FS CABLES
BE CONFIDENT ON COMPLIANCE
Most cables designed for use in domestic, residential and commercial buildings are now
subject to the Construction Products Regulation. Here FS Cables advises contractors on
staying compliant and the role this can play in stopping the spread of fire.
A
s of July 2017, it became
a legal requirement
that cables specified for
permanent use in all
kinds of buildings meet
the Construction Products
Regulation (CPR), as covered by EN50575.
This legislation helps designers and
installers to consider the contribution
that cables make to the spread of fire.
This is particularly important as cables
run between rooms and floors and above
ceilings. They are often made from
flammable materials and can even be
a source of ignition if badly installed,
damaged or faulty.
Vertical flame tests
help FS Cables
understand how
products will perform
during a fire.
Wire classification
The regulation classifies products into one
of seven classes, although realistically,
only five classes will apply to cables.
Classes Fca and Eca undertake a basic
vertical flame test EN60332-1-2. If the
cable burns too much, then it can be
classified as Class Fca. For the cable
to meet the requirements of Class
Eca however, the same test must be
conducted by an authorised test house,
known as a notified body (NB). Tests
by NBs carry a significant cost. To help
understand how cables will perform,
FS Cables has invested in a test rig to
EN60332-1-2 and where appropriate, can
classify to Class Fca.
Classes Dca, Cca, B2ca and B1ca also
apply to cables. Again, tests are conducted
by a Notified Body but could cost tens of
thousands of pounds to classify per group
of cables. Finally, we have Class Aca,
although it is unlikely that any cables will
meet this, due to the materials involved.
Assess fire risks
It is important to note here that any CPR-
rated products can be used, whatever
their classification. It’s up to the designer,
specifier or installer to satisfy themselves
that the products chosen are appropriate
for the application. When specifying
10 | August 2017
Cable & Cable Management
cable, take care to assess the fire risk and
potential ease of evacuation. Airports,
hospitals, prisons, tunnels and high-rise
buildings all offer their own challenges
and should be assessed individually.
So, what can contractors do to stay
compliant? When you purchase cable, a
Declaration of Performance (DoP) should
be available, if the product has been
classified. This document shows critical
information such as the manufacturer’s
name, product type and class met. By
law, manufacturers, distributors and
wholesalers of CPR-compliant cables
need to keep records of products
and batches sold, together with DoP
documentation, for up to 10 years after
the date of sale.
Although the cable itself is not
required to show CPR compliance, the
regulation dictates that packaging must
carry specific information, probably on
the label. This includes the CE mark, DoP
reference and unique product type. All
FSC-marked cables also carry a batch
number to give full traceability about
when and where the cable was made, as
well as the materials and production lines
used to manufacture that specific batch.
For further information visit:
www.fscables.com/cpr