CPR – Legislation for Quality and Compliance: Electrical Review - Cable Supplement
Quality and Compliance: it should be a given that cable buyers can rely on the quality of the cables they purchase but sadly that’s not always the case. Cables manufactured to sub-standard levels offer poor performance, a prematurely short lifespan, and can even lead to electrical short-circuit and potential fire. It’s the reason Eland Cables has long placed quality at the heart of its operations and why we invested heavily to establish a UKAS-accredited ISO17025 cable testing laboratory in order to categorically demonstrate our commitment to compliance.
The cable industry is already heavily regulated, with compliance legislation covering the restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS), end-of-life product handling (WEEE), and CE marking, on top of the many British, European and International standards cables must comply with. The Cable Lab®, our in-house facility, tests against relevant standards using state-of-the-art equipment, providing impartial reporting - we’re also the only UK testing laboratory that also holds the BSI RoHS Trusted Kitemark. The testing we undertake is part of both our own rigorous QA protocols and a service we offer on third-party cables, and helps us play our part in keeping non-compliant products out of the marketplace.
The latest piece of legislation to affect our industry is the new EU Directive on the Constructions Products Regulations (CPR) which comes into force on 1st July 2017. It’s designed to create a pan-European system to identify how cables, and other fixed installation building products, behave in the event of fire. Whilst it does not require any technical adaptations to the cables, it provides a harmonised standard that cable buyers can use to make better informed purchasing decisions.
The wider market is still learning what CPR will mean for them so, with Eland Cables CPR ready and compliant, our role as cable experts is even more important.
Kevin Chapman, Commercial Director of Eland Cables says;
“Having worked with our supply chain to ensure we’re fully compliant with the provisions of the CPR Directive, we are now turning our attention to helping our customers understand their obligations and providing the assurance as to our capabilities, particularly during this key adoption and transition period. If our customers know they can rely on us to be compliant, they can instead focus on servicing their own customers’ needs”
So what is CPR?
Cables that are newly manufactured or to be newly imported into the European Union after 1st July 2017 must be submitted to a Notified Body for Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance (AVCP) testing. It covers Low Voltage and Medium Voltage power, data and fibre, control, twin, and flat cables – any that are designed for fixed, permanent installation in a construction covered by the UK & Ireland Building Regulations (or European country equivalent). These Notified Bodies, including BASEC and VDE, subject cables to a vertical flame test to determine the flame propagation, along with additional tests for smoke emissions, flaming droplets and particles, and acidity, where applicable. From that, a classification from A to F is determined.
Armed with the CPR classification, the next stages of compliance can be completed, producing CE labelling that not only has the CE mark (already a European legal requirement) but also provides the references for product traceability back through the supply chain to the manufacturer and the testing body. This CE label is the most visible identifier of CPR compliance, and can be found on the product or the product packaging and in many cases will also be on the cable print legend – though it’s not a legal requirement to do so. Similarly, a declaration of performance (DoP) is also produced with these details as part of the technical documentation, and made available for a statutory period of 10 years to aid traceability if and when it’s required.
There are obligations throughout the supply chain – manufacturer, supplier and wholesaler – and it’s our duty to help the end user to fulfil their requirements whilst urging a practical approach to cable selection. There simply may not be a product available currently with the CPR classification you seek. Whilst the marketplace will ultimately drive the classifications achieved, currently the majority of Low Smoke Zero Halogen cables seem to be classified as Dca whilst many of the PVC cables we’re seeing are Eca rated.
Ivan Cleere, Head of Technical & QA at Eland Cables confirmed:
“The CPR classification is just one more way to help cable buyers identify the right cable for their installation. By understanding how it will react in the event of fire, and when coupled with an understanding of the cable’s construction and performance capabilities, it can offer valuable insight into the building design. As part of the technical team, we’re always happy to help our customers with the specification of the most appropriate cable for their application. ”
Compliance is the springboard for customer service
It’s no surprise that compliant cables make for happy customers. It might not be the standout reason in any business interaction, but it quickly makes for an unhappy customer if the cables don’t perform as they are intended. Confirming compliance with CPR, as well as all the other standards, directives and laws relating to individual products, may not sound like the most exciting job in the cable industry, but it’s one that sits at the core of our Company operations. Our QA team and the quality assurance protocols they adopt, are there to pick up any issues long before they reach the customer. The work of The Cable Lab® to test all our cables and cable accessories, governed by the UKAS accreditation and measuring against agreed, impartial criteria, means we can instead turn our attention to delivering the value-added services that our customers expect of us. Whether that be a cut-to-length service, next-day delivery, or expert advice from our technical team, it’s only possible knowing we have these quality assured, compliant products available in our distribution centre.
So how will the CPR Directive affect me?
The Construction Products Regulation may seem daunting at this stage but it will swiftly become standard practice, just like RoHS screening has. To begin with we expect CPR to be the hot topic, with people asking for confirmation of compliance, but as initial jitters about obligations settle and people are able to identify those suppliers and manufacturers they can rely on for compliance, the process of procurement will continue much as before. We believe the questions to ask should always be ‘What classification do I need?’ rather than worrying about the paperwork behind compliance – that should be a given. The documentation is there so in the future the supply chain traceability is at hand – something that most companies should be able to demonstrate anyway.
Equally, there’ll be plenty of cables in the marketplace that won’t have a CPR rating as they will have been manufactured or imported prior to the go-live date of the legislation. These cables, in suppliers’ and wholesalers’ warehouses and in contractors’ stores, can be used without a CPR classification, with no limit on how long these can continue to be used for, providing they meet the other required current standards of the application.
The cable experts
Eland Cables’ technical team are always available to offer support across cable selection, specification, customisation, and installation requirements, and can provide confirmation of compliance with all relevant standards, legislation and directives. This expert advice, available to all customers, is possible because of the confidence we have in the products we provide.
For more information on CPR see our short animation or read our overview.
