Using fire performance cables which meet and exceed current standards and guidance can only help to improve safety in critical fire safety situations, says leading cable supplier AEI Cables.
AEI Cables has been highlighting the importance of following the technical guidance for the selection and installation of cables for Category 3 Control fire performance cables under the revised British Standard BS8519: 2020 Code of Practice.
The guidance for Category 3 Control fire performance cables applies to evacuation alarms for the disabled in care homes, emergency voice communications systems and voice alarm systems in relevant buildings including tall buildings, office spaces, hospitals, shopping malls and stadia.
Stuart Dover, general manager of AEI Cables, said: “We are seeing quite an increase in demand for Category 3 Control cables and we can only stress that if they meet and exceed all standards requirements this can only help in the interest of safety of property and lives in these critical spaces.
“Meeting standards is a minimum requirement but going above and beyond these standards will help firefighters in a real-life fire situation.”
The systems powered by these cables – including smoke and heat extraction systems – assist fire services in firefighting and a safe evacuation in the case of life safety. These cables reduce harmful smoke, toxic gases and flame spread in the event of a real fire.
AEI Cables’ Firetec Enhanced cabling has been approved and certified by LPCB to BS8519 (Annex B), Category 3 Control in addition to Category 2 Control. The BS Code of Practice under BS8519 contains six categories of cables, three for power cables and three for control cables each covering survival times of 30, 60 or 120 minutes.
All AEI Cables’ products are supplied with approvals from independent bodies including BASEC and LPCB. It also holds approvals from organisations including Lloyds, the MoD, Network Rail and LUL and works to international standards around the world. For more information see the AEI Cables website, tel 0191 410 3111 or email sales@aeicables.co.uk.
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