Prysmian Group Baltics: a pioneer of safe and sustainable electrical infrastructure in Keila

CPR and fire safety classes: what do you need to know?

The safety of cables used in buildings is not merely a technical detail — it is directly linked to the protection of human life and property. Under the EU Construction Products Regulation (CPR), all building materials such as cables must meet standardised assessment criteria, carry CE marking, and include a compulsory Declaration of Performance (DoP).

Nationally established classes determine which fire safety class of cables may be used in different types of buildings (detailed classification is provided in the relevant regulation):

ESTONIA

• Class Eca – Low risk: suitable for smaller buildings that generally do not require a building permit
• Class Dca-s2,d2,a2 – Medium risk: this class is required in most buildings, industries, parking garages, and tunnels
• Class Cca-s1,d1,a2 – High risk: the most stringent level, mandatory in hospitals, schools, kindergartens, and high-rise buildings

LATVIA

• Eca – Low risk: acceptable when cables are additionally protected (fire-protective coating / surrounded by products at least B-s1,d0) or installed in fire-safety separated service shafts; typically in U3 fire resistance grade buildings.
• Dca-s2,d2,a2 – Medium risk: used in public event spaces (>250 people) and certain higher-risk scenarios (e.g., high-rise conditions or areas with care-dependent occupants who cannot self-evacuate), where increased requirements apply.
• Cca-s1,d1,a2 – High risk / evacuation routes: intended for protected stairwells, protected evacuation routes and fire-safe lobbies, and also vestibules/atriums/halls/foyers.

LITHUANIA

• Eca – Low risk: industrial/manufacturing and storage areas; residential areas in single- and two-dwelling buildings.
• Dca-s2,d2,a2 – Medium risk: rooms that may hold more than 50 people; childcare and healthcare buildings (including nursing care), hotels; also cable routing zones (shafts, tunnels, technical recesses, above suspended ceilings, under raised floors, etc.) and multi-apartment residential buildings.
• Cca-s1,d1,a1 – High risk / evacuation: evacuation routes (corridors, stairwells, vestibules, foyers, halls, etc.).

This system helps ensure that cables with exactly the right level of fire safety are used in every building.

What do the letters in CPR marking stand for?

CPR covers seven safety classes from A to F, where A stands for a non-combustible product and F for a product for which no reaction to fire properties is specified. Based on the classification, cables are mainly classified into class B, C, D and E.

CPR classes include additional designations that provide precise information about the product's behaviour in a fire:

• s (smoke) – amount of smoke emitted
• d (droplets) – formation of flaming droplets
• a (acidity) – smoke acidity and electrolytic conductivity

Example: Dca-s2,d2,a2

• Class Dca, heat released during combustion is limited, smoke emission is moderate, possible flaming droplets, non-acidic combustion gases.

   

Risk levels of building types

XPJ and AXPK: Modern cables meeting strict requirements

Due to these requirements, the Keila plant has consistently invested in product development. The most well-known product series that play an important role in the daily work of electricians and builders are XPJ and AXPK.

Halogen-free XPJ cables improve indoor safety

Halogen-free building cables, such as XPJ-HF D, are increasingly used in modern buildings. Their advantage becomes particularly evident in a crisis situation: in the event of a fire, no thick black smoke or toxic gases are generated. The smoke is more transparent and less acidic, which improves visibility, facilitates evacuation, and makes the work of rescue personnel significantly safer.

AXPK underground cables ensure durable energy transmission

AXPK cables with aluminium conductors are designed to withstand decades of underground load. They are a conventional choice when constructing power grids, ensuring stable energy flow from substations to buildings. They are also subject to strict quality and safety requirements, as outdoor cables must function in highly diverse and often demanding conditions.

Green production: The Keila plant operates on 100% carbon-neutral energy

While safety is important, responsible production is equally crucial. Prysmian Group Baltics is a role model in this field — the entirety of production at the Keila plant is powered by 100% carbon-neutral energy, as confirmed by an official certificate.

Furthermore, halogen-free cables are significantly more environmentally friendly, as fewer toxic compounds are released into the environment in the event of a fire. This is an important step towards a more environmentally sustainable infrastructure.

Invisible though they may be, the right cables are the foundation for a safe future

Prysmian Group Baltics demonstrates that production in the Baltic region can be innovative, accountable, and future-oriented all at once. Thanks to the CPR regulation and transparent safety standards, our living environment has become safer, and unreliable cables have disappeared from the market.

Using compliant, tested cables produced with carbon-neutral energy is an investment that supports both our safety today and the environment tomorrow.