Walk it before you pull it
Every professional installation starts with a route survey: duct condition and occupancy, manhole access, bend points, entrance facilities, and hazards (power crossings, gas, water). From the survey come the pull plan (direction, intermediate assist points, figure-eighting locations), the cable order (length + 10% service slack + closure loops), and the permits.
Tension, radius, lubrication
Three numbers govern every pull: maximum pulling tension (from the datasheet; ~600 lbf / 2700 N is a common default), minimum bend radius (20× OD dynamic, 10× static), and duct fill ratio. Long or multi-bend duct pulls demand lubrication and mid-assist; monitored pulling with a tension gauge or breakaway swivel is the difference between an installation and a latent fault. Always pull on strength members via a grip or swivel — never on the jacket alone, never on fibers.
Aerial and direct-buried notes
Aerial lashed or ADSS cable follows pole-loading and clearance rules; sag and span charts are engineering documents, not suggestions. Direct-buried cable needs depth per local code, warning tape above, and armored construction; tracer wire or markers make it findable in ten years.
Handover of the physical plant
Slack loops coiled and secured at every closure and entrance, ducts sealed against water and rodents, cables labeled at both ends and at every appearance — the installation is not finished until the next crew could take over from documents alone.