Fire-proof cable cleats manufactured by Ellis have been installed throughout the new BP4 Tower at Canary Wharf, London.
Designed specifically for installation with fire protection (FP) rated cables, the Phoenix cleats are manufactured in 316L stainless steel and are both fire-proof and corrosion resistant. They were specified by Hilson Moran through Ellis’ UK distributor, ETS Cable Components and installed by electrical contractor, Phoenix ME.
“In order for FP rated cables to continue working in an emergency they need to remain intact and in place,” said Ellis’ UK sales director, Paul Nolan.
“If these cables aren’t properly restrained then the risks are clear – the loss of vital services and the likelihood of live cables falling and causing potentially lethal hazards.”
Working in conjunction with Exova Warringtonfire, BRE and ETS, Ellis initially developed its Phoenix range in 2011. Prior to launch the products underwent a wide range of tests, including exposure to fire, impact and water spray, all of which combined to ensure that the range offers fire protection to the same level as the cables it is installed to protect.
“Any building should strive to ensure that the products used to protect the emergency systems are the best available, but when you consider BP4 is a 130m, 23 storey, 530,000ft2 development in the heart of one of London’s key business districts, then it’s fair to say that in this instance it was an absolute imperative,” continued Nolan.
During 2013, Ellis called for a ban on the use of plastic products as the sole means of cable support in areas where fallen cables may put fire fighters’ lives at risk. This widely publicised call has resulted in a forthcoming change to building regulations.
“Everything we do, whether with Phoenix or our other products, is done with safety at the forefront of our minds,” added Nolan. “Electrical cables are dangerous and need to be restrained in a manner that ensures they don’t become a danger to others.”
