Tools for cable layers and groundworkers

Cable laying and groundwork require sturdy, high-quality tools. All Polet Traditional and Polet Construction hand tool ranges are made of high-quality materials, making them ideal for these professions.

History

As long as humans have existed, we have been digging. First, we dug up tubers and carrots. Later, starting in the Stone Age, we tilled the land. Even later, housing and road construction required digging as well. The Romans were already putting pipes in the ground for their sewage system. The huge technology advances of the last century have also created large amounts of work for cable and pipe layers. They established extensive networks of pipes and cables for the transportation of electricity, water, gas and wastewater. Information transmission via cables has also taken off in a very big way, starting with telegraphy, then telephony, data networks, radio and TV signals and most recently, fibre optics.

While most digging used to be done by hand, mechanisation has increased tremendously in recent years. Fewer and fewer people are laying pipes and cables over longer distances. Still, digging by hand will always remain the best solution in certain situations. That’s why shovels and Dutch shovels are still commonly used pipe and cable laying tools.

Shovel ground works

Breaking open and removing the road surface

First, it is necessary to lift and remove the existing paving slabs or bricks. A paving crowbar is ideal for such work. A shovel and Dutch shovel with a crooked handle are used to move the pavers to one side of the trench. Grass is cut into sod strips and rolled up for re-use if necessary. Then comes the actual digging with shovel and spade. The clean bedding sand from under the pavers is removed and placed alongside the slabs or bricks. The soil beneath is moved to the opposite side of the trench. In the event of a lot of debris or stones, a pickaxe is used to break up the soil. This can only be done if there are no other pipes or cables present.

Digging a trench

If conditions allow, mechanical tools are used as much as possible to dig a trench. The remainder is then dug by hand. This applies to main lines, but also householders’ supply lines, which are almost always dug by hand to minimize damage to landscaping. The tool of choice for such work is the Polet Traditional cable shovel.
 

Drilling under the road surface

To avoid obstructing traffic or to prevent damage to the road surface, directional drilling may be carried out at road crossings. In such cases, a pipe is driven under the road surface. This can be done manually using a hand auger. The hand auger consists of connectible metre-long casing sections and a cutting head. The auger is twisted into the ground and periodically withdrawn to remove soil from the head. There are different models and sizes of augers available for clay or sandy soil.

Closing a trench

Once the pipes and cables have been laid, the trench can be closed again using a Dutch shovel or square mouth shovel. First, sand without any stones is packed alongside and on top of the cable or pipe. Then the rest of the trench is filled in with soil.

Broom ground works

Finishing

Using our Traditional paving hammers, a paving gang recreates the road surface using paving slabs, bricks or cobblestones. Then they use a broom to make everything neat and tidy. Sherbro street brooms with baleens, with an extra-thick handle and scraper, are ideal for scraping and sweeping both fine and coarse debris.

Looking for tools for paving or cable laying? Polet has a very high-quality and extensive range. Please contact one of our employees for further questions or take a look at our range.

Node counts

1