Electrical and electronic equipment forms an inherent part of all businesses today. And hence, effective cable management is an issue which is given great importance in work settings of all businesses. A pile of tangled cables makes the work area look messy and also poses a potential fire hazard. This is because the materials that go to make the wire jackets are inclined to catch fire easily and if by chance a fire occurs in any of the equipment around the cables or in the server room then that would cause a disaster of gigantic proportions. Therefore, the need for strategizing a fire-proof cable management plan becomes all the more significant.

Plan from the Beginning

Cable management becomes effective if it is done from the start when the equipment is being installed. If the placement of the equipment is done thoughtfully then adequate space is available between individual cables to provide ventilation besides giving a neat look to the server room or any other relevant area. Designing the routes and placement of equipment at the beginning is an essential factor that has to be borne in mind. Moreover, it is necessary to take all the precaution available to cover the cables and reduce the possibilities of fire- outbreaks.

Protective Fire-proofing Products       

Different protective products are available in the market which enhances the fire-proofing of your cables. Any one of them which best suits your working environment can be chosen.

Over-Taping: A most economical way of providing protection to the cables from impact damage, mild abrasion or vibration, over-taping can be done depending upon the needs of every work area. Several varieties of tapes exist in the market for the purpose. One of them is the colored tape which is used to denote the level of voltage and the phase of the wire and this enables the user to know the purpose of the wire.

Heat Shrink:  A versatile product it helps to insulate the cables and protect them from abrasion and environmental factors. The flame-resistant Heat Shrink tubing which has an adhesive lining provides fire-proofing to the cables of highest levels. Other advantages are diesel or chemical resistance, low index of toxicity useful for fire safety applications etc.

Cable Braiding: This affords protection to the cables from mild abrasions, impact damage or vibration and is suitable in areas where there is space constraint or flexibility is needed in working. Its flame retardant variety is suitable for environments having high temperatures.

Conduit: An electrical conduit which comes in the metal and plastic form acts as a tough yet flexible protective covering for the cables. If it is installed with sufficient sealing fittings then it can thwart the flames or vapors from reaching the live cables. Sensitive circuits are shielded from the interference of electromagnetic waves and other emissions from enclosed power cables.

Over Moulding:  This is a comprehensive strategy that gives full protection to your cables. It is more useful to shield the fragile parts of your assembly as well as connector joints such as branch joint, transition joint etc.Cable terminations are made considerably tamper proof from environmental factors as the entire length between the wire termination point and contact is safely encapsulated with this protective product.

None can predict the outbreak of a fire and hence the individual needs to take all the precautions that he can.