Nexans’ technical conference in the Netherlands looked at fire safety and businesses’ ethical and legal responsibilities in light of incoming CPR
Paris, September 24, 2015 – In the first event of its kind in the Netherlands, Nexans brought together technical experts, academics and customers for its fire safety conference on 16 September. With the Construction Products Regulations (CPR) coming into force on 1 December 2015, installers, specifiers and engineers need to think about fire safety and their responsibilities now.
Customers, academics, installers and specifiers gathered to discuss the link between fire safety, incoming CPR regulations and civic responsibility. Experts presented their latest findings in the field of materials, regulation and liability, including the new European regulations and the implications for the Netherlands.
Speakers from the Institute of Building Quality and the Department of Constitutional and Administrative Law and the Free University of Amsterdam explained the incoming regulations to delegates. They covered the legal and ethical responsibilities of businesses across EU member states when CPR comes into force.
The conference covered how vital construction products are for fire safety. Frank Gyppaz, Group Leader at Nexans’ Research Centre in Lyon, looked at the technical challenges cable manufacturers have faced in adhering to CPR and how Nexans has overcome them. He also looked at the future innovations that will be necessary to remain compliant.
The message throughout the conference was that the industry needs to be ready for the incoming regulations. Nexans has worked in collaboration with Lund University to ensure its cables will be fully compliant with CPR. As soon as the regulations were announced, Nexans has been working to ensure its customers are fully compliant, and is in the best position to advise them.
CPR provides a common language for EU member states to use when setting fire safety regulations. It is up to the regulatory authorities in individual members states to specify which level of performance builders and installers need to adhere to.
The conference focused on how the regulations would affect construction works in the Netherlands. The regulatory bodies have taken the opportunity to use CPR to increase the quality of construction works to protect lives, and reduce the financial cost of fire. By ensuring construction projects are carried out by qualified people, using the correct procedures and products, the risk due to fire is reduced.
Marcel Greveling, Sales Director at Nexans in the Netherland said, “Nexans has spent years testing our cables against the new standards so we are now well placed to share our expertise with our customers to make the transition to CPR. We are proud to be the first company to bring together experts and customers to discuss the effect CPR will have on fire safety and the legal and ethical responsibilities of businesses.”
The conference took place in Jaarbeurs Utrecht, Netherlands and was attended by about 100 people.
