serves on the NCSCB board as a utility representative to improve the performance and longevity of the MV underground systems nationwide.

Editor's Note: A more detailed description of the NCSCB and application procedures can be found at www.ncscb.org.