S9 PIA Pole Stepping on Congested Poles - Training & Accreditation (Northern Ireland)

Price: £380 + VAT
Duration: 1 Day
Location: Portadown, Northern Ireland

The S9 PIA Pole Stepping on Congested Poles course is a specialist accreditation designed for engineers and contractors working on the Openreach overhead network, including Northern Ireland. This module provides the essential knowledge and practical skills required to safely move top bass steps to create additional space within congested overhead pole environments, in line with current PIA (Physical Infrastructure Access) terms and conditions.

Delivered at our industry-leading ITS Training Centre in Portadown, this accreditation ensures all delegates meet Openreach standards for safe and compliant pole stepping work.

Who Should Attend?

This course is suitable for:

• Communication Providers (CP) engineers
• Telecoms contractors working within Openreach infrastructure
• Engineers carrying out overhead cable or pole-mounted work
• Personnel who require the S9 certification to continue working safely and compliantly on congested poles
• It is particularly relevant for those carrying out overhead installations, upgrades, or modifications where pole top step relocation is required.

Course Aim

The aim of this course is to provide delegates with the knowledge and practical ability to:

• Work safely on congested overhead poles
• Reposition the top bass step to create additional usable space
• Comply fully with Openreach PIA standards and overhead engineering requirements
• Understand and measure the new upper pole envelope after step adjustment

Course Objectives

On successful completion of the S9 Pole Stepping module, delegates will be able to:

• Demonstrate safe working methods for stepping on congested poles
• Accurately identify when a top bass step requires repositioning
• Move the top step downwards in compliance with the PIA specification
• Understand upper envelope limits and the correct measurement process
• Work confidently within Openreach overhead infrastructure

This accreditation formally assesses both theoretical understanding and practical capability.

Pre-Requisites

To attend the S9 PIA Pole Stepping on Congested Poles course, candidates must:

• Be fully trained in the CP’s standard method of pole access
• Hold a valid S8 – PIA Overhead Cable Installation accreditation

This ensures all delegates have the correct foundational overhead safety knowledge prior to progressing to S9.

Training Methods & Assessment

The S9 PIA Pole Stepping module consists of:

1. Knowledge Assessment (Questionnaire)

2. Practical Assessment

Successful completion of both parts is required to achieve full accreditation.