As of 1st July 2017 all power, control and communication cables intended to be used as a permanent installation in a building or during construction work is to be Construction Products Regulation (CPR) compliant and must carry a Declaration of Performance (DoP) regardless of whether the product has been manufactured in Europe or the far east. If its intended destination is within Europe it must have a DoP linked to it and be marked accordingly. It should be noted however that CPR does not replace the need for cables to meet existing product standards and codes of practice.
DoP is the manufacturer’s written and legally binding assurance that should that cable be exposed to fire it will react in a known way because it’s been tested and meets the European Standard EN 50575:2014. The DoP tests are used to determine a product’s potential to contribute to a fire spreading through the heat it gives off when burning, the likelihood of it setting a secondary fire through molten material, acidity of any smoke emitted and transparency of smoke emitted during the burning process to name just a few. Results from these tests are expressed in a hierarchical series of classes (Aca down to Fca)
Construction Products Regulation (CPR) is self-regulated and it is the individual responsibility through the supply chain to check that the cables are complying with the new regulations.
Those individuals responsible would include, but not limited too:
- Manufacturers
- Specifiers, architects, designers
- local authorities
- Wholesaler and Distributors
- Contractors
Despite extensive campaigns from the Approved Cables Initiative (ACI) there is evidence that DoPs and CE marking on labels are being incorrectly drafted and applied, potentially rendering them invalid. The ACI believes non-compliant Declarations of Performance (DoPs) and inaccurate marketing material are misinforming and confusing the market place. The lack of understanding and urgency in the market place may be down to DoPs and CE marking being self-regulated.
The Remark Group is leading the field by taking a step further and working alongside cable supplier, Copper Cable Company, to ensure all cabling supplied meet the Construction Products Regulation and a Declaration of Performance is present.
Earlier this month, The Remark Group’s Business Development Manager, Mark Brear, made a 2 day trip to Europe to see first-hand the manufacturing of the cabling and to get inside knowledge on the CPR testing to ensure our products go above expectations to give clients that extra peace of mind during installation of cabling.
Mark commented, “It was great to see firsthand not only the manufacturing process but also the quality control process in place to ensure all cables leaving the facility are CPR compliant and carry the required DoP. This gives us confidence that the products we supply are to the highest quality the Remark Group believe in and deliver to our clients.”
