Fire rated cables

BRE Global specialises in working with clients to help assess and develop the performance of cabling products. Cables alone are very rarely the source of a fire, but can add the potential for spread of flame and to the fire load. We provide a complete range of cable testing and approvals for the Construction, Transport, Marine, Aviation and Fire Detection market.   Buildings of any generation are full of different kinds of cables. Each one of them represents a potential hidden danger capable of providing a full fire load that can spread fire rapidly throughout a building. This underlines the importance of ensuring cables are tested and approved to the appropriate standards. BRE Global provides the cable industry with an authoritative and independent testing service, and through LPCB is able to offer third party approval.   LPCB approved cable is tested and certified to a full range of applicable specifications and standards. Our approvals process includes assessment of the manufacturer's ISO 9001 or Factory Production Control systems to ensure that the products meet and continue to meet our quality criteria in addition to annual product audit testing. Fire rated cables are split into two categories, Fire resistant cables and Fire retardant cables.   Both types of cables are required to perform differently in the event of a fire.   Fire resistant cables are designed such that in the event of a fire they maintain circuit integrity   Fire retardant cables are designed such that in the event of a fire they limit the generation and spread of fire and smoke.   Standards LPCB approves to:-

• BS 6207-1:1995 Mineral insulated cables with rated voltage not exceeding 750V
• BS 6387:1994 Performance requirements for cables required to maintain circuit integrity under fire conditions
• BS 7622-2:1993 Measurement of smoke density of electric cables burning under defined conditions
• BS 7629-1:1997 Thermosetting insulated cables with limited circuit integrity when affected by fire. Part 1: Multicore cables
• BS 7629-1:1997 (Incorporating Amendment Nos.1 and 2) Thermosetting insulated cables with limited circuit integrity when affected by fire. Part 1: Multicore cables (The provisions introduced by amendment No.1: 2004 are effective from 1st April 2004)
• BS 7629-1:2008 Electric cables - Specification for 300/500 V fire resistant screened cables having low emission of smoke and corrosive gases when affected by fire - Part 1: Multicore and multipair cables
• BS 7846:2000 Electric cables 600/1000V armoured fire-resistant cables having thermosetting insulation and low emission of smoke and corrosive gases when affected by fire
• BS 7846:2000 (Incorporating Amendment No.1) Electric cables 600/1000V armoured fire-resistant cables having thermosetting insulation and low emission of smoke and corrosive gases when affected by fire. (The provisions introduced by amendment No.1: 2004 are affective from 1st April 2004)
• BS 7846:2000 (Incorporating Amendment Nos.1 and 2) Electric cables 600/1000V armoured fire-resistant cables having thermosetting insulation and low emission of smoke and corrosive gases when affected by fire
• BS 7846:2009 Electric cables - Thermosetting insulated, armoured, fire - resistant cables of rated voltage 600/1 000 V, having low emission of smoke and corrosive gases when affected by fire - Specification
• BS 8434-1:2003 Method of test for assessment of the fire integrity of electric cables - Part 1: test for unprotected small cables for use in emergency circuits - BS EN 50200 with addition of water spray
• BS 8434-2:2003+A2:2009 Method of test for assessment of the fire integrity of electric cables - Part 2: test for unprotected small cables for use in emergency circuits- BS EN 50200 with a 930°C flame and with water spray
• BS 8491:2008 Method for assessment of fire integrity of large diameter power cables for use as components for smoke and heat control systems and other certain active fire safety systems
• BS 8519:2010 Selection and installation of fire-resistant power and control cable systems for life safety and fire-fighting applications - Code of practice
• EN 50200:2000 Method of test for resistance to fire of unprotected small cables for use in emergency circuits
• EN 50200:2006 Method of test for resistance to fire of unprotected small cables for use in emergency circuits
• EN 50266:2001 Common test methods for cables under fire conditions - Test for vertical flame spread of vertically mounted bunched wires or cables
• EN 50267-2-1:1999 Common test method for cables under fire conditions- tests on gases evolved during combustion of materials from cables - procedures - Determination of the amount of halogen acid gas
• EN 50267-2-3:1999 Common test methods for cables under fire conditions - Tests on gases evolved during combustion of materials from cables - Procedure 2-3: Procedures - Determination of degree of acidity of gases for cables by determination of the weighted average of pH and conductivity
• EN 50268-2:2000 Common test methods for cables under fire conditions. Measurement of smoke density of cables burning under defined conditions
• EN 60332-3:2009 Tests on electric and optical fibre cables under fire conditions - Part 3: Test for vertical flame spread of vertically mounted bunched wires or cables
• EN 60702-1:2002 Mineral insulated cables and their terminations with rated voltage not exceeding 750V
• EN 61034-2: 2005 Measurement of smoke density of cables burning under defined conditions
• IEC 331:1970 Fire resisting characteristics of electric cables
• IEC 60754-1:1994 Tests on gases evolved during combustion of materials from cables - Part 1:Determination of the amount of halogen acid gas
• IEC 60754-2:1991 Tests on gases evolved during combustion of electric cables - Part 2: Determination of degree of acidity of gases evolved during the combustion of materials taken from electric cables by measuring pH and conductivity
• IEC 60331-21:1999 Tests for electric cables under fire conditions - Circuit integrity - Part 21 Procedure and requirements - Cables of rated voltage up to and including 0,6/1,0kV
• IEC 60331-23:1999 Tests for electric cables under fire conditions - Circuit integrity - Part 23 Procedure and requirements - Electric data cables
• IEC 60331-25:1999 Tests for electric cables under fire conditions - Circuit integrity - Part 25 Procedure and requirements - Optical fibre cables
• IEC 60331-31:1999 Tests for electric cables under fire conditions - Circuit integrity - Part 31 Procedure and requirements for fire with shock - Cables of rated voltage up to and including 0,6/1,0kV
• IEC 60332-3:2008 Tests on electric cables under fire conditions - Part 3: Tests on bunched wires or cables
• IEC 61034-2:2005 Measurement of smoke density of cables burning under defined conditions.   CE Marking The product standard EN 50575 for power, control and communication cables was cited in the OJ on 10 July 2015, marking the start of CE marking being possible for these products from 1 December 2015. From 1 July 2017, CE marking become mandatory for all such products placed on the market in Europe.   As a Notified Body for a wide range of construction products covered by the CPR, and a UKAS accredited laboratory for conducting the tests needed to demonstrate compliance, BRE Global is able to provide manufacturers of these products with a professional and efficient service in support of their CE marking requirements.