Check tech spec for safety and certainty, says AEI Cables
Specialist cable supplier AEI Cables is advising those in the supply
chain with any doubts about fire performance of cable products on the market to
check the specification to ensure certainty and compliance.
The company is highlighting the need for safety and certainty across all
fire performance cables, particularly Category
3 fire performance cables which are designed to withstand heat and flames for up to
120 minutes, helping to protect equipment, property and even lives.
Stuart Dover, general
manager of AEI Cables, said: “These are challenging times in the supply chains
and there is a need for certainty across all services, products and delivery.
“Ultimately, we are
protecting people and our buildings in which people move about. The way to
ensure protection is to use the most relevant quality products to meet specific
requirements. These requirements will change according to the level of
protection needed for each project so we advise checking each and every time
depending on the type of building and the product required.”
Category 1 fire performance cables guarantee 30 minutes of
defence against flames, making them ideal for emergency lighting, while Category
2 cables give 60 minutes of fire protection and are commonly used for alarm
systems.
For
firefighting, additional time is required and Category 3 cables are able to
withstand up to 120 minutes of exposure to fire, providing enhanced emergency
power to assist firefighters. These cables
support critical safety
circuits in tall buildings, office
spaces, hospitals, shopping malls and stadia.
The guidance for Category
3 Control fire performance cables applies to evacuation alarms for the disabled
in care homes, emergency voice communications systems and voice alarm systems
in relevant buildings.
The systems powered by
these cables – including smoke and heat extraction systems – assist fire
services in firefighting and a safe evacuation in the case of life safety. These
cables reduce harmful smoke, toxic gases and flame spread in the event of a
real fire.
AEI Cables’ Firetec Enhanced cabling has been approved and certified by
LPCB to BS8519 (Annex B), Category 3 Control in addition to Category 2 Control.
The BS Code of Practice under BS8519 contains six categories of cables, three
for power cables and three for control cables each covering survival times of
30, 60 or 120 minutes.
All AEI Cables’ products are supplied with approvals from independent bodies including BASEC
and LPCB. It also holds approvals from organisations including Lloyds, the MoD,
Network Rail and LUL and works to international standards around the world. For
more information see the AEI Cables website, tel 0191
410 3111 or email sales@aeicables.co.uk.