[ Technical: FAQs ]
nDelivery details, to enable confirmation and help prevent theft of cable from site.
Does a cable need to be marked in order for it to be safe to use? Contractors should check their cables for manufacturers’ and third-party approval markings. While there is no legal requirement for manufacturers to place their name on the cable, most do, and all should have their name on the packaging. In order to conform to cable standards, specific marking is required. Unmarked cable, with no manufacturer’s name
or details, should give rise for concern. With such products there is no traceability, so it is impossible to take action where there is an issue.
What about cables that have been marked fraudulently? Fraudulent markings present a particular challenge, as it is often difficult to tell that a
cable is not manufactured to the appropriate standard for its use merely by looking at it. So much so that many organisations, throughout the supply chain, are not even aware of the seriousness of the problem. All in the electrical supply chain should routinely check cable markings and cable reels to look for a manufacturer’s identification that they recognise. Never accept cable without markings, especially if no details of the manufacturer are included. On site, there are further checks that can be
completed at the point of delivery. Here, it is important to check what has been purchased and inspect the product. Is it what has been specified, or has an inferior product been substituted? It is important to make sure records of purchases
and deliveries are maintained so that what has been installed can be checked against what has been purchased – and against the original specification. Maintaining a quality management system to ISO 9001 can help in this instance.
Apart from BASEC, which other independent organisations are qualified
and authorised to certify cables to meet British Standards? As a minimum, contractors should purchase cable with independent third-party
certification – for example with a HAR, BASEC or LPCB mark – and it’s important to verify with each order the British Standard number to which the cable should comply. The ACI is encouraging change at BASEC, LPCB and HAR to tighten up surveillance rules on manufacturers, to make it easier to identify non-compliant cable. Already BASEC’s rules have been reinforced and enhanced. Changes include unannounced client visits, assessment of clients using a risk-based approach, new requirements on product recalls, and the introduction of new logos to differentiate between different approvals.
Never accept cable without markings,
especially if no details of the manufacturer are included
We have found reference to British Standards on cables in a recent order but
have been unable to locate a CE Mark on either the cable or the drum – are these cables safe without the CE Mark or manufacturer’s details? Is there any guidance on CE marking? All cable sold into the EU market should carry the CE Mark. It is not a safety mark, but it will
prove useful in tracing the route of the cable from OEM to distributor or wholesaler.
Can a cable manufactured in China print H07V-K on its catalogue sheet? We are
aware that some companies in China claim that as long as this reference is not marked on the cable, printing H07V-K on the catalogue does not mean that the cable is harmonised. Is this correct? The quick answer is that there are so many companies in China prepared to take a risk in
providing product that is not up to standard, or that is improperly marked, that any claim of conformity should be very carefully checked. In order to conform to the relevant harmonised
standard, the harmonised code designation such as H07V-K must be marked on the cable and, hence, it should be on the catalogue sheet too. National standards, such as British Standards, are now being fully replaced by harmonised standards, and it will not be permissible to omit the code from the cable. Chinese manufacturers are, however, not entitled to use the <HAR> approval mark.
nFor further information about the ACI and to sign up for news alerts and regular updates, visit the ACI website at
www.aci.org.uk, call 020 8946 6978 or email
info@aci.org.uk
Approved Cables Initiative
The Approved Cables Initiative (ACI), an industry-wide working group, is highlighting the dangers of unsafe, substandard and counterfeit cable to the cable supply industry (electrical and data) and the general public. Its work focuses upon communicating that such cable is dangerous
and that there is a gap in current legislation and enforcement. It is currently pushing for changes to UK legislation to stop dangerous cable being imported, and to increase the penalties for infringements. Anyone with information or concerns about a suspected faulty
or counterfeit cable should contact the ACI, which will test samples and, if these are found to be unsafe, supply details to relevant industry regulators and legislators. The ACI can also provide guidance, where appropriate, to installers. The ACI works with supply chain representative bodies, including:
the ECA; Electrical Distributors Association (EDA); Electrical Safety Council (ESC); British Approvals Service for Cables (BASEC); British Cables Association (BCA); Energy Networks Association (ENA); Ascertiva; SELECT; and the Joint Industry Board (JIB).
November 2012 ECA Today 65
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