SUPPLEMENT FEATURE CABLING & CABLE MANAGEMENT
The Construction Products Regulation - What does it mean for electrical engineers?
Most cables designed for permanent use within domestic, residential and commercial buildings will soon be subject to the new Construction Products Regulation (CPR). This becomes a legal requirement from 1 July 2017. Here, FS Cables discusses the importance of understanding how to stay compliant
T
he new regulation encourages designers and specifiers to consider
the contribution that building products make to the spread of fire. Cables are a particular concern as they can be a source of ignition if badly installed, damaged or faulty. Coupled with the fact that cables run between rooms and floors, above ceilings and are often made from flammable materials, it becomes obvious why there is a need for evaluation. The regulation classifies products into one of seven classes, but realistically only five classes will apply to cables. All products will be tested to Class Fca, the lowest class, to measure how much of a cable burns and how long it continues to burn for. This is achieved by a basic vertical flame test, which FS Cables has the facility to test in-house. If the cable passes Class Fca, it can then be tested to Class Eca. Tests at this level are conducted by an authorised test house, known as a Notified Body, and are incredibly costly. Some cable ranges have many individual sizes and each size may have to be tested. You can see how quickly costs add up, therefore many
S1 JUNE 2017 | CABLING & CABLE MANAGEMENT 2
manufacturers may only test to Class Eca. This does not mean the cable is not capable of reaching a higher rating. Classes Dca, Cca and Bca are also likely to apply to cables. Like Class Eca, the tests are conducted by a Notified Body but could potentially cost tens of thousands of pounds to classify per group of cables. At classes Cca and Bca, the factories manufacturing the cable will be regularly audited by a Notified Body - at an additional cost. It is unlikely that any cables will pass Class Aca, simply due to the materials they are made of. Bricks are a great example of a product that would pass Class Aca - they do not burn, produce smoke or release toxic gases. As a specifier, it is important to choose
cables that are appropriate for the application and still meet the requirements of the IET Wiring Regulations. Take care to assess the risk of fire within the building and the potential ease of evacuation. Airports, hospitals, prisons, tunnels and high-rise buildings all offer their own unique challenges and should be assessed
individually. A CPR-compliant product should be sold with a Declaration of Performance (DoP), showing critical information such as manufacturer’s name, product type and class met. By law, manufacturers and resellers of CPR- compliant cables have to keep this on record for up to 10 years after the date of purchase. The cable itself is not required to be printed or embossed to show CPR compliance, however the regulation is very clear that the packaging (usually a drum or spool) must carry specific information. This includes the CE mark. As part of the commitment to meeting current regulations, FS Cables have a readily available range of CPR-compliant products in stock, such as Alternative to Belden, structured wiring, signal and control, and fibre and power cables. All FSC-marked cables will carry a batch number, showing when and where the cable was made, and the materials and production lines used to manufacture that specific batch.
FS Cables
www.fscables.com
/ ELECTRICALENGINEERING
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