When cutting tensioned cables no more than _____ adjacent strands should be cut in each direction unless the structure has been collapsed and is being supported more or less uniformly. Within a building, an area within _____ feet each way of the centerline of the cable should be evacuated.

• A. Two and Five
• B. Three and Ten
• C. Four and Eight
• D. One and Twelve

Answer: (B)

Controlling how tension is released in a cut cable keeps rescuers safer and helps prevent secondary collapse. When a wire rope is cut, the load doesn’t disappear; the remaining strands must carry it, and removing too many adjacent strands at once can cause a sudden, unpredictable redistribution of force. Limiting to three adjacent strands cut in each direction slows and localizes that energy release, reducing the risk of the cable snapping back or suddenly shifting loads.

Within a building, you also must clear a safety zone around the centerline of the cable because debris and motion can extend beyond the immediate cut. Evacuating ten feet on each side of the cable centerline provides a conservative buffer against snapback, flying fragments, or shifting material as the system responds to the partial release.

Other options would either be too restrictive or too permissive and don’t align with the standard practice for managing tensioned cables in structural scenarios. The combination of three adjacent strands and ten feet reflects the tested approach for balancing effective work with personnel safety.