Whenever public space is planned, &#;planning for the worst&#; keeps step. Fire and disaster planning is painstaking, so it is of the utmost importance that specifiers and contractors understand when to use Flame Retardant and when to use Fire-resistant cable, what the differences are and how the right choices should be arrived at.
Flame retardant cables are designed to resist the spread of fire into a new area. Fire resistant cables are designed to maintain circuit integrity and continue to work for a specified period of time under defined conditions.
Both have an important part to play in preserving the integrity of the environment during a fire incident and improving the chances of escape and survival.
Tratos&#; flame resistant cable meets flame propagation testing BS EN , EN and BS
Typical applications for Tratos&#; fire resistant cable include public buildings from schools to hospitals, underground and overground railway stations, retail and leisure venues as well as offshore vessels and hazardous environments such as Oil & Gas platforms. The manufacturer can supply a complete range of fire resistant cables to comply with the latest Standards and Codes of Practice covering fire detection, alarm systems, emergency lighting or other vital power supplies. Tratos has comprehensive modern fire testing facilities on-site to ensure cable integrity. Thanks to this facility Tratos can produce cables for international projects that meet multiple nations&#; standards. Tratos Firesafe cables are manufactured in accordance with all the relevant standards: find out more in the products section:
Tratos&#; flame retardance cables encompass a range of low smoke and fume cables, designed and tested to resist flame propagation and spread and offering low toxicity, smoke and acid gas generation.
Tratos Firesafe cables are manufactured in accordance with the following British Standards:
When correctly selected and installed fire resistant cables supplied by Tratos meet the following Codes of Practice:
Whatever your requirements, as the actual manufacturer rather than a distributor, Tratos can supply you with both copper and fibre optic cables of guaranteed performance and quality having:
Tratos supplies &#;standard&#; and &#;enhanced&#; grade fire resistant cables to suit the actual installation, large or small, simple or complex in accordance with the applicable Code of Practice. Alongside Firesafe cables, Tratos offers a selection of accessories including glands, p-clips and saddles in Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSOH) from stock to suit all Tratos Firesafe cables.
There are important differences between LSF (Low Smoke and Fume) and LSHF (Low Smoke Halogen Free) cables. LSF is a term used originally by the MOD(N) to describe cables with a high oxygen index, high-temperature index CSP sheathing compound. These cables were claimed to have improved performance in fire, and the MOD(N) termed these Low smoke and fume cables. The smoke emission of the CSP sheathing compound was evaluated using the NBS smoke chamber.
Although an improvement over cables sheathed with traditional CSP, unfortunate events in the Falklands war lead to the development of much improved compounds. In the commercial cable market, the term LSF began to be used to cover any cable with a high oxygen index or temperature index coupled with reduced emission of smoke, including halogenated materials such as PVC, CSP and PCP. LSHF is not a true technical term, it is one some companies use to describe their Low Smoke Halogen Free cables, while others use their own descriptors such as Low Smoke O (zero) Halogen (LSOH), Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH), Low Smoke No Halogens (LSNH). Fire safety advances in cable production have had a particular focus on PVC.
Burning PVC gives off poisonous gasses, in particular hydrogen chloride (HCL). When HCL combines with moisture it forms hydrochloric acid; life-threatening and corrosive to electronics, metal surfaces and buildings. Zero halogen cables, with their inhibited production of dense black smoke, significantly increase the chances of escape. Low smoke halogen-free cables also lower the risk of fumes causing choking and reduce the likelihood of acidic gas damaging electronic equipment. While LSHF cables emit no more than 0.5% hydrogen chloride during fire tests, some LSF cables are made from a modified version of PVC and can still give off significant levels of dense smoke and hydrogen chloride gas when burned. They still have a place, but they have no place in public spaces or where equipment will be exposed to damage.
As an innovation-driven company working to develop bespoke cable alongside researching the best of next-generation product performance, Tratos felt it was critical to invest in its own on-site test facility &#; with fire-testing at the top of the agenda. Its UK & Italy fire-testing facilities are second to none, giving Tratos&#; customers cable that is tested against, passes and often exceeds, minimum standards. The company manufactures the highest quality cable and, because it serves customers worldwide, it has to ensure its products are compliant with international standards. The test facility handles standard tests for voltage, spark test and resistance, as well as more in-depth tests for elongation, heat shock, shrink back and vertical flame tests.
These tests and measurements are wide-ranging, exploring available safe egress (ASET), area burning rate, backdraft, burning behaviour, char, combustion, deflagration, ease of ignition, fire load density, fire resistance, flame spread, linear and mass burning rates, the opacity of smoke, oxygen index performance and more. Tratos&#; test facilities include a CPR (BS EN ) Test Rig, small scale (Bunsen burner test) BS EN -1, large scale vertical propagation BS EN IEC -3, Smoke density &#; 3 m3 BS EN and NBS Smoke Density Chamber, Acid gas emission BS EN , test on gases evolved during combustion of materials from cables. Determination of halogen acid gas content, Limiting Oxygen Index (LOI) &#; ASTM D and Flammability Temperature Index (FTI) &#; ISO -3. For the detail behind the Standards.
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Firesafe cables made by Tratos have been tested and certified by LCPB, UKAS, BSI, LUR & IMQ.
Cable manufactured based on:
Note: This is an indicative range of Standards to which Tratos manufacture cables. Cables manufactured in accordance with other Standards are available on request.
TRATOS FIRESAFE-OPTICALFIresafe Fibre Optic cables have an important role to play. LOW SMOKE ZERO HALOGEN (LSZH) CABLES offer enhanced circuit integrity when exposed to fire. Tratos Firesafe OPTI has been designed for areas where optical fibre cables are required to operate in the event of a fire, for example, railway and highways tunnels, mass transit underground systems, metro lines, ducts and public buildings.
Other Fire Resistant Cables in the family include:
TRATOS FIRESAFE &#; SWA / M1®Tratos Firesafe SWA/M1 is designed for installations where a fire situation may pose a hazard and the maintenance of circuit integrity is a requirement. Applications include internal and external use in public buildings, schools, hospitals, department stores, cinemas, hotels, theatres, computer centres and similar applications where an armoured &#;enhanced&#; grade cable is specified for use in the applicable Code of Practice: BS Emergency lighting cables &#; enhanced, BS Clause 26.2e Enhanced grade, BS Category 1, 2 and 3 (when tested in Tratos laboratories; pending third party approval).
Tratos Firesafe TW950e is designed for installations where a fire situation may pose a hazard and the maintenance of circuit integrity is a requirement. Applications include public buildings, schools, hospitals, department stores, cinemas, hotels, theatres, computer centres and similar applications where &#;enhanced&#; grade cable is specified for use in the applicable Code of Practice: BS Emergency lighting cables &#; enhanced, BS Clause 26.2e Enhanced grade, BS Category 1, 2 and 3 (when tested in Tratos laboratories; pending third party approval).
300/500 V &#; LOW SMOKE ZERO HALOGEN (LSZH) CABLES HAVING STANDARD CIRCUIT INTEGRITY WHEN EXPOSED TO FIRE &#; BASED ON BS
Tratos Firesafe TW950s is designed for installations where a fire situation may pose a hazard and the maintenance of circuit integrity is a requirement. Applications include public buildings, schools, hospitals, department stores, cinemas, hotels, theatres, computer centres and similar applications where &#;standard&#; grade cable is specified for use in the applicable Code of Practice: BS Emergency lighting cables &#; standard, BS Clause 26.2d Standard grade, BS Category 1 and 2 (When tested in Tratos laboratories; pending third party approval).
Tratos Firesafe TW100 is designed for installations where a fire situation may pose a hazard and the maintenance of circuit integrity is a requirement. Tratos Firesafe TW100 is suitable for installations in onerous conditions where the cable is mechanically protected in metal conduit or trunking. Applications include public buildings, schools, hospitals, department stores, cinemas, hotels, theatres, computer centres and similar applications where &#;standard&#; grade cable is specified for use in the applicable Code of Practice: BS Emergency lighting cables, standard and enhanced when enclosed in screwed steel conduit.
Click on the link for more information on TRATOS FIRESAFE-TW100®.
Tratos Firesafe range meets CPR regulation:
Tratos was an early supporter of The Construction Products Regulation or CPR. CPR assesses construction products&#; performance throughout the EU. With CPR, Industry professionals, public authorities and consumers can compare the performance of products from different manufacturers in different countries. Find out more, here https://tratosgroup.com/quality/cpr/
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