Optical cables exceed fire survival specs: News from Brand-Rex

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Brand-Rex has launched a range of high performance fire-survivable cables that meet and exceed the latest IEC fire survival performance criteria for optical products. Brand-Rex's UFS 01 fire survival cable family has been designed for use in areas where critical data transmission must be maintained even when the building or structure in which it is installed is on fire. Capable of withstanding temperatures of over 750C for a minimum of 90 minutes, the new cable family is targeted for use within large public buildings such as data centres, airports, railway stations, sports stadiums and onshore/offshore industrial structures.

According to Brand-Rex, the use of the UFS 01 cable family in building management, fire and security systems means that these vital systems can remain functional in the event of a serious building fire which requires emergency evacuation.

The UFS 01 cable family has been designed to meet the requirements of IEC60794 and the later IEC60331 part 25, which specifically covers fire performance for optical cables.

IEC60331 part 25 calls for the cable to survive a flame temperature of 750C for a minimum of 90 minutes after which the cable must function adequately.

Brand-Rex's own self-imposed performance criteria mean each cable must demonstrate an attenuation increase of no more than 1.5dB after the IEC fire survival test.

Further tests subject the cable to both water spray and mechanical shock loads, in order to further simulate situations where the effect of sprinkler systems and the potential impact damage of falling debris would influence 'real-world' fire performance.

'The Brand-Rex UFS 01 family is another example of Brand-Rex raising the standards in premises distribution and fire-survival cabling', commented Brand-Rex Business and Marketing Director Ian Wilkie.

'The maintenance of critical systems during an emergency evacuation is about life or death in many cases and we are proud to be able to offer a cable family which both meets and exceeds current fire survival safety specifications', he added.

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