From 1st of July 2017 a new EU cable fire standard (EN50575) will be mandatory for all EU country markets. This new standard will have the consequence that cables cannot be sold within the EU unless the cable is tested and tagged according to this standard.


Triax is in the process of testing, modifying and tagging our cables in order to guarantee that Triax’s cables will conform to this new standard by 1st of July 2017.
In the below is a short description of this new fire standard (EN50575) and it’s implications:

CE marking for cables: EN50575 standard
The Construction product regulation (CPR) for cables is coming! This will be a mandatory requirement (From 1st of July 2017) for cable placed on the market in the EU where it is to be used in the construction market. This will introduce a CE mark to allow free movement of goods in the EU.

What is CPR?
CPR is short for the Construction Products Regulation (EU 305/2011), which is part of the European Union legislative framework supporting free movement of goods across the borders in the EU region.
The CPR identifies a number of basic requirements that shall be met by products used in construction works (e.g. buildings, but also roads, bridges, etc.), one of which is “safety in case of fire” (impact on the spread of fire, smoke generation, etc.).

CPR for assessment of cables
EN 50575:2014 (incl. A1:2016) covers power, control and communication cables for general applications in construction works subject to reaction to fire requirements. This new European standard will change fire performance requirements for cabling being installed in buildings. The standard will directly affect all those involved in the supply, procurement and installation of telecommunications cabling with radical changes on how cables must be specified with respect to their reaction to fire.
This standard specifies reaction to fire requirements, including test and assessment methods and addresses also requirements for release of dangerous substances. Further, it specifies requirements for type testing, factory production control (FPC), and which system shall be used for Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance (AVCP).
The CPR classification table for reaction to fire covers seven classes from A to F. These are allocated on the basis of heat release and flame propagation criteria. There are three supplementary classes for each of the additional requirements such as smoke formation (s), flaming droplets/particles (d) and acidity (a).

EN 50575 defines a number of reaction to fire classes Aca, B1ca, B2ca, Cca, Dca, Eca, and Fca for which the applicable test methods are as presented in below table:



CE marking for cables in CPR
Manufacturers (or importers) who want to CE Mark their products need to draw up a Declaration of Performance (DoP). The DoP should be drawn up in the language required by the EU country, where the product is supposed to be sold. Besides this, the DoP should contain defined information such as product identification, its intended use, and its declared performance.
If the product has been properly tested (By notified body*), a valid DoP has been issued and a System of Assessment and Verification is in place, a CE mark may be affixed. The CE Mark and the year in which the CE Marking was first affixed needs to be placed on the labels on cable drums or boxes.

Important: non-compliance after 1st of July 2017 will constitute a restriction or prohibition of cables on the EU market without a CE mark. EN 50575 became a harmonized standard on the 10th of June 2016. As of now, it is possible to apply for a CE mark. As of 1st of July 2017, it is mandatory to provide cables with a CE mark.


Triax and CPR
Triax is in the process of implementing CE marking and complying with the new CPR EN50575 fire standard, It means that all TRIAX cables by 1st of July 2017, will conform to EN50575 fire standard. It is important to consider that each national authority decides which fire classes within the EN50575 are to be used in their respective market.

Useful links:
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/construction/product-regulation_en
http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/nando/index.cfm?fuseaction=country.main

* A notified body, in the European Union, is an entity that has been accredited by a Member State to assess whether a product to be placed on the market meets certain preordained standards.