The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) aims to provide a common technical language to assess the performance of construction products. The CPR applies additional criteria and testing procedures to promote a more harmonised standard to describe a cable’s reaction to fire.
Most data cabling tender specifications stipulate the requirement for a 'Standards Compliant' system to be supplied. In the UK, to achieve this you must specify compliance with BS6701:2016+A1:2017, which states:
"For new installations and the refurbishment or extension of existing installations within the external fire barrier of the building, installation cables which are subject to the CPR shall as a minimum meet the requirements of Euroclass Cca, s1b, d2, a2."
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| Fca | Undetermined Reaction | B2ca | Low Reaction |
| Eca | Basic Reaction | B1ca | Very Low Reaction |
| Dca | Improved Reaction | Aca | No Reaction |
| Cca | Reduced Reaction |
Different Member States require different CPR classification levels for various applications. Each Member State may implement the standard in line with their regional requirements. For example, hospitals require a B2ca rating in some countries, but only a Cca rating in others. To achieve standards compliance in the UK, it is important to choose a cable with a CPR Euroclass of a minimum of Cca, s1b, d2, a2 - as stipulated in BS6701:2016+A1:2017. This applies to any new installations or the refurbishment and/or extension of existing installations within the external fire barrier of the building.
We advise to always check with a country’s local regulations.
Our series of "Excel Explains" webinars has been designed to provide important technology updates in bite size sessions and are based on frequently asked questions received by our Technical Team. The first series focused on the Construction Products Regulation, covering various topics in more detail.
Further information about the Construction Products Regulation can be found online in the Excel Encyclopaedia. The Excel Encyclopaedia is a comprehensive document that aims to educate installers, designers and consultants about structured cabling as well as providing details about the complete Excel range. It also includes useful documents such as tender responses, white papers and much more.
