Cabling: CPR Regulations

You need to know about CPR regulations if you are in construction, engineering or a project manager for a building site. It can also be useful if you are an I.T. Manager in charge of a cabling job.

Construction Products Regulation (CPR) covers the different aspects of products used in the construction industry but focuses on what happens when they are exposed to fire.

It means that when buildings are being built the Architect/ Building Contractor can make an informed decision about the products they use. They need to understand that if there was a fire, would the products they use would either slow/speed up the spread of fire. In July 2017, this extended to Cables.

This was a natural progression because cables run throughout a building which means they naturally channel fire through a building.

What do CPR regulations state?

Essentially suppliers will have to declare the fire performance of each cable using a Euroclass grading (Aca, B1ca, B2ca, Cca, Dca, Eca, Fca.)

CPR is relevant to electric and fibre optic cables.

The cable that is being installed needs to have a CE mark, DoP reference, unique product type and include its Euroclass grading but it does not need to be on the cable itself. It needs to be clear on the packaging.

Is CPR a legal requirement?

Yes, and it may enforceable from July 2017. Essentially, suppliers need to provide a Declaration of Performance (DoP), showing critical information such as manufacturer’s name, product type and class met. This information must be available for up to 10 years from the date of purchase. You need to be sure you are purchasing a product which is compliant with CPR.

How do I decide what cable to use?

In the UK it is up to the project manager/ cabling engineer to decide which class of product is most appropriate for the project.

This is a Euroclass table which should help you decide what type of cable to use on your project: https://www.bttcomms.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/T-Euroclass-table.png

Do you need some advice on which cable to use for your project? Call me (Rob) on 0330 222 0330