Compliance with fire safety regulations is a legal requirement for any commercial or residential building – but it is also a duty of care.
Damaged, aging, faulty or poorly installed cabling pose a significant fire risk. As well as a source of fire, cables are a particular concern in the spread of fire as they run under flooring, between rooms, and through ceilings.
Thorough preparation for the design and planning of cabling infrastructure is essential for ensuring compliance with fire safety regulation.
At DataLan, for every project, we undergo an extensive floor walk to map cabling infrastructure but also to identify escape routes and emergency exits in case of a fire.
Cabling fire safety regulations, introduced in 2015, state that wiring systems (for all types of cabling) in escape routes are installed in such a way that they are protected from collapse as a result of high temperatures in the event of a fire. It is important to remember here that the
entire route of escape through the building requires mapping, rather than just the exit itself.
Our floor walks and infrastructure planning also help to identify potential sources of fire within the building – open flames, areas of high-temperatures – and ensure cables are installed as far from these as possible.
In addition, the choice of cable itself is essential as the fire risk posed by cabling lies in the insulation casing that surrounds the cables.
Under the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) for cables, cabling manufacturers are required to test, rate and publish the fire safety of their cables. Cables are classified by flammability, smoke production, flaming droplets and acidity.
At DataLan, we provide a thorough fire risk assessment for the planning and installation of cabling, as well as documented testing and classification of cables for CPR ratings, as well as for smoke emission and halogen content.
We can also audit your existing cabling infrastructure if you have any concerns about your compliance with fire safety regulations.
For further advice and information about fire safety compliance, get in touch with a member of our team today.
