FEATURE CABLING & CABLE MANAGEMENT DON’T PLAY WITH FIRE
There are a multitude of costs, hazards and disruptions associated with fire stopping removal and replacement when cabling is altered, added or upgraded. Here, Nigel Leaver of Legrand’s cable management business explains
materials, the building would be exposed to the rapid spread of flames and smoke. As soon as cabling needs to be added or
the configuration has to be changed, either a fresh exit point has to be made or the fire stopping material has to be removed so that changes can be made to the existing entry/exit point. Once the fire stopping is compromised, the building ceases to be adequately protected against the risk of fire until the material has been replaced. Monitoring the compliance of fire
M
aximising the service life of a building and delivering greater
sustainability and better value whole life costs are key requirements for buildings these days and, as such, future-proofing has become something of a buzzword in the construction industry. However, in some environments future- proofing the cabling installation is not simply a ‘just in case’ measure. This is because at some point in the future the cabling configuration will need to change and, when this happens the changes need to be made with minimal costs, disruption and business interruption while maintaining safety. Therefore, when selecting fire stopping methods, these goals must be taken into consideration.
CONVENTIONAL FIRE STOPPING As part of building installations, when cables and cable management are fed through walls or floors a gap is created. For the wall to maintain its fire rating and be able to prevent the rapid spread of flames and smoke, this gap needs to be filled. This process is known as fire stopping and usually involves the application of a fire resistant stone wool, pillow, putty or other sealing material, which usually hardens to form a permanent seal. This process is time consuming, despite
being relatively straightforward and inexpensive. Moreover, it is usually carried out as one of the final fix jobs and, in the event of a fire prior to installation of any fire stopping
16 SEPTEMBER 2014 | ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
compartmentation is often difficult because visual inspections may be hampered by concealed cable routes. In some environments, where there are frequent changes to the cabling installation, estates managers may even bring in fire stopping specialists at intervals to inspect the building and carry out replacement fire stopping en masse, leaving the building exposed to increased risk in between those periods.
A NEW APPROACH The alternative to conventional fire stopping material is a mechanical fire stopping device such as EZ-Path. Designed to offer a permanent fire stopping solution, it is a simple box like sleeve that is fitted into the wall or floor aperture and is available in varying sizes depending on the amount of cabling and level of future-proofing required. The solution is supplied as two main
components - the EZ-Path devices, which are available in three sizes and can be fitted as singles or grouped together, and the fixing plates, which cater for different installation scenarios. The plates are supplied with intumescent seals to ensure a compliant installation without requiring the purchase of any additional fire stopping materials. EZ-Path works thanks to the
intumescent material that fills the metal casing. This material allows cables to be pushed through the wall or floor aperture and seals around them. In the event of fire, heat causes the material to expand, strengthening the seal and creating a flame, smoke and air-proof barrier. Mechanical devices such as EZ-Path
can be installed as a future-proofing measure, with mains and permanent supplies installed using traditional fire stopping methods. Later additions can then be catered for by using mechanical devices without the need to disrupt any existing cable routes or remove the original fire stopping material. In terms of future-proofing, a system
of this kind provides the most flexible and convenient solution without the potential risks associated with waiting for fire stopping material to be replaced or the disruption to normal operations of any added fire stopping works.
Above: Nigel Leaver, lead marketing manager for Legrand’s cable management business
Left and below: mechanical devices such as EZ-Path can be installed as a
future-proofing measure
READY FOR CHANGE Legrand understands how frequently cabling requirements can change and how business critical it is to implement those changes as quickly and efficiently as possible. It’s an issue that affects many sectors, including data centres where co-location facilities require frequent cabling changes for new occupiers and hospitals where reconfiguration of space leads to reconfiguration of electrical and data services. Similar issues also exist across a number of commercial sectors and public buildings, including offices, schools and shopping centres. All rely on cabling installations and most will need to change the cabling layout or
increase the amount of cabling at some point. Adapting the cable management is the easy part - ensuring that the building is continuously protected by an effective, permanent and flexible fire stopping solution is now simple too, but it requires a new approach to future-proofing.
Legrand
www.legrand.co.uk T: 0870 608 9000
Enter 205 / ELECTRICALENGINEERING
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