Fire safety standards for cables
In recent years, an average of 4,000 people have died due to fire. 90% of these fatalities came into contact with fire inside a building. For this reason, Europe is imposing stricter requirements regarding the safety level of buildings via the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). CPR is the European regulation for construction products with the main objective of providing reliable and unambiguous information for construction works, buildings and civil engineering works.
The main objectives of the new CPR standard are:
-
More clarity (providing reliable and unambiguous information)
-
Increasing quality (reducing risks)
-
Increased safety (fewer fire victims)
Fire safety for cables consists of two important components. First of all, Resistance to fire plays an important role. This looks at how well the cables are resistant to fire and at the function retention of the cables in the event of a fire. Reaction to fire is the second important safety aspect. This looks at the reaction of cables at the moment a fire breaks out.
What will change regarding CPR fire safety?
The requirements from CPR fire safety have been incorporated by NEN in the standard design NEN 8012. The emphasis here is very much on fire safety and the role of cables in this. We have summarized the most important aspects for you:
-
The NEN 8012 replaces the NTA 8012.
-
It is mandatory to follow the European safety standards.
-
Electrical cables are divided into four fire classes. The standards are stricter than previous safety requirements. The image above this text shows the various fire risks with the corresponding labels. Manufacturers of cables are required to report these safety requirements.
-
Products that meet the requirements are given a CE mark. This mark indicates that the product meets the safety requirements.
-
An electrical engineer can help you determine the appropriate fire safety class for your cabling.