Low Fire-Hazard Cables
Low Fire-Hazard Cables improve Safety (Source: www.safety-during-fire.com)
The most commonly identified cause of death from a fire incident is being
overcome by gas or smoke(1) which accounts for 44% of all deaths. In 1950 the average time from ignition of a
fire to flashover
was 15 minutes. Now fatal conditions can occur after 3 minutes(2).
Given these facts, we can conclude that:
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the reduction of smoke and effluent gases is relevant to saving human lives
and facilitating the work of rescue teams;
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the increased use of plastics in the last 50 years has had a dramatic effect
on escape times.
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Prysmian has developed a family of Low Fire Hazard Cables that couple low flame spread and heat
release with very low emission of smoke and dangerous gases. These cables help to provide more time
to escape and a less hazardous environment for rescue teams.
Restrict the propagation of fire and the heat release (Source: www.safety-during-fire.com)
Cables are generally composed of a metallic (or glass) conductor and organic
materials for insulation and sheathing. The organic materials are combustible to various degrees.
Cables can be the means of propagation of a fire from one room to adjacent rooms; so the
control of fire propagation along cable runs has been required in some National Regulations for
many years in order to reduce this hazard. In terms of cable design, reduced propagation
performance implies the use of materials that are "self-retardant" or compounded with
"flame-retardants". Perfomance is determined not only on a single cable, but also on a vertically
installed bunch of cables which simulates the most onerous installation condition.
Reduce smoke production and harmful emissions (Source: www.safety-during-fire.com)
A low level of opacity
of smoke produced and acidity
of the effluent are basic criteria in the selection of materials that, in the event of fire, make
it possible to reduce the presence of dangerous gases and to facilitate escape. It is essential
that the production of opaque smoke and harmful emissions is as low as possible during a fire.
The majority of deaths in a fire are due to inhaling dangerous gases. It is vital to reduce
the exposure time to these gases by facilitating safe evacuation with the best possible
visibility.
Prysmian Technology: Afumex
AFUMEX embraces a LSOH compound technology with higher performance
than traditional materials. It has been adopted by all Prysmian Companies worldwide
and indicates the outstanding reaction to fire performance of Prysmian’s cables.
AFUMEX is one of main results of the continuous activity of Research and development of the
Prysmian’s group, focused to reduce potential hazards during fire by developing materials that
limit propagation of flame, generate less smoke and emit effluent that are less corrosive. AFUMEX
is a technologically and ecologically sound answer to the problem of emissions. Its main
characteristics are:
• Limited fire propagation
• Very low emission of smoke
• Halogen free
• Ecologically sound cable
AFUMEX is in conformity with the standards IEC 60332-3-4 and EN 50266-2-4,
relative to the propagation of the fire; in line with the principles of the European norms for the
safeguard of atmosphere (ISO 14000).
Click here to see the Prysmian
AFUMEX product
range.
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