CPR & Cables

Explained
CPR FOR CABLES
Most cables designed for permanent installation within domestic, residential and
commercial buildings are subject to the Construction Products Regulation (CPR),
covered by BS EN 50575. This became a legal requirement in July 2017 so it’s
important you understand how to stay compliant.

BS EN 50575 is a regulation which brings together common classification, criteria

and monitoring requirements to form seven Euroclasses. These classes have fire
performance assessment processes based on BS EN 60332-1-2, BS EN 50399
and BS EN ISO 1716. There are additional tests for Smoke Production, Flaming
Droplets and Acidity.

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THE CLASSES
The regulation classifies products into one of seven Euroclasses, but in most
instances only five will apply to cables. You are likely to see the majority of cables
between Classes Cca and Fca.

Fire performance: high level of flammability under test and burns over 425mm.
Tests: BS EN 60332-1-2 (basic vertical flame test by factory or lab).
FSC Comment: Cables classified to Class Fca may have high levels of flammability
due to the materials they are made of. For example, cables with a PE sheath that
are primarily intended for external use, such as telephone or duct grade cable, could
be tested and classified to Class Fca, which is perfectly acceptable when used in an
appropriate environment.

Fire performance: limited fire spread under test and burns less than 425mm.
Tests: BS EN 60332-1-2 (by an authorised test house, known as a Notified Body (NB)
or Approval Body (AB)).
FSC Comment: The same basic test as Clas Fca for vertical flame proagation for a
single wire or cable using a 1-kW flame. Note that this test does not measure heat
release, toxic fumes or smoke.

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THE CLASSES
To meet classes Dca, Cca and B2ca the cable must first undergo BS EN 60332-1-2.
They also have additional tests to measure smoke density, acidity of gas given
off and burning droplets falling from the cable.

Fire performance: moderate fire spread and high levels of heat generated.
Tests: BS EN 60332-1-2 and BS EN 50399, including smoke generation.
Additional tests: Optional flaming droplets; acidity tests, and additional smoke test.
FSC Comment: This classification has relatively little use or acceptance within
specifying/contracting organisations. This is because no largescale flamespread
growth is measured.

Fire performance: reduced flame spread, limited fire growth/heat release rate.
Tests: BS EN 60332-1-2 and BS EN 50399, including smoke generation.
Additional tests: Optional flaming droplets; acidity tests, and additional smoke test.
FSC Comment: More rigorous test than Class Dca but with additional regular,
independent factory inspections, audits and periodic retesting. This is widely accepted
across Europe as the ‘go to’ standard, but be aware that many cables do not meet
Class Cca though avaliability is improving.

Fire performance: low flame spread, fire growth & heat release.
Tests: BS EN 60332-1-2 and BS EN 50399, including smoke generation.
Additional tests: Optional flaming droplets; acidity tests, and additional smoke test.
FSC Comment: Similar to Class Cca although a lower acceptable heat release rate
and burn measurement. The additional tests are most relevant to Classes Cca, B2ca
and B1ca, in practice, this is likely to be the highest class cables will meet.

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THE CLASSES
It is unlikely that many commercial cables will be available to Class B1ca or Aca,
simply due to the materials they are made of and lack of demand.

Fire performance: combustible but very little, if any, flame spread or heat release.
Tests: BS EN 60332-1-2 and BS EN 50399, including smoke generation.
Additional tests: Optional flaming droplets; acidity tests, and additional smoke test.
FSC Comment: It’s very unlikely that commonly-used cables will be classified to Class
B1ca.

Fire performance: practically impossible to burn.

Tests: BS EN ISO 1716 (gross heat combustion).
FSC Comment: It will be almost impossible for a cable to meet Class Aca and due to
availability, they should only be specified with extreme caution.

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Summary of Euroclass test
results for CPR-rated cables
Reaction to Fire BS EN ISO 1716 FSC Comment
Does not contribute to It will be almost impossible for a cable to meet Class Aca
the fire and due to availability, they should only be specified with
extreme caution.

Reaction to Fire BS EN 50399

Minimum contribution to It’s very unlikely that commonly-used cables will be
the fire classified to Class B1ca.

Combustible, low flame Similar to Class Cca although a lower acceptable heat
spread & heat release release rate and burn measurement. In practice, this is
contribution to t he fire likely to be the highest class cables will meet.

Combustible, moderate A more rigorous test than Class Dca this is widely
flame spread & heat accepted across Europe as the ‘go to’ classification, but
release be aware, many cables do not meet Class Cca though
avalilability is improving.

Combustible, moderate This classification has relatively little

flame spread & high use or acceptance within specifying/contracting
levels of heat generated organisations. This is because no large scale fire growth
is measured.

Reaction to Fire BS EN 60332-1-2

Combustible, limited A basic test for vertical flame propagation for a single
fire spread of less than insulated wire or cable using a 1-kW pre-mixed flame.
425mm Note: This test does not measure heat release, toxic
fumes or smoke.

Combustible, fire spread Cables classified to Class Fca may have high levels of
of more than 425mm flammabiitly due to the materials they are made of. This
does not mean that the cable can not be used, it is more
likely to be used in external applications.

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Additional Classifications
for Euroclasses B to D
Smoke Production Flaming Droplets Smoke Acidity
BS EN 50399 / BS EN 50399 BS EN 60754-2
BS EN 61034-2
s1a: s1 + transmittance d0: No fall of droplets or a1: - Very low acidity
>=80% (BS EN 61034-2) flaming particles, timed for (conductivity <2.5 µS/mm &
1200 seconds pH >4.3)
s1b: s1 + transmittance
>=60% <80%(BS EN d1 : Fall of droplets or a2: Low acidity
61034-2) flaming particles that persist (conductivity <10 µS/mm &
for less than 10 seconds, pH >4.3
s1: Low production & slow timed for 1200 seconds
propagation of smoke a3: None of the above
d2: None of the above
s2: Intermediate production
& propagation of smoke

s3: None of the above

Smoke Production: This is mandatory for Classes Dca, Cca, B2ca and measures
smoke production, which is monitored during the ladder test (BS EN 50399).
There is a further, optional smoke test to BS EN 61034-2.

Flaming Droplets: This is an optional observation to monitor flaming droplets

during the ladder test to BS EN 50399.

Acidity: This is an optional separate test to BS EN 60754-2 which measures the

acidity of gases given off.

Classes A to E have to be tested by an independent authorised laboratory.

Most cables will fall into classes B2ca to Eca. For a cable to meet Aca, B1ca, B2ca
or Cca, there also needs to be regular on-going factory audits.

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WHO’S RESPONSIBLE?
Specifiers and installers need to ensure the cables they select are appropriate for
the fire risks in the building or applications and any contractual terms. The CPR
covers the way in which product is placed on the market. Crucially, it does not say
what class of product should be used in any given circumstance.

The 18th edition of BS 7671 recognises that where applicable, cables need to
meet CPR requirements and carry a Euroclass for fire performance. BS 7671
does not specify or recommend which Euroclass to use in an environment or
application. Nor does it outlaw using cables that emit toxic fumes and smoke in
the event of fire.

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WHICH CLASS?
In some parts of Europe, the national regulatory review body is defining which
class should be used in a specific application; the UK Government has not taken
this approach. The publication of BS 6701:2016+A1:2017 gives specifiers and
consultants a set of guidelines for telecommunications cables and could be used
to form the basis of a commercial contract, although this is supplementary and
optional to the IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671).

The 18th Edition IET Wiring Regulations (BS 7671) does not specify Euroclasses
for specific applications so specifiers and installers need to ensure the cables they
select are appropriate for the fire risks in the building or application and any
contractual terms.

Both BS 7671 and BS 6701 are not legal requirements according to MHCLG.
The building owner is fully entitled to find safe solutions for installations without
reference to these publications. However, they may need to demonstrate
compliance with Building Regulations and the Electricity at Work Regulations by
other means e.g. BS 9999 and BS 9991:2015.

The CPR does not outlaw the use of cables that

emit excessive amounts of toxic fumes and
smoke in the event of a fire. It is down to the
specifier to select suitable product, such as
Low Smoke Halogen Free (LSHF) versions.

Circuit integrity cables, such as fire alarm

cable (i.e. FP200), will eventually be
covered by CPR - however this is likely to
be some time away.

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STAY COMPLIANT
1. DECLARATION OF PERFORMANCE

Cables manufactured after July 2017 intended for permanent installation within
a domestic, residential or commercial building, or any other civil structure, should
have a Declaration of Performance (DoP) available. This document shows critical
information such as:

Product type
Manufacturer’s name
Class met

By law, manufacturers or anyone

importing cables from outside the EU
need to keep records of CPR compliant
cables sold and be able to provide
DoP documentation for up to 10 years
after it was first sold. If purchasing
FSC or Tru brand CPR compliant
cable, you can easily download your
CPR documentation straight to your
cument mobile, tablet or desktop through our
FS Cables DoP do
CPR downloads tool.

VISIT: fscables.com/cpr-downloads

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2. CPR PRODUCT LABEL

The cable itself does not have to be printed or embossed to show CPR
compliance, however the regulation is very clear that the packaging (usually
a drum, spool or box), needs to be clearly marked with specific information,
invariably on a label. This will include:

NB0832 17
BRE Global Ltd

FS Cables AL4 0JX GB CE MARK

DoP Reference CPR01865
Product Type CPR01865
DoP reference
Standard EN 50575:2014
Reaction to Fire Eca
Unique Product Type
Dangerous substances NPD
Supply of electricity and communications in buildings and other civil engineering works
Euroclass
with the objective of limiting the generation and spread of fire and smoke

FSC Part Code 39200502H-E00

FSC Description 16-2-2A Def-Standard LSHF Multicore Unscreened 0.5mm²
Black FS Cables CPR product
label

All FSC-marked cables carry a batch number to give full traceability regarding
when and where the cable was made and also the materials used to manufacture
that specific batch.

As part of the commitment to meet current regulations, FS Cables stock over 850
CPR compliant cables including Alternative to Belden cables, structured wiring,
fibre, coax, signal & control and power cables.

Tel: 01727 840 841

FURTHER READING
BS EN 50575:2014+A1:2016
Power, control and communication cables. Cables for general applications in
construction works subject to reaction to fire requirements.

BS EN 13501-6:2014
Fire classification of construction products and building elements. Classification
using data from reaction to fire tests on electric cables.

BS 6701:2016+A1:2017
Telecommunications equipment and telecommunications cabling. Specification for
installation, operation and maintenance.

BS EN 61034-2:2005+A1:2013
Measurement of smoke density of cables burning under defined conditions.

BS EN 60754-2:2014
Test on gases evolved during combustion of materials from cables.

BS 7671:2018, 18TH EDITION

18th Edition IET Wiring Regulations

Contact us:
By phone
01727 840 841
By email
sales@fscables.com
Online
www.fscables.com/cpr