• • • CABLES & CONNECTORS • • •


Electrical safety body supports campaign by AEI Cables on Category 3 Control fire performance cables


The campaign by AEI Cables to highlight the revised version of the Code of Practice for Category 3 Control fire performance cables which says only approved cabling should be used in signal and control equipment has won support from a major electrical safety industry body


E


lectrical Safety First has come out as another industry body lending its weight behind the message to improve information


and compliance to the Code. Martyn Allen, technical


director of Electrical Safety First, said: “Electrical Safety First strongly supports this initiative and all those that improve the fire safety of cables - particularly those in high rise residential buildings - which provide more time for evacuation and also help reduce the extent of fire damage and cost. “The Code of Practice is a


great way to encourage designers, specifiers and insurers to ensure compliant, approved fire rated cables are installed in new builds and major refits, as cables will be installed for a significant period of time.” Electrical Safety First follows the fire safety


membership body The Institution of Fire Prevention Officers (IFPO) in supporting the initiative. Electrical Safety First is a campaigning charity


that aims to reduce deaths and injuries caused by electricity in UK homes, working with the Government, the electrical industry, manufacturers, retailers and consumer safety organisations to improve safety regulation and standards. AEI Cables has been highlighting the


importance of the systems powered by these cables – including smoke and heat extraction systems – in assisting fire services in the case of firefighting and a safe evacuation in the case of life safety. The new revised Code of Practice under


BS8519 applies to all Category 3 Control fire performance cables. The applications of Category 3 Control fire


performance cables also applies to evacuation alarms for the disabled in care homes, emergency voice communications systems and voice alarm systems in relevant buildings including tall buildings, office spaces, hospitals, care homes, shopping malls and stadia. The new Code is intended to inform and guide


designers, contractors, fire engineers, regulators and enforcers including building control bodies, fire authorities, Health & Safety inspectors and equipment suppliers and manufacturers. The gives guidance and recommendations on the selection and installation of fire-resistant power


32 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • APRIL 2022 electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk


and control cable systems that need to maintain their circuit integrity for life safety and fire-fighting. It is primarily intended for use in buildings


which, due to their size, height, form or use, require the installation of life safety and fire- fighting systems, e.g. sprinkler pumps, wet riser pumps, smoke control systems, fire-fighting and evacuation lifts or other systems as required by a fire engineering strategy. Category 3 Control fire performance cables


reduce harmful smoke, toxic gases and flame spread in the event of a real fire. Indeed, these cables also help fire and rescue services to fight a fire and evacuate people in the event of an incident so we shouldn’t underestimate their importance. The standard clearly references and clarifies the


products and levels of performance that should be used from specifiers to contractors and installers. BS 8519:2020 makes reference to the


recommendations of BS 9999 and BS 9991, with regard to the design and installation of the electrical distribution systems for life safety and fire-fighting equipment. It also makes reference to three categories of circuits required to maintain their circuit integrity


under defined fire conditions for varying fire survival times of 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 120 minutes. Appropriate cable tests are identified for each


cable category derived from applicable British Standards assessing cable performance under conditions of fire as might be expected in an actual fire incident. BS 8519:2020 also aims to ensure that the level


of circuit fire integrity is not compromised by other components of the whole electrical distribution system, including cable glands, terminations, joints and cable support systems. AEI Cables is the only supplier in the UK with


independent approval from LPCB for BS8519 Category 3 Control fire performance cables with a fire survival time of up to 120 minutes. AEI Cables’ Firetec Enhanced cabling has


been approved and certified by LPCB to BS8519 (Annex B), Category 3 Control in addition to Category 2 Control.The BS Code of Practice under BS8519 contains six categories of cables, three for power cables and three for control cables each covering survival times of 30, 60 or 120 minutes.


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