European Construction Products Regulation for Cables

Fire-resistant cables are electrical cables designed to withstand high temperatures and prevent the spread of flames. Fire resistant cables are commonly used in commercial and industrial facilities where a full fire explosion is of utmost importance. Cables are usually made of fireproof material, which helps prevent the cable from catching fire and spreading the fire to other parts of the building.

Fire Resistanr cables and Flame Retardant cables are both used to reduce the risk of fire and explosion in electrical and electronic applications. However, there are some differences between these two cables:

• Fire-resistant cable: A cable designed to withstand high temperatures, still operate normally for a certain period of time, while minimizing the possibility of fire and explosion in the event of a fire. Typically, fire resistant cables use fire resistant chemical substances to prevent the spread of fire, and are more resistant to high temperatures than flame retardant cables. Flame retardant cables are commonly used in areas with high explosion risk such as factories, mines, high-rise buildings, and critical power supply systems.
• Flame Retardant Cable: A type of cable designed to reduce the risk of fire and explosion in the event of a fire, but not as capable of withstanding high temperatures as flame retardant cables. Normally, fire retardant cables are still short-circuited and short-circuited when a fire or explosion occurs. Flame retardant cables are commonly used in areas with a lower risk of fire and explosion such as in residential buildings, restaurants, hotels, and general electrical systems.

CPR stands for Construction Products Regulation, which is a European Union (EU) regulation that ensures that construction products, including cables, meet certain safety standards.

For fire-resistant cables, the CPR sets requirements for flame-retardant performance, including categorizing cables according to their response to fire. These classifications range from Aca (highest performance level) to Fca (lowest performance level).

CPR also requires cables to be labeled with a classification, along with other information such as the manufacturer's name and address, the intended use of the fireproof cable, and its dimensions.

CPR compliance is required for all fire-resistant cables placed on the EU market, and cables that do not meet the requirements may not be sold or used in EU countries.

HELUKABEL GmbH has its products tested and certified. Since 1st July 2017, all relevant products from HELUKABEL will carry a CE mark and a declaration of performance as per the CPR.

Click here for an overview of all Helukabel products that are tested according to the European Construction Products Regulation: Products according to CPR

The European Construction Products Regulation (CPR) 305/2011 defines coherent and verifiable regulations for the use of construction products in buildings. It applies to all EU member states and aims to enhance safety in buildings. The CPR was extended on 1st June 2016 to include cables and wires which are classified in terms of their reaction to fire. The regulations will be binding for manufacturers and suppliers from 1st July 2017.

The CPR for cables and wires is implemented by DIN EN 50575:2017-02: “Power, control and communication cables - Cables for general applications in construction works subject to reaction to fire requirements”. Cable products verified by a notified body are awarded a CE mark. For each cable, the manufacturer or supplier must also provide a declaration of performance which precisely describes its reaction to fire.

With the inclusion of cables and wires in the list of construction products, the EU has defined 6 fire classes for cables – from ACa through to FCa (Ca stands for ‘cable’). The class is allocated according to criteria such as flame propagation and heat generation. From non-flammable (Aca) and hardly inflammable (B1Ca, B2Ca, CCa) through normally flammable (DCa, ECa) to easily flammable (FCa). There are also three additional classes which refer to other requirements such as smoke production (s1 and s2), acidity / halogen-free flame retardancy (a1) and flaming droplets (d1 and d2).