New BEAMA guidance and technical specification supports safer wiring systems in fire conditions
Posted by: electime 22nd September 2026
When wiring systems are not properly supported, they can become a serious hazard during a fire. To help the electrical supply chain meet the requirements of Regulation 521.10.202 of the IET Wiring Regulations, BS 7671:2018+A4:2026, BEAMA’s Cable Management Products Group (CMPG) and Cable Management Technical Committee (CMTC) have published two new pieces of guidance.
These expertly developed, free publications are Premature Collapse: A guide to the design, installation and inspection of cable management systems, and a companion Prevention of Premature Collapse Technical Specification. Together, they support and assist installers, specifiers and manufacturers ensure cable containment and support are designed, installed, specified and manufactured so wiring systems are not liable to premature collapse in practice.
Designed to sit alongside and support understanding of BS 7671, the guidance sets out the risk zones, fixing considerations and inspection points to address when designing, installing and maintaining cable management systems. It includes a zoning system developed, using the cellulosic fire curve to apply indicative fire temperatures across different areas of an installation.
The Premature Collapse guide and Technical Specification are intended to support fire safety, containment performance and reliability across electrical installations. They build on BEAMA’s ongoing work to promote best practice across the cable management industry and reflect renewed scrutiny of fire safety across the built environment since the Grenfell Tower fire, the Hackitt Report and the UK Government’s Building a Safer Future – An Implementation Plan.
Nick Hayler, CEng MIET, Head of Building Electrical Systems at BEAMA, comments: “Wiring systems that are not properly supported can become a serious hazard in a fire, obstructing escape routes and firefighter access as conditions deteriorate. That’s why we developed this guide and Technical Specification with technical experts from our Cable Management Products Group and Cable Management Technical Committee. Together, they give the supply chain a clearer, shared view of what ‘not liable to premature collapse’ means in practical site conditions and are free to download to help inform design, installation and inspection checklists across the industry.”
Find out more about the work of BEAMA’s Cable Management Products Group (CMPG) here.
Both documents are available to download free of charge.
Download Premature Collapse: A guide to the design, installation and inspection of cable management systems, developed by the BEAMA Cable Management Products Group (CMPG), here.
Download the Prevention of Premature Collapse Technical Specification, developed by the BEAMA Cable Management Technical Committee (CMTC), here.
BEAMA is the UK’s national trade association for energy systems and infrastructure. Its Cable Management Products Group (CMPG) consists of leading companies that manufacture cable containment and support systems for the safe distribution of power and data across buildings. Its members provide quality cable management solutions backed by specialist technical knowledge and support. Visit beama.org.uk to learn more and contact BEAMA Cable Management Products Group members.
