Research by the nonprofit Communications Cable and Connectivity Association (CCCA) shows that many offshore-manufactured cable products could present a significant fire risk.
The CCCA commissioned an independent laboratory to analyze whether nine randomly selected cable samples manufactured outside the United States conformed to health and safety standards.
Test results showed that none of the samples fully met all of the minimum requirements. All but one of the samples failed to meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) minimum code requirements for low flame spread and/or smoke safety requirements for installation in commercial buildings, schools and multitenant residences. Several of the samples failed the flame spread and smoke tests catastrophically.
The research showed that the cables also failed to meet Cat5e and Cat6 specifications.
The CCCA sponsored the independent tests in response to concern from its membership that many of the new cable brands entering the North American market appeared to be constructed of inferior materials that would not pass the flame and smoke tests required by the National Electrical Code (NEC).
The CCCA says it will not publish the names of the manufacturers of the cable products, but confirmed that all nine samples were sold under brand names that would largely be considered “unknown” to U.S. customers.
“These test results strongly imply that these cable products, manufactured in China or Taiwan, were made with inferior materials and methods to save on production costs,” says CCCA Executive Director Frank Peri. “Several of the samples tested would pose a serious fire safety risk once installed.”
