Fire & Safety


Metal cable clips should become best practice for the industry, says HellermannTyton.


For many electricians, the plastic P clip is the default application for permanent or semi- permanent cable fixings. Whilst this product is ideally suited to floorboards, and applications where there is no risk of ceiling collapse in the event of fire, they do not comply with BS7671 standards. Of course, their comparatively lower cost makes them popular and the secure fastening they provide is making a huge difference to the electrical installation industry. However, for certain applications, such as escape routes, they can take longer to install than metal alternatives. With both metal and plastic P clips, an electrical installer needs to feed the cable in through the P part of the clip before nailing it through with a hammer. When installing a metal cable clip however, installation time is reduced since installers only have to position the clip and nail it through – there is no need to manually thread it through the P. This may not seem like much of a time saving, but if you multiply this by the number of times a contractor would typically install the product on an average job, it can add up to make a big difference for project lead times.


Resisting the urge to continue bad habits It is also important to consider the type of wear and corrosion resistance that every individual application requires before recommending plastic or metal. For example, some plastic ties and clips are unsuited to applications requiring high structural strength, such as heavy equipment components and certain building materials. It also has a low resistance threshold for corrosive elements when compared with metal. For areas where moisture is a concern, such as near to windows or doors, metal cable clips or fasteners are more suitable, as they are a lot more resistant to water, extreme temperatures, and even dirt ingress. Of course, plastic cable clips are still important


and have a vital role to play in the majority of projects that an electrical installer will carry out day-to-day, but whilst they play a crucial role in building infrastructure, they are no longer suitable for escape routes. Yet many installers still use plastic cable clips in this context because BS7671 of the Wiring Regulations only cites


public buildings as an area where plastic is no longer suitable. With the electrical market growing as leading manufacturers of cable management products, such as HellermannTyton, engineer products that are easier to install, wholesalers are increasingly trading on their reputation. As metal is now considered best practice in public buildings, the same approach should be applied to any project where escape routes require cabling. After all, any structure carries a risk of fire and it is the wholesaler’s responsibility to help lower this risk as much as possible. Plastic may be the cheaper, more convenient, and commonplace solution, but for certain applications it will not always be the most effective. To improve standards of the electrical engineering industry, regulations such as BS7671 need to be understood and carried out, with best practice applying to all types of building. Only by respecting these regulations and understanding the importance of using high


quality and approved products for every application, can the sector confidently state that it is always helping to make buildings as safe as they can possibly be. The BS7671 regulations will possibly be widened to not only include escape routes but all wiring in the future.


http://www.hellermanntyton.co.uk/ Regardless of the type of project being


worked on, wholesalers are advised to stock products that meet high standards of fire


resistance, particularly for escape routes and areas that may be at risk of fire.


HellermannTyton’s new metal nail clip can withstand temperatures of well over 1000°C.


www.ewnews.co.uk


August 2017 electrical wholesaler | 31


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