Federal Law No. 123 and cable for fire protection systems.
NEW RULES
It has been more than a year since Federal Law No. 123 «Technical Regulations on Fire Safety Requirements» came into effect, which has changed the working conditions in the field of fire safety in many ways. New requirements have been put forward that can no longer be ignored, because the «Technical Regulations» are a Federal Law that has priority over other documents in this industry. However, the emergence of the Federal Law left many questions, and some requirements were difficult to fulfill not only technically, but also due to the lack of ready-made solutions on the domestic market. Then followed a sufficient number of explanatory documents: Codes of Practice (SP), GOSTs. But they did not fully answer the questions. Six months after the adoption of Federal Law 123, VNIIPO began discussing the draft Federal Law «On Amendments to the Federal Law «Technical Regulations on Fire Safety Requirements», for which hearings and discussions were completed in April 2010. In general, we are witnessing and participating in the formation of new requirements on the market, and this is a very difficult stage.
TASKS OF MANUFACTURERS
I would like to clarify what path a domestic manufacturer takes in this situation.
? It is necessary to understand the new requirements, to consult not only with the developers, but also with those who will implement them in life, in order to understand how it will work. To understand the entire structure of changes, through all the adopted documents.
? To understand how to implement these requirements on a specific product (group of products).
? Bring everything to life. This is the most difficult stage, as it is associated not only with the introduction of new products, but also, sometimes, new technologies and new equipment.
? Certification occupies a special place — it is also a long and complicated matter. After all, a certificate is not the same as a certificate. And in matters of fire safety, you need to be 100% sure
that you are right.
As a result, we get a significant period from the moment the need arises to its implementation — up to a year.
CHANGES IN REQUIREMENTS. DOCUMENTS
Let's see how the situation and requirements for cable products in this industry have changed since the adoption of FZ-123.
Article 82. Fire safety requirements for electrical installations of buildings, structures and constructions…
2. Cables and wires of fire protection systems, means of ensuring the activities of fire protection units, fire detection systems, warning and control of evacuation of people in case of fire, emergency lighting on evacuation routes, emergency ventilation and smoke protection, automatic fire extinguishing, internal fire water supply, elevators for transporting fire protection units in buildings, structures and constructions must remain operational in fire conditions for the time required for the complete evacuation of people to a safe zone.
Article 143. Fire safety requirements for electrical equipment…
4. Electrical equipment of fire protection systems must remain operational in fire conditions for the time required for the complete evacuation of people to a safe place.
Then explanatory documents appeared – Codes of Practice (SP), in particular SP 5.13130.2009 Fire protection systems. Automatic fire alarm and fire extinguishing systems. Design standards and rules:
13.15.3.The selection of electrical wires and cables, methods of their installation for the organization of loops and connecting lines of fire alarm systems must be carried out in accordance with the requirements of GOST R 53315, GOST R 53325, [7], the requirements of this section and technical documentation for devices and equipment of the fire alarm system.
13.15.7.Fire resistance of wires and cables connected to various components of fire automatic systems must be no less than the time of execution of tasks by these components for a specific installation site. Fire resistance of wires and cables is ensured by the choice of their type, as well as by the methods of their installation.
SP 6.13130.2009 Fire protection systems. Electrical equipment. Fire safety requirements.
Article 4. Fire safety requirements…
4.1. Cable lines of fire protection systems must be made of fire-resistant cables with copper conductors that do not spread combustion when laid in groups according to category A according to GOST R IEC 60332*3*22 with low smoke and gas emission (ng*FRLS) or do not contain halogens (ng*FRHF).
In the course of our story, there was a reference to another important document — GOST R 53315*2009. Cable products.
Fire safety requirements. There is no point in citing its text, you need to familiarize yourself with this document, we will only note that it takes a course on cables with increased fire safety.
The following cables must be used:
? in the ng*LS version — «in residential and public buildings»;
? in the нг*HF version — «in rooms equipped with computer and microprocessor equipment; in buildings and structures with a large number of people»;
? in the нг*FRLS, нг*FRHF version — «for power supply circuits of electrical receivers of fire protection systems, operating rooms and resuscitation and anesthesia equipment of hospitals
and hospitals, as well as other electrical receivers that must remain operational in fire conditions;
? performed by нг*LSLTх, нг*HFLTx – “in buildings of preschool educational institutions, special. nursing homes and disabled people, hospitals, dormitories of educational
institutions of boarding type and children's institutions.”
THOUGHTS, THOUGHTS, REFLECTIONS
So, it is necessary to clearly understand the structure of subordination of documents:
1. Primacy of the Federal Law.
2. «Regulatory documents on fire safety include national standards, codes of practice containing fire safety requirements (norms and rules),» i.e. both Codes of Practice (SP) and Fire Safety Standards (FSS) are working documents if their provisions do not contradict the Federal Law. It is logical to assume that SP have priority, since these are documents created on the basis of the Federal Law, and if there are any contradictions between SP or FSS and FSS, then the latter should be followed.
From all of the above, a general trend towards using cables with increased fire safety requirements is evident, but especially stringent requirements are for fire protection systems. And if there are basically no questions about warning systems, evacuation systems and other «serious» systems, there are many questions about fire detection systems.
The operability in fire conditions during the time required for the complete evacuation of people to a safe zone can be ensured by both the properties of the cable and the method of its installation. It is very important to understand this. That is, in fire safety systems we can use either fire-resistant cables ng*FRLS, ng*FRHF, or use another type of cable, using various protection methods (fire-resistant boxes, even the cable can be hidden in concrete). The problem is that in the second case you will need to prove and calculate the operability of the system. This issue is very complex, and not every designer will be able to do this.
The simplest way is to use fire-resistant cables in fire protection systems. Here, their ability to operate in fire conditions is confirmed by a certificate, which means there is complete confidence in the cable and the system as a whole.
That is, if you need the cable to ensure the operation of the fire-fighting system, you need to use cables нг*FRLS, нг*FRHF. At the moment, the security systems market offers cables with a fire resistance limit of 180 minutes. Many people have a question: why so much? According to «GOST R 53315*2009. Cable products. Fire safety requirements», the fire resistance of cables is regulated by 30.45, 60, 90, 120, 150 or 180 minutes. This gives an answer to those who are looking for cables with a fire resistance limit of 5-10 minutes (for a small facility — a shop, office, etc.). There are no such cables, since there are no such requirements — at least 30 minutes. Well, from a technological point of view, cables for fire protection systems are manufactured in the same way, whether their fire resistance limit is 30 minutes or 180, so most manufacturers state the maximum value.
Here are also several terms and questions that cause the greatest misunderstanding.
Non-flammable cables – the term is absolutely incorrect. Often this term is used to denote fire-resistant cables, cables that do not spread combustion (including cables that do not spread combustion when laid alone), as well as flammable cables that have “hard-to-burn” sheaths.
Cables that do not spread combustion– cables that do not spread combustion when laid individually or in groups, but practically from the first minutes or seconds cease to perform their functions when exposed to flame (without providing additional protection). That is, the insulation and sheath have melted or burned in the cable. The main task of such a cable is not to become a means of spreading a fire if it has already started.
Fire-resistant cables– cables that can maintain functionality in fire conditions for a certain period of time.
WHAT IS FIRE RESISTANCE
I would like to explain how cables can operate in open flame conditions for 180 minutes. Modern manufacturers offer 3 types of fire-resistant cables:
1. Cables with a metal sheath and magnesium insulation. Cables in which one or more conductive cores are located in a metal tube sheath. The space between the cores, between the cores and the sheath is filled with magnesium oxide (the simplest option is any heating element). Fire resistance of cables is achieved by the complete absence of combustible or thermally decomposable structural elements of the cable, the destruction of which could lead to failure of the cable. When exposed to flame, smoke and toxic components are not released.
2. Cables with glass mica insulation. Cables in the design of which an electrical insulation and thermal barrier made of mica-containing glass tapes is used, applied as a winding over the conductive cores. Polymer insulation and a protective polymer sheath made of PVC plastics with reduced fire hazard (cable designation ng*FRLS) or a halogen-free thermoplastic composition (ng*FRHF) are applied over the winding with tapes. The cables remain operational at a temperature of 750°C for 180 minutes. When exposed to flame, low smoke emission and low toxicity of combustion products are determined. Fire resistance of the cable is ensured by the fire-resistant properties of the insulation in the form of a winding of glass mica-containing tapes. Polymer insulation and sheath in these cables provide operational characteristics of the cable under long-term «normal» conditions and mechanical protection during installation and operation.
3. Cables with ceramic-forming rubber insulation. The polymer sheath in such cables is made of PVC plasticizers with reduced fire hazard (cable designation ng*FRLS) or halogen-free thermoplastic composition (ng*FRHF). The cables remain operational at a temperature of 750° C for 180 minutes. When exposed to flame, the special ceramic-forming silicone rubber turns into a protective ceramic layer (i.e., «ceramic» insulation), providing insulating properties in the event of a fire.
The cables have low smoke emission, toxicity and corrosive activity of combustion products. Under normal conditions, the cable design provides high electrical characteristics, resistance to short-circuit currents, resistance to long-term exposure to elevated temperatures, resistance to bending, and in some designs, flexible operation of the cable under normal conditions.
Currently, cables with insulation made of ceramic-forming organosilicon rubber are being developed for single or group installation in buildings of preschool educational institutions, specialized nursing homes and disabled people, hospitals, dormitories of boarding educational institutions and children's institutions in the ng*HFLTx and ng*LSLTx versions, i.e. cables with a toxicity index of combustion products of no more than 120 g/m3.
It should be noted that domestic manufacturers mainly offer silicone rubber cables for security systems, as cables that meet all the tasks set before them and are the most cost-effective.
HOW TO MEET THE NEW REQUIREMENTS. WHAT'S NEXT?
Of course, the use of fire-resistant cables significantly increases the safety of fire-fighting systems. And although at the moment the use of fire-resistant cables is an obvious thing, at least all the advantages of these cables are obvious, according to statistics, most experts have not yet decided whether to use FR cable in all lines of fire-fighting systems or only in individual units. According to our data, the regulatory authorities do not have a clear idea either. For example, we know of cases when fire protection systems are installed without the use of fire-resistant cables, but only with the help of cables that do not spread combustion, and the regulatory authorities accept these works. This is a question for the developers of the documentation: why, after a year, there is no clear understanding of the use of cables either among the performers or the regulatory authorities — there are still so many questions even about such «simple» things as the use of cable products.
Perhaps the reason is a rather cumbersome and opaque procedure for adopting new documents. There is no discussion in the press and on popular sites or forums. Few round tables for discussion. The documents are being released in stages, so it is quite difficult to understand them and there is no complete picture of the whole situation. And the upcoming changes to the Federal Law, which have just been adopted, make you wonder whether they will clarify the situation or leave even more problems.
Therefore, it is important not to be afraid of questions, but to establish strong connections between manufacturers, consumers and developers. After all, we are all doing the same thing.
D. Korolev, Head of Marketing Department, Trade and Industrial House Paritet
Magazine «Security Algorithm» No. 4, 2010