Cable Management
Fire safety in focus T
Fire safety is critical in any electrical installation – and when it comes to cables and support equipment, it’s imperative that it comes fi rst.
he risk of underspecifi ed or incorrectly secured cables coming loose in a fi re is not just a cause for concern; it poses a very real threat to life. Here, Lee Frizzell, technical director at CMP Products, gives Electrical Wholesaler an overview of the current state of the Fire Performance (FP) or Fire Rated (FR) cable and cable cleat market in the UK and provides some thoughts on what steps need to be taken to ensure safety always comes fi rst. The use of fi re rated cables has certainly come to prominence in the UK in recent years, which can only be a good thing for everyone – from installers to end users and on to emergency service responders. They can be seen in use virtually anywhere, but are most commonly installed in commercial, residential, and public spaces like universities, hospitals, and schools, where the risk of fi re poses a big threat to life. Their purpose is simple - to maintain critical electrical functionality during fi res to enable safe evacuation.
Fire rated cables, also referred to as fi re performance or fi re resistant cables, are specifi cally engineered for deployment in environments where the cable’s functionality should remain unaff ected in the event of a fi re. Typically crafted from materials capable of withstanding high temperatures and fl ames, these cables boast extreme resilience, sometimes up to 1,100°C.
When installing such cables there are two key considerations:
Maximum normal operating temperature of the cable – most cables, including fi re rated ones,
“Damaged cables can pose hazards, including tripping or, more critically, electrocution. Therefore, comprehensive fi re safety planning should integrate measures to protect fi refi ghters from cable-related dangers.”
have normal operating temperatures ranging from +70 to +90°C
Fire resistance temperature of the cable – fi re rated cables undergo testing and are rated for a duration of typically 1-2 hours, withstanding temperatures of up to 1,100°C. Despite potential destruction of the cable insulation during a fi re, the essential conductors inside the cable (protected by a metallic layer and/or mica tape) remain intact, enabling the provision of emergency/essential power supply Damaged cables can pose hazards, including tripping or, more critically, electrocution. Therefore, comprehensive fi re safety planning should integrate measures to protect fi refi ghters from cable-related dangers. Therefore, in scenarios where fi re rated cables are in use, cable cleats play a pivotal role in
providing support and securing cables during fi res or short circuits. Installers and specifi ers must ensure that the cable cleats they select have a service temperature equal to or higher than the cable’s maximum operating temperature and have been tested to safely restrain cables in extreme high temperature conditions. The fi re performance of these cable management systems needs to take into account fi re survival, fi re resistance, fl ame retardancy, fl ame propagation, smoke toxicity and emissions in exactly the same way the cables they are supporting do. This can only be proven by thorough testing prior to bringing them to market. In our case, every fi re resistant cleat has undergone testing to temperatures of 1,200°C, while also enduring periodic water spray and shock testing.
The British Standard BS 5839, which today governs fi re detection and alarm systems in buildings, now stipulates that cable supports – including cable cleats – must endure fi re, maintain circuit integrity, endure the same temperature as the cable, and provide adequate support.
This small reference to the fi re resistance of cable supports in the standard has made a world of diff erence when it comes to
24 | electrical wholesalerJune 2024
ewnews.co.uk
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