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APPENDIX
For current information see:
Technical Tables T14
European Construction Product Regulation – Fire behaviour of cables
The European Construction Product Regulation (CPR)
Requirements for fire behaviour of cables and
their classification
Cables in buildings
Cables are used for different applications in buildings. In addition to
energy supply, they are also used for signal and data transmission.
The increasing number of electrically-powered equipments and the
increase in networking (e. g. intelligent controls, Internet distribution
etc.) result in a rise in the number of cables required. Therefore, their
behaviour in case of fire is becoming increasingly important.
The EU has responded to this situation by including cables in the new
regulations for construction products.
The Construction Product Regulation and its significance
Regulation no. 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council
of 9th March 2011 laid down harmonised conditions for the marketing
of construction products and is known as the Construction Product
Regulation (CPR).
It has been in force since 1 Juli 2013 and replaces the previous
construction products directive (no. 89/106/EEC) from 1988.
Along with many other construction products, the regulation covers
energy, control and data cables intended for permanent use (installa-
tion) in buildings.
The regulation defines basic requirements for buildings, e. g. fire
prevention, but does not set out specific product properties or
stipulate the use of particular construction products.
Underlying standards – Euro classes
The products intended for use must be classified using standardised
rules (harmonised standards), which requires testing and certification
by a notified body.
The standards that define the fire behaviour requirements for cables
(EN 50575) and describe the classification (EN 13501-6) had not
yet been officially adopted at the time when CPR came into force.
Meanwhile the standards are finished and were published in the Official
Journal of the EU in July 2015. Since this time the notification of testing
bodies is possible and the transitional period during which products
with and without CE marking under CPR can be brought into circulation
is expected to start at 1 July 2016 and ends at 1 July 2017.
Table 1: Euro classes under EN 13501-6 respectively 2006/751/EG
Table 1: Euro classes under EN 13501-6 respectively 2006/751/EG
Certificate of conformity
The familiar procedure for cables covered by the Low Voltage Directive
required the manufacturer to establish the conformity of their products
with the directives or compliance with the corresponding standards and
to certify this in an EU Declaration of Conformity. However, this is not
sufficient for products affected by the Construction Products Regula-
tion. Depending on the intended Euro class, a conformity assessment
process will have to be completed, with the scope outlined in table 2.
Except for Class F, a minimum of type testing by a notified body will be
required. In association with the certificate of conformity, the manufac-
turer will have to issue a performance declaration, providing details of
the fire behaviour (Euro class A-F).
Table 2: Conformity certification system under EN50575
This process for classifying products and obtaining the certificate of
conformity will apply equally to all member states and is a response to
the requirement to eliminate barriers to trade in the construction
product sector and improve the free movement of goods for these prod-
ucts in the internal market.
Use of classified cables in buildings
Incorporation of the corresponding cables into building regulations and
assignment of fire classes to building types or areas within buildings is
the responsibility of the relevant member states.
For example, in Germany, the individual states will implement the stand-
ards according to their own state building regulations, as building law is
under state jurisdiction.
Definitive assignments of classes to buildings were not set at the time
of going to press, although a possible classification can be found in a
white paper from the ZVEI (German association of electrical equipment
manufacturers), which can be found in German at
Classification/Certification of our products
At the time of going to press we couldn’t issue any information about
fire classes. The current status of our products can be found in our
online catalogue at
technical-tables.html.
Class Test method(s) Classification
criteria
Additional
Classification
ACA EN ISO 1716 PCS ≤ 2.0 MJ/kg
B1CA
EN 50399
(30 kW burner)
and
FS ≤ 1.75 m and
THR1200s ≤ 10 MJ and
Peak-HRR ≤ 20 kW and
FIGRA ≤ 120 Ws -1
Smoke production
and Flaming
droplets/particles
and Acidity
EN 60332-1-2 H ≤ 425 mm
B2CA
EN 50399
(20.5 kW burner)
and
FS ≤ 1.5 m and
THR1200s ≤ 15 MJ and
Peak-HRR ≤ 30 kW and
FIGRA ≤ 150 Ws -1
Smoke production
and Flaming
droplets/particles
and Acidity
EN 60332-1-2 H ≤ 425 mm
CCA
EN 50399
(20.5 kW burner)
and
FS ≤ 2.0 m and
THR1200s ≤ 30 MJ and
Peak-HRR ≤ 60 kW and
FIGRA ≤ 300 Ws -1
Smoke production
and Flaming
droplets/particles
and Acidity
EN 60332-1-2 H ≤ 425 mm
Class Test method(s) Classification
criteria
Additional
Classification
DCA
EN 50399
(20.5 kW burner)
and
THR1200s ≤ 70 MJ and
Peak-HRR ≤ 400 kW and
FIGRA ≤ 1300 Ws-1
Smoke production
and Flaming
droplets/particles
and Acidity
EN 60332-1-2 H ≤ 425 mm
ECA EN 60332-1-2 H ≤ 425 mm
FCA No performance determined
Euro class Conformity certification
system
Tasks of notified body
ACA, B1 CA,
B2CA, CCA
1+
- Type testing
- Regular plant auditing
- Regular sampling from
ongoing production
DCA, ECA 3 Type testing
FCA 4 none
PCS – Gross calorific potential
FS - Flame Spread
THR – Total Heat Release
HRR - Heat Release Rate
FIGRA - Fire Growth Rate