Concerns about cables

I, too, have witnessed the current uncertainty within the industry when it comes to the specification of cables to meet the fire-fighting requirements of BS7346-6. The title “Components for Heat and Smoke Control Systems” hardly assists the uninitiated in identifying the relevance of the standard to the selection of fire performance cables.

Attention has now been drawn to the document published in 2005, with its reference being included within the Building Regulations Approved Document B, which comes into force this month.

We at Hilson Moran have been tracking with interest the developments of the various cable technologies being offered by the manufacturers, and also their changing capabilities in terms of place of manufacture and available range of products.

The installation of mineral-insulated cable has become unpopular because of the increased material and installation costs, and this has subsequently led to the demise of the UK manufacturing capabilities for this type of cable. There is also a skills shortage when it comes to the trained and experienced operatives required to install the larger sizes of mineral-insulated cable.

We note that there are a number of new cables under development which should achieve the fire survival time of 120 minutes, as required for fire fighting systems. However, until these new cables achieve the necessary third-party approval, we have recommended to a number of senior building control officers that a transitional period be adopted until the end of 2007, by which time the cable developments should be more advanced.

Tony Mayo CEng, MIET, MCIBSE project director, Hilson Moran Partnership