Apprentice answer

What happens if I accidentally cut a post-tension cable in a concrete slab

3rd YearForeman Skills & Jobsite ProductivityStop / Verify

This is a catastrophic structural safety emergency. Step away from the area immediately and notify the structural engineer, your foreman, and the General Contractor superintendent instantly.

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Plain-English answer

This is a catastrophic structural safety emergency. Step away from the area immediately and notify the structural engineer, your foreman, and the General Contractor superintendent instantly.

Post-tension steel cables are kept under tens of thousands of pounds of tension; cutting one can cause the steel cable to snap out violently through the concrete surface, causing severe structural failure or fatal injuries. Never hammer-drill or core a concrete floor slab without an active GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) scan report verifying the structural cable paths are clear.

Field checklist

This is a catastrophic structural safety emergency. Step away from the area immediately and notify the structural engineer, your foreman, and the General Contractor superintendent instantly.
Post-tension steel cables are kept under tens of thousands of pounds of tension; cutting one can cause the steel cable to snap out violently through the concrete surface, causing...

Ask Foreman

Hey boss, I’m on trade coordination and need verification before I touch this: What happens if I accidentally cut a post-tension cable in a concrete slab? Do you want me to stop here and check the approved detail, submittal, or inspector/manufacturer requirement first?

Verify before acting

Use this as training guidance. The foreman, approved drawings, project specs, manufacturer installation instructions, employer safety policy, and AHJ/code requirements always control the final answer.

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