It may not sustain if lifted laying flat. Note: Always store and move the drums in upright position. In no case, should the drums be stored 'on the flat' that is with flange horizontal. This Applications Engineering Note (AE Note) addresses common issues regarding cable pay-off during outside plant installations known as cable squirting, cable tangling during payoff, and reel storage. Which of the following should be avoided when transporting or storing cable reels? A. Lift heavy reels using a crane or forklift. Optical fiber cables should not be turned over many times to avoid the integrity of the internal structure of the. Where reels are supplied with protective material fitted over the cable, the protection should remain in place until the cable will be installed.