INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Cabling
Siemon
continues
to drive CPR
compliance
across copper
and fibre
product range
James Kiriamiti, Marketing Manager for Europe, Russia
and Africa, Siemon
S
iemon, a leading global network infrastructure
specialist, is well positioned as a Construction Products
Regulation (CPR) innovator by being one of only
a few manufacturers currently offering a wide range of
CPR compliant cables across copper and fibre. Siemon’s
range of copper cables have passed third party testing
and are fully compliant to Euroclass Eca, Dca, Cca and
B2ca requirements. Furthermore, Siemon has completed
all required steps to attain system 1+ certification for
its cables meeting Euroclass Cca and B2ca with valid
Declaration of Performance (DoP) certificates, which are
now publicly available. With governmental bodies in Europe
taking particular interest in materials used for commercial
and residential developments, Siemon’s approach to
manufacturing high quality, compliant products ensures
support on all current and potential future CPR regulation
changes currently in discussion.
IEC 60332 flammability ratings are now replaced by
seven different reactions to fire performance known as
Euroclasses. These are A, B1, B2, C, D, E and F.
With CPR having been in existence for close to two
decades, copper and fibre products were not included in
the regulated materials. However, as of 1 July 2017 the
regulation expanded to include copper and fibre materials
used in the construction of a building, must display the ‘CE’
mark and have publicly available DoP documentation to
attain full compliance. Any cable manufacturer wishing to
sell fibre and copper communication cables into the EU is
required to have their cables tested for CPR compliance with
a notified body commissioned to certify test results.
www.intelligentcio.com
As James Kiriamiti, Marketing Manager for Europe, Russia
and Africa at Siemon, explains: “Regulatory controls are
created to enhance safety and minimise the impact of
unforeseen disasters. Recent events at London’s Grenfell
Tower have spurred the country’s leaders to adopt tighter
controls and regulations on construction products, including
copper and fibre cabling products used in the construction
of a building and their flammability ratings. So here we
have a global issue that has to be addressed.” With many
manufacturers claiming full CPR compliance, Siemon
warns that all end users must ensure that they request and
receive current, valid third party certification and relevant
DoP documentation, as per the requirements of the latest
published CPR standards.
“It is important now more than ever that contractors,
developers and designers are only using CPR compliant
products” reiterates Steve Metherell, Global CPR
Champion, Siemon. “If not compliant, cables can be
a catalyst for casualties. Our engineering and product
development team have invested time rigorously testing
our cables to ensure the safety and compliance for our
customers. Siemon will continue to review and enhance
our product ranges by adding more products to the
range of class Cca and B2ca in the coming months.”
Kiriamiti points out that European countries are fast
to adopt these higher standards for the greater good,
and African governments need to do the same: “As
African governments continue to focus their attention
on infrastructure development, I would urge them not to
overlook regulatory reforms and be quick to adopt global
standards that are designed to protect by reducing the
potential disasters that can be caused by nonconformity.
“Countries such as Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa are
already leaning towards adopting these global standards
for all developments and offering retraining to engineers,
developers and contractors to promote adherence to higher
standards,” he concludes. n
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