Fire resistant sleeving plays an important role in wider industrial fire safety across a whole range of applications and industrial settings. A fire protective sleeve provides protection for critical components that are situated in locations of extreme heat and where there is the potential for the ignition of fire and the spread of flames. Specialised sleeves such as this are important to protect hydraulic applications, to offer a layer of protection for electrical wires, hoses, and pipes, ensuring that an optimal level of performance is achieved consistently and in the case of a fire, what’s beneath the sleeve is protected and flames are prevented from spreading further.
What is a fire sleeve?
A fire sleeve is a protective covering that layers around wires, cables, and hoses, preventing them from catching fire or spreading flame should there be a fire outbreak. It works by eliminating exposure to fire, reducing the levels of heat and the spread of smoke. By doing so, fire sleeves play a critical role in industrial fire safety procedures, providing more time for the evacuation of any individual present and the response to the fire.
How does a fire sleeve function?
The design of fire sleeves was developed to function to a high level in places where temperatures are extreme, made from durable materials such as fibreglass or silicone, and offering great levels of protection against heat. Not only do fire sleeves protect against extreme heat, but also against molten metal splash within metalworking industries, and also chemical abrasion and other interactions within a wide range of industrial industries such as the automotive industry, the aerospace sector, mining, or the marine sector, to name just a few. They are designed to repel chemical and liquid splashes, without causing any damage to the wiring or cables that they are protecting.
Types of fire sleeve
Below are some of the different types of fire sleeve available to protect cables, wires, and hoses from extreme heat and exposure to flames:
1. Industrial grade fire sleeves
Designed for use within industrial environments where there are consistently high temperatures. Made with fibreglass and coated with silicone, these are resistant to heat, abrasion, and chemical interactions.
2. Thermal sleeves
For locations where cables and hoses are exposed to high temperatures over a prolonged period of time. Perfect for the automotive and aerospace industries where there is a high need to protect cabling.
3. Fire protection sleeves
Designed to protect pipes from damage by fire, remaining fully intact and functional in the face of a fire. Ideal for infrastructure building projects where there is a need for the structural integrity of pipe systems.
The benefits of a fire sleeve
The benefits of a fire sleeve are key, including:
1. Heat resistance and insulation
Fire sleeves are designed to withstand extremely high temperatures, making them perfect for protecting wires, cables and hoses in these environments, preventing overheating and maintaining critical function levels.
2. Durability
They are designed to be robust and flexible to work in a wide range of industries, protecting various shapes and sizes of cables and hoses without suffering from wear and tear.
3. Safety and compliance
Fire standards and industry-specific safety standards and regulations are vital for continuing operations in any industry. Implementing the use of fire sleeves plays an important role in meeting strict safety standards.
Fire sleeves protect important cables, wires, and hoses in a wide variety of applications and industries that function within extreme temperatures. Maintaining high levels of operational efficiency while keeping high safety levels is vital in any line of work, and fire sleeves provide this peace of mind.
