Rules and Guidelines
Want to participate in the discussions? Please read our Community Rules and Guidelines. Need some help? Visit Support and Answers.

  • State Not Answered
  • Replies 5 replies
  • Subscribers 37 subscribers
  • Views 101 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
You may also be interested in

When and where to retro fit fire clips if at all

Daniel S Robinson

Hi every one, I have a question relating to fire clipping in trunking, conduit and any other cable management systems.

Following the release of the new best practice guide 4 in March 2025, I see the C3 option has been removed for cables not supported against premature collapse, now there is only a C2 option. 

Just wondering what other people are doing here, we have about 37,000 property's a large number of those will have trunking or conduit.

In communal areas we have started to fire clip cabling but in the property's themselves currently we are not. This follows an NICEIC inspection a few years ago where I was told communal area yes C2, flat probably C3.

I appreciate you only have to fire clip where it could cause entrapment, but some of the trunking is that old and brittle it would break if you remove the lid.

Another point of contention is using the fire screws. Some posts you read red plugs are fine but if you look at the proper tests it says they are not.

I'm thinking for retrofitting leave the red plugs, for new work install the fire screws.

This is backed up by the electrical safety councils comment.

Does any one have any thoughts on either of these matters please.

Thank You

Daniel

  • 0

    youtu.be/4i-bsqtxyS8

  • 0 in reply to Sparkingchip

    www.shropshirefire.gov.uk/.../11-coroners-rule-43-letter.pdf

  • 0

    I am surprised that there aren't products on the market than can't be retrofitted over trunking without having to remove the lid. I know not suitable for all situations but very useful in areas where it doesn't matter too much what it looks like such as industrial areas or corridors and passages. 

    Gary

  • 0
    Daniel S Robinson said:
    Following the release of the new best practice guide 4 in March 2025, I see the C3 option has been removed for cables not supported against premature collapse, now there is only a C2 option.

    It is only a guide.

    Daniel S Robinson said:
    but some of the trunking is that old and brittle it would break if you remove the lid.

    So past its sell-by date in any event.

  • 0 in reply to aligarjon

    I am surprised that there aren't products on the market than can't be retrofitted over trunking

    I have in a couple of situations, used BuildersBand (spray painted white) to put around existing 50x50 trunking. IMO it's preferable to have metal supports outside the trunking when it contains unsheathed singles, as then you're not by-passing the insulating properties of the trunking itself. Having only basic insulation between live conductors and the clips, which are then in contact via the screws with whatever the substrate might be - in these days of foil backed plasterboard, resilient bar and steel studs etc. isn't really in the spirit of chapter 41.

    As for plastic wall plugs, I reckon they're OK if the screw would likely stay in place if only gravity was pulling on it and the plug had been omitted - e.g. a horizontal hole (in a wall say) and a decent length of screw I reckon it would normally be fine. Underneath a ceiling, I'd have my doubts.

       - Andy.

Community Rules & Guidelines