GUIDE TO
FIRE RESISTANT
CABLE FIXINGS
[2022 Edition]
GUIDE TO FIRE RESISTANT CABLE FIXINGS
This guide is given as helpful information for specifiers and installers of electrical systems in the context of
cable supports and fixings that satisfy the requirements of the 18th Edition Wiring Regulations.
18th Edition Wiring Regulations and Cable Supports The Regulation
BS7671:2018 is the 18th edition of the IET wiring Chapter 52 Selection and Erection of Wiring Systems
regulations and the British Standard covering the
Regulation 521.10.202 states ‘Wiring systems shall be
design, installation, testing and inspection of electrical
supported such that they will not be liable to premature
installations. The 18th edition came into force from
collapse in the event of a fire’ - the 18th edition
1st January 2019 and applies to all fixed wiring
introduction makes clear this now applies throughout
installations designed from this date.
the installation and not just in escape routes as in the
previous edition.
Background The following notes to the regulation explain:
In response to a number of fatal, fire related incidents Note 2: Cables installed in or on steel cable
where persons, including fire fighters, have been containment systems are deemed to meet the
entangled by falling cables, the 18th edition has requirements of this regulation.
introduced significant changes to the way that cables
Note 3: This regulation precludes, for example, the use of
are fixed. The intent of this regulation is to prevent the
non-metallic cable clips or cable ties as the sole means
possibility of cables collapsing prematurely in the event
of support where cables are clipped direct to exposed
of a fire and becoming a hazard to evacuation and
surfaces or suspended under cable tray, and the use of
fire-fighting.
non-metallic cable trunking as the sole means of support
of the cables therein.
Note 4: Suitably spaced steel or copper clips, saddles
or ties are examples that will meet the requirements of
this regulation.
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GUIDE TO FIRE RESISTANT CABLE FIXINGS
How to Apply the Regulation in Practice
Are Plastics Banned?
Plastic cable fixings have not been banned, it is just
that they can no longer be used as the sole method of
supporting cables. Plastic cable ties, clips and cable
supports must all be adequately supplemented with
metal supports. The practical difficulty with this is deciding
how often and where to position metal supports and
how to supervise that adequate metal cable fixings are
being used.
ADVICE: To be sure of compliance with the regulation
it is advisable to use metal cable supports throughout
the installation.
Selection of Suitable Cable Supports
The 18th Edition uses the term ‘premature collapse’ but
does not extend this to define exactly what premature
means. In practice it would be difficult to be more
prescriptive in a wide-ranging regulation that covers
electrical installations in all types of buildings.
However, from the point of compliance the regulation states
that, ‘suitably spaced steel or copper clips, saddles or ties
are examples that meet the requirements of this regulation’
A copper fixing will melt at the same temperature as
copper cable while a steel fixing can survive to considerably
higher temperatures. The rational is that copper or steel
fixings can be expected to prevent collapse of the wiring
system up to the melting point of the cable.
It should be noted that for safety critical wiring
systems including fire alarms, fire detection, fire- fighting,
and life safety wiring systems there are separate
regulations BS 5839-1 and BS 8519 that specifically
apply to these installations and are outside the scope
of these considerations.
ADVICE: By selecting a steel cable support it provides
a margin of safety in excess of the point at which the
cable melts.
Melting Points of Wiring System Materials
1600
1400
1400
1200
Temperature °C
1000 1084
800
600 660
400
200
170
0
Rigid PVC Aluminium Copper Steel
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GUIDE TO FIRE RESISTANT CABLE FIXINGS
Is There a Requirement for Fire Testing?
In terms of the 18th Edition regulations there is no
regulatory requirement for cable fixings to undergo fire
testing. The regulation assumes that suitable metallic
cable fixings can be relied upon to prevent premature
cable collapse.
In the absence of this requirement, any fire testing of cable
fixings is usually undertaken by responsible manufacturers
to demonstrate how their products actually perform in
the event of fire. The advantage that comes with fire
tested products is the added assurance of knowing they
will do what they say and importantly for how long. This is
valuable information for fire risk assessments and inclusion
in building information files.
It should be noted that there are currently no fire rating
tests for the performance of cable management systems
and cable fixings are often tested to the fire test standards
used for emergency cable systems. However, in the context
of the 18th Edition these tests seldom reflect the typical
installation conditions the clips are actually used in. More
meaningful tests for general wiring systems will test the
clips, ties, fixings and substrate together.
ADVICE: Whenever possible select a cable fixing with
suitable fire testing. This mitigates risk and gives
increased assurance for all the parties involved.
Case Study
MIDFIX Firesafe Tie Mounts are used with cordless nail guns for fixing cables and cable bundles in commercial and
residential property. Being exceptionally quick and effortless makes this one of the most popular cable fixing methods
in use. Additionally, Firesafe is 18th Edition compliant and has been independently fire resistance tested for 2 hours.
Fire tests performed by BRE Global were designed to replicate the real-life situation in which the cable fixings are
used. This involved fixing cable tie mounts to concrete ceiling slabs of different compressive strengths using the
recommended sizes of Spit Pulsa hard concrete pins. Loads up to 2.5kg were attached to the clips using MIDFIX FRT
steel cable ties and tested in a furnace to the temperature conditions of BS EN 1363-1:2020
MIDFIX Firesafe Tie Mounts endured the 2-hour fire resistance test with a maximum recorded temperature of 1056°C.
This successfully demonstrated the suitability of the mounts, cable ties and nail fixings when used as a cable fixing
system to support loads up to 2.5kg from concrete for up to 2 hours in the event of fire.
(For full details see: BRE Global Fire Test Report – P121261-1001)
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GUIDE TO FIRE RESISTANT CABLE FIXINGS
Spacing of Cable Supports
Note 4 of regulation 521.10.202 which relates to the
prevention of risks from cable entanglement in the
event of fire states that cable supports should be
‘suitably spaced’
‘Suitably spaced’ should be assessed in the context of
each installation and consider the sag effect on cables
during fires to make sure they will not become
a hazard.
In addition, other regulations within BS7671:2018 that
address the suitable support of cables from the aspect
of circuit integrity should be taken into consideration.
ADVICE: A suggested approach to deciding what
‘suitably spaced’ means:
1. Determine the correct cable support spacings for
circuit integrity following the cable manufacturers
recommendations and the IET ‘Selection and
Erection Guidance Notes’ - These should be the
maximum cable support spacings for the cables.
2. Then for the purpose of cable entanglement risks,
ensure that suitable fire-resistant supports are
placed at the following maximum centres:
Cables installed horizontally across doorways
and windows: 250mm
Cables installed vertically: 400mm
Cables installed to ceilings: 1000mm
These spacings should be reduced if necessary in
consideration of the specific installation conditions and
load carrying capacity of the supports.
Which Fixings?
Having selected the appropriate fire-resistant supports
for the installation it is essential that these are fixed using
all-steel fixings. Plastic and nylon wall plugs and similar
fixings cannot be relied upon to secure the installation
from premature collapse in the event of fire.
ADVICE: Plastic and nylon wall plugs and all similar
fixings should not be used for fixing fire-resistant cable
supports. Use all-steel fixings such as masonry screws,
steel expansion plugs and cordless nail fixings.
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GUIDE TO FIRE RESISTANT CABLE FIXINGS
Product Selection Guide
Product Application Fixed With
Firesafe Tie Mounts Cables And Cable Bundles Cordless Nailing Tools
Metal Push Mounts Cables And Cable Bundles Push In - No Fixings Required
Steel Cable Ties Cables And Cable Bundles Tensioning Tool Recommended
Metal Cable Harness Cable Bundles Blue Screws/ Wall Screws/ Steel Plugs
Conduit Clips Cables in Plastic Conduit Blue Screws/ Wall Screws/ Steel Plugs
Steel Conduit Saddles Cables in Plastic Conduit Blue Screws/ Wall Screws/ Steel Plugs
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GUIDE TO FIRE RESISTANT CABLE FIXINGS
Product Selection Guide
Product Application Fixed With
U-Clips Cables in Plastic Trunking Blue Screws/ Wall Screws/ Steel Plugs
Steel-P-Clips Plastic conduit and single cables Cordless Nailing Tools
Firefix Clips Fire-rated Cables Cordless Nailing Tools
Stag Clips Single and Double Cables Push-in - No Fixings Required
The information contained in this document is published in good faith and is believed to be accurate and correct. Midland
Fixings Limited accept no liability for any decisions or consequential losses or damages that can be attributed to information
or opinions contained in this document.
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Midland Fixings Ltd,
The Parrs, Lilac Grove,
Beeston, Nottingham NG9 1PJ
Call 0115 922 1585
Email sales@[Link]
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