New CPR regulations take effect

New CPR regulations and standards for permanently installed network cables have new been ratified. CPR stands for Construction Products Regulation, denoting a new mandatory European language to express the performance of construction products in the face of fire, ultimately categorising products into performance classes. Any cable which is deemed to be permanent once installed is within the scope of CPR, covering power, data and communications cables. In the case of data and communications cables, copper, fibre, coax, and multi-conductor cables are covered, with the exception of patch leads. IT professionals and Facilities Managers should be aware of the new regulations and how it affects future installations. Click here for a handy guide to CPR.

CPR is key for saving lives, helping to provide a safer environment by creating maximum timeframes for people to evacuate a building in the event of a fire. Every year, many people die or are seriously injured as a result of building fires across the European Union. In 2015/16 in the UK alone, 17% of building fires were caused by Structures and Fittings within a building. Proportionally, 10% of casualties and 4% of deaths were caused by fire as a result of structures and fittings, hence the importance of ensuring that all permanently installed cables are regulated to be as safe as possible to protect lives. Ultimately the objective of CPR is to improve building safety by creating a common set of performance characteristics at national level to ensure everyone in the supply chain complies with the same set of standards. CPR is key for saving lives, helping to provide a safer environment by creating maximum timeframes for people to evacuate a building in the event of a fire.