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Plenum, Riser, CM and LSZH Ratings Cables
by Arindam Bhadra What are Plenum, Riser, CM and Low-Smoke Zero Halogen Ratings, and What are the Differences Between them?
Plenum (CMP) Rated Cable:
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Complies with NFPA-262 and UL-910. Allowed in spaces defined as "air plenums" , such as raised flooring systems and air handling ducts. Must self-extinguish and not reignite. Produces less smoke (which is toxic) than traditional PVC cables. Type FPLP power-limited fire alarm plenum cable is listed by the NEC as suitable for use in ducts, plenums and other space used for environmental air. All FPLP cables are listed as having adequate fire-resistant and low smoke-producing characteristics and must pass both UL test 1424 and UL tunnel test 910.
Riser (CMR) Rated Cable:
Complies with UL-1666. Defined for usage in vertical tray applications, such as cable runs between floors, through cable risers and in elevator shafts; spaces that cannot be used for environmental air. Must self-extinguish and must also prevent the flame from traveling up the cable in a vertical burn test. Plenum rated cables can be used in Riser spaces, whereas Riser rated cables cannot be used in Plenum spaces. Type FPLR power-limited fire alarm riser cable is listed as suitable for use in a vertical run in a shaft or from floor to floor. All FPLR cables are listed as having fire-resistant characteristics capable of preventing fire from traveling floor to floor. Riser cables must pass both UL test 1424 and the vertical riser flame test UL 1666.
Stranded Copper Conductor
XLPE Insulation
LSZH Bedding LSZH Sheath Conductor Insulation Insulation Screen Copper Tape Screen Filler (CTS)
Galvanized Steel Wire Armour (SWA) CU/XLPE/PVC/SWA/PVC 6.35/11 kV 1/C
BS 7835 Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) Rated Cable:
Used in shipboard applications and computer networking rooms where toxic or acrid smoke and fumes can injure people and/or harm equipment. Examples of halogens include Fluorine, Chlorine,
Bromine and Iodine. These materials, when burned, produce acrid smoke that can cause harm to people and equipment. Does not produce heavy black soot and smoke common with PVC cables. Used mainly outside of the U.S. Self extinguishes. Does not pass UL-910 or UL-1666 for a Plenum or
Riser rating.
General Purpose (CM, CMG, CMx) Rated Cable:
Complies with UL-1581 testing. Will burn and partially self-extinguish. Not for use between build floors and air plenum spaces. Often used for workstation cable and patch cor. Type FPL power-limited fire alarm cable is listed by the NEC as suitable for general purpose fire alarm use. All FPL cables are listed as being resistant to the spread of fire and must pass both UL test 1424 and vertical flame test UL 1581.
LPCB approved fire resistant cable standards:BS 7629-1:2008 BS 6387:2013 (Category CWZ) EN 50200:2006 (Class PH30) EN 50200:2006 Annex E (30 mins) BS 5839-1:2013 (Clause 26.2d Standard)
The Guide to Locker Management
Although we have made considerable headway in ensuring efficient access to our premises via various access control systems and management software, locker management - that is, the efficient use of physical storage - is still a topic that several establishments would find themselves in need of re-visiting.
Why is it so? Many workplace and public-use establishments make use of locking systems that are easily impregnable - you would by now be used to seeing the traditional padlock or combination locks still being used in public spaces. Not only are these methods easy to breach, the culprits of any such breach are hard to trace- especially if those lockers aren't assigned to a specific person and are being used freely by multiple users. Furthermore, as the number of lockers in an organisation increases, the amount of total administrative effort involved also rises significantly. Locker owners change. Whether in public spaces like gyms, spas and recreation centres, or in workplaces where the flow of employees joining, moving within or leaving the firm can cause significant fluctuations, the amount of organisational and supervisory effort required from admin and facilities department is high. Add into this key management and the replacement for key theft/loss, and the need for an efficient management system becomes quite evident, if not dire. Automation comes as a blessing to those struggling with this issue. Automation and online management of lockers via smart locks can not only greatly simplify existing processes, it can add new processes or combinations of processes that were not achievable before. Meeting Multiple Use-Cases The type of locking and locker system required would naturally depend on the specific needs of an organisation. Let's go over a few locking mechanisms currently in place 1) Static/Fixed Lockers: These are lockers that have been assigned to one specific user, typically allocated to that user by a manager (manual allocation). The only way a static locker is made available again is if the allocation is removed by the administrator. 2) Dynamic Lockers: These lockers can be freely chosen and are automatically assigned to a user for one time use. No intervention in required in giving/revoking access. 3) Hot Locker: These lockers are not only dynamic, but a time restriction is also typically related to locker-use (For eg, a user can only hold a locker for a specific time period, or that all lockers unlock at a specific time). 4) Group Lockers: Multiple users make use of a single locker (allocation can be manual or automatic). Professional organisations following a more traditional approach of fixed zones/workplaces tend to make use of Static lockers whereas public spaces necessitate the use of dynamic mechanisms since their audience is constantly changing. Hot lockers prevent the long term storage of any contraband/ weapon or other illegal
MR. RAKESH SACHDEV
Managing Director Acetech Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
or sensitive information. Group Lockers can be relevant when the locker size is significant or when the same materials need to be accessed by multiple people in a team. That being said, these applications shouldn't be put into neat little boxes. Many workplaces also value the allocative efficiency and reduced efforts of using dynamic systems, while public spaces may require a certain number of lockers to be fixed for staff use. The beauty of our modern locking systems is that any good product would typically allow you to use any or all of the above locking mechanisms in whichever manner, even simultaneously, if required.
Assigned Mode
RFID RFID RFID RFID RFID
Pre-Assigned Mode
RFID
Multi User (Up to 8, Assigned mode only)
RFID
RFID RFID
RFID
RFID RFID
RFID RFID
RFID RFID
The number of dynamic or fixed lockers, for instance, could then be dependent on the percentage of Employees vs Visitors in your building. Reducing Administrative Effort and Time Having an online system naturally implies more information and greater control, with less effort for the Admin department. Records of the locker status (available, in use, low battery etc), user rights and card number are maintained at all times. Allocation of lockers or release of this allocation; remotely opening lockers or viewing reports regarding locker usage are all possible with the system. The ability to remotely give mass entry to all lockers becomes important in times of cleanings, inspections or searches - and requires much less effort than the traditional approach.
Security Having your lockers be constantly online provides a strong layer of security. Any thefts are easy to identify as the last user can usually be traced. Furthermore, tampering alarms on the locks also exist to highlight any threat to the required authorities. Suspicious activities or behaviours in usage of the locker can be further investigated based on usage logs. The access of a user card to any (or all) lockers can be permanently blocked by admin in an emergency or if the card has been misplaced or lost. Conclusion Choosing a locker management system is a decision with significant time, effort and efficiency consequences for all the stakeholders involved. Allowing for a comprehensive online system is therefore highly recommended. Passtech locks is a brand carefully selected for distribution by Acetech Technologies that offers all the above mentioned features (and more) in their locker management solutions.
Any locker management system is to be evaluated against three pillars (1) Its ability to provide a robust security solution (2) Its ability to automate processes and reduce effort (3) Its flexibility or ability to meet varying use cases.
