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There are many choices and considerations with regards to deploying OSP broadband infrastructure today. Determining what type of underground enclosures to support that infrastructure can seem overwhelming with all of the solutions offered by multiple manufacturers. This article will help provide guidance on navigating through some of those product selection choices.

When considering an underground enclosure specifics matters. It is important to take load ratings into consideration. For confidence in selecting the right load ratings it is recommended to choose out of the two verified ratings, the ANSI/SCTE77 or the AASHTO H20. When determining the best load rating consider the enclosures intended use.

ANSI/SCTE77

The ANSI rating is best for non-deliberate traffic areas. These enclosures are placed where direct wheel impact is not likely or anywhere that traffic is not intended. The area may include grassy areas, sidewalks, highway berms, light pole bases, highway median strips and parking lots. These enclosures are designed to handle only occasional, non-intentional traffic.

Underground enclosures, commonly call handholes, pits, or vaults, come in a variety of shapes and sizes and house critical electrical, telecommunications, gas and water service connections. While each underground enclosure application may be different, there are a few installation fundamentals that should be followed to minimize field damage and help insure many years of use.

Small underground enclosures, commonly called handholes or pits, can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Enclosures house critical electrical, telecommunications, gas, and water service connections. Each installation and application is different, but there are common installation guidelines that when followed will help to minimize field damage and ensure longevity.

Before specifying underground enclosures, one of the first questions to ask yourself is whether or not the enclosure will be used in deliberate traffic applications or non-deliberate traffic applications.

In order to better serve our customers, we now provide a quick ship program for our enclosure product line. This is a value-added service provided in an effort to respond to urgent needs. The shipments are processed out of our facilities in Lenoir City, Tennessee and Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

Available in two sizes, the new Hot Box® PEZ (Polyethylene EZ) drop-over features visual and structural enhancements with our dependable quality and performance. The structurally enhanced High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) construction streamlines manufacturing time which enables stock items to generally ship within 5 business days of order from our facility in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Also, as a result of the structural enhancements, the enclosure has more space inside and outside of the product.

Hot Box^® enclosures have been trusted since 1986 to secure America’s backflows, air release valves, pumps, grinders, generators and other critical infrastructure. Specified by name for over 30 years, Hot Box continues to lead the industry with innovative and economical designs that simplify the installation and maintenance of enclosed equipment.