WCA January 2016

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60 Wire & Cable ASIA – January/February 2016
Fire Risk and Safety
Philosophy in Indoor
Cabling
By Jörg Bör
Abstract
The fire performance of cables is a very important issue,
especially in indoor cabling. On the one hand cables must
not ignite by their own in case of any perturbance. But in
most cases cables connect different rooms or devices
with each other. Thus on the other hand fire propagation
is no less important than self-ignition. Thirdly, fire ratings
are defined for safety relevant applications. IEC 60331
specifies a period of time during which the intended
performance has to be maintained while a permanent
flame is burning the cable.
Although this knowledge is common, experts often
wonder why fire performance requirements seem to
be weak in some regions. But the understanding of the
specific fire safety philosophy leads to understanding
the different approaches to achieve fire safety in different
countries.
Every risk is defined as the product of two factors: one is
the probability of an accident and the other is the extent
of damage. The risk is quantified by multiplication of these
factors. This is the same for the risk of fire.
In some countries fire safety philosophy focuses
exclusively on the avoidance of any fire. So the target
is to reduce the probability of fire close to zero. In other
regions both factors of risk are considered. Thus the
burning characteristics are much more important. If a
fire appears, negative effects on the health of persons or
technical goods shall be as low as possible. This includes
the aspects of corrosive fumes, which may transform to
acids by reaction with any water, as well as the reduction
of smoke density, which might cause bad sight in case of
fire and confuse any people looking for emergency exits.
For this reason, the criteria “halogen free” and “low
smoke” are much more important in Europe than, for
example, in America. Halogens there are used especially
for fire avoidance, because these elements have
self-extinguishing effects. The highly reactive elements
of the 7th principal group collect oxygen and help to stop
a fire. But compounds of halogens with oxygen are acid
radicals, which react with the omnipresent water and turn
into an acid. These corrosive smokes are a danger for
personal health and might damage technical goods as
well.
This paper discusses the different approaches of fire
safety, threats and advantages.
1 Introduction
American experts often ask why European countries
have weak fire protection regulations. On the other hand
European people wonder why Americans are not aware of
the tremendous danger of acid smoke caused by halogen
fumes. This difference is often discussed between experts
in standardisation committees as well as with customers in
cable sales presentations.
Looking at European fire safety regulations, for example
the “Constructive Products Regulation” (CPR)[6], may be
confusing. Why don’t European governments protect
their inhabitants better against the risk of fire? Looking at
American fire safety regulations does not confuse less:
Why don’t American governments protect their people
against the risk of acid fumes?
In a democratic world, laws and regulations are not given
to the people, but are made by the people. Laws and
regulations are a result of the general public opinion and
mentality. In a business market it should not only ask for
standards and regulations but for the ideas behind them.
Neither customs nor any other trade barriers prevent the
sales of American products in Europe and vice versa, but
the missing acceptance of those products by the final
consumer.
2 Intercultural Differences
The first step of knowledge of intercultural understanding
is the experience that there are differences. The second
step is to recognise that these differences cannot be
evaluated to be better or worse, but just different.
The reasons for intercultural differences cannot be
investigated in this paper. Intercultural differences are
often established by historic experience or by the influence
of the geographic situation. Deeper explanations are given
in the appropriate literature.
One might think this might be an issue for typical
consumer markets (B2C) but not in markets of industrial
goods (B2B). But be aware, the managers in the B2B
market are often women or men born in that specific
region and living there, and they have to take into account
the requirements of their selling markets which are usually
in the same region. Hofstede[1] names this “cultural
relativity”.