Safe-D Spring Clip (pack of 50), Fire Clips Spring Steel Clip 18th Edition Compliant

The 18th Edition Wiring Regulations brought about a great number of rules to improve the safety of electrical installations, including the fact that cable supports have to be fire-rated. These included an extensive segment on fire-rated cables and their importance in the collapse of buildings due to fires. We have discussed this issue previously on Sparks in this article, where we outlined how many cable supports are not sufficient to withstand extreme heat caused by fire. This can be disastrous as cables are crucial in supporting the integrity of buildings and should be resilient against extreme events. The consequences of cable supports not being strong enough can be fatal. Between 2005 and 2015, 12 fire-fighters died while on the job - and two-thirds of those deaths were caused by cable entanglement. This is why a solution to inadequate cabling is so important, and why fire-rated cables and clips are the way forward. The Safe-D clips from D-Line are a prime example of these essential products. The overlooked problem of cable management in fire safety The entrapment of firefighters in displaced cabling is well documented. It has been a leading factor in both firefighter injuries and fatalities. Entanglement is often the result of securing cabling using plastic products or fastenings. The most commonly used fastenings in older buildings are plastic trunking or conduit (PVC) and cable ties (PP and Nylon). This article goes into more detail about the science of why using these materials is so dangerous and can lead to catastrophe. So why was cable management not taken seriously in the construction industry for so many decades? It unfortunately took a tragedy - the burning of the Grenfell tower in 2017 - for the UK government and building industry to take a hard look at the issue. Following the Grenfell disaster, the ‘Hackitt’ report was published, which called for a ‘risk-based approach’. This approach would highlight the importance of the transparency of information between local governments and building contractors. This transparency did not exist in the building industry for a number of reasons, as certain liberties were taken with the 17th Edition Regulations. The 17th Edition was ambiguous and unclear on the issue of cable management, which was a massive oversight. Cable management is evidently one of the most crucial parts of any electrical installation: it provides the physical barrier between electrical cables and building fabric. However, prior to the 18th Edition, there were no mandatory fire-testing requirements for cabling, either within building or wiring regulations. This left those in charge of cable management networks with very little information to work with and even emboldened some to take shortcuts regarding cables and cable supports. The 18th Edition demands Fire-rated cable supports that will protect installations Cable installations must now be secured in a non-combustible way, according to 18th Edition guidelines. Rather than the cheaper plastic ‘trunking’ that was used previously, steel fixings and containment systems are now a legal requirement. Under testing, the cable installations must be able to withstand temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees Celsius for at least 2 hours. This amount of time should be more than enough for everyone in a building to evacuate if there is a fire outbreak. These fire-rated cable supports are a vast improvement of course, on the plastic, PVC and nylon alternatives which would melt at temperatures as low as 150 degrees Celsius. In cases where PVC trunking and conduits are used, they must now legally be secured by non-combustible fixings which will not disintegrate. D-Line offers an affordable and effective answer for cable management D-Line, a company that specialises in ‘innovative’ cable management solutions, has brought out a line of ‘Safe-D’ products that meets the new regulations. They have been fully tested to ensure they are in compliance with BS5839 part 1 of the 18th Edition. Sparks sell a range of these innovative, life-saving products which you can find here. The installation of cables using Safe-D clips must be done in accordance with strict guidelines. For horizontal cables, there should be spacings of 300mm between clips and 400mm spaces on vertical installations. Rigorous testing has shown the integrity and flexibility of Safe-D Cable Clips. They can be fully loaded with the cable weight and spaced at ceiling planes at 500mm centres, whilst still holding the cabling securely. It is still recommended that the Safe-D Clips be spaced closer together. Wider spacing always runs the risk of cable sagging and short-circuiting, so it is important to measure these spacings carefully. All D-Line products can be used in conjunction with D-Fixing screws, which have specially domed heads designed to optimise space for the Safe-D clips. They have a length of 40mm which, once embedded, offers excellent pull-load resistance and load-bearing. All D-Line products give due diligence to the 18th Edition regulations, and recognise their importance. They offer a whole range of Fire-rated clips, including the flexible Spring Clip. If you are looking to work on an electrical installation safely, and wish to follow the 18th Edition regulations then look no further than these D-Line clips and cable supports! These products eliminate the risk of fires that cause fatal cable entanglements, while blending seamlessly into modern surroundings - and all at a very affordable price.

The 18th Edition Wiring Regulations have brought in a whole new set of guidelines for staying safe when using electrics at home or at work, from RCD protection to fire rated cable supports. This includes an important section on fire-rated cable clips and how they may prove to be lifesavers in events of fire outbreaks, if certain standards are met. We have discussed aspects of the 18th Edition previously, advising contractors to keep on top of their surge protection knowledge. We here at Sparks firmly believe in the importance of these regulations, as the building of electrical installations is always potentially dangerous. In this article, we will go in-depth on a pioneering invention from the company D-Line, which may prove to save many lives. The dangers of insubstantial support cables It is now a widely appreciated fact that electrical installations must not rely only on plastic clips or saddles, or PVC trunking and conduits, to support cables. These kind of plastics typically melt at only 150°C. When considering that a typical fire can become as hot as 525 - 1000 degrees, this is obviously not sufficient. Copper wires can survive temperatures of up to 1085 degrees. However, it is unlikely that all your electrical installations use copper wiring, and it is not safe to presume that they do. There is unfortunately a legacy of lives lost due to cable entanglement and collapse during fires. Of the twelve firefighters killed on the job in between 2005 and 2016 in the UK, two thirds died due to cable entanglement. The unfortunate reasons for these fatalities is that these cable supports were simply not designed with fire safety in mind - they are not fire rated cable supports. This is simply unacceptable, and the 18th Edition is looking to remedy this fatal problem. Thankfully, D-Line has stepped up to help ensure that our electrical wiring and support cables are safer. Spring Clip with D-Line: the solution to cable entanglement and collapse The terrible legacy of deaths caused by cable entanglement and collapse created a solid response. The idea was that, moving forward, fixings must always be able to withstand the stresses of fires and extreme heat. D-Line were one of the first companies to offer fire-rated solutions for use in either direct-to-surface or PVC trunkings. They proved to be massively popular among contractors and installers, even well before the 18th Edition regulations came out. Since 2009, over ten million of D-Line’s U-Clips have been installed - which is an attestment to their efficiency and cost-effectiveness. D-Line’s U-Clips are extremely affordable. We here at Sparks sell them for prices as low as £8.98 for a pack of 20 - surely worth the price for a product that could save lives. The engineering of the U-Clips The U-Clips are manufactured in the UK from specified high-temperature and pliable steel. They have a base hole for screw-fixing and comfortable sides that can be simply folded over to secure cables. If you are looking for more space, they also come in a flat-form options called F-Clips. These have notches that enable forming in seconds to a variety of shapes, while larger versions have tabs that can be return-folded and are lockable. Installers now fully appreciate how supplying cables flat is very user-friendly and space-efficient. This is demonstrated perfectly with the popularity of D-Line’s F-Clips.The usefulness of D-Lines Spring Clips A key reason for the existence of this kind of clips is compliance with the 18th Edition Regulations. However, regulatory compliance is not the only benefit to be reaped from these kind of clips - as shown with the Spring Clip. The steel that they are produced from is sprung-tensioned and specified in a way that means it can withstand heat of up to 1200 degrees Celsius. The design itself is remarkable in its simplicity. It is a 50mm long arm that stems from an eyelet that can easily hold a screw-fixing. The Spring Clip is also blessed with versatility which means it can be positioned either in trunking or direct-to-surface instances at a variety of angles. This versatility means it can be swivelled in whichever way you require, to make for a more effective clamp that is able to hold down cables onto surfaces; these are fire rated cable supports. The practical design of the Spring Clips The Spring Clips come with all types of handy features that lend them many practical uses. The angle-of-fixing is adjustable, yet it is only 8mm tall, so these patent-pending Spring Clips are the perfect choice for Size 1 micro-trunkings. The aesthetics and feel of the clips are pleasing. Users admire the lack of sharp features and the heightened kink along the arm that minimises the risk of damage to soft-skin cables. D-Line Clips are effective and safe to use in any area of your home. For instance, the D-Line Safe-D products include a D-Fixing screw that saves the need for wall-plugs. The Spring Clip has been proven to hold cables effectively for two hours in temperatures reaching up to 970 degrees Celsius. This means that if you were to experience a house fire, there would be no immediate fear of support cable collapse. So do not live in fear that your cables are not strong enough and may be susceptible to entanglement or collapse. Purchase the trusted Spring Clips and U-clips from D-Line today - or another clip from their excellent range to make sure you have fire rated cable supports for your wiring.