Importance of Cat 6 LSZH Sheath

Cat 6/Cat 6A PVC or LSZH Sheath?

Are you installing data cables... if the answer is yes well you will no doubt be familiar with the usual variables,
Cat 6 or Cat 6A, UTP or FTP,  not to mention brand and warranty considerations. These are all important questions but what is often overlooked is the regulatory and health & safety requirements of installing large quantitys of data cabling in confined spaces in the event of a fire.
 

What is LSZH?

LSZH stands for Low Smoke Zero Halogen but can also be identified under the following abbreviations LSOH/LSHF/LSNH. They are all basically the same and imply that when the cable jacketing comes into contact with heat/flame it will not emit halogenated compounds that release toxic fumes and when in contact with moisture create an acid which is both harmful to humans and sentive computer equipment.
 

Industry Regulations for LSZH 

PVC sheathed cables which amount to approx 90% of all the data cables being installed throughout Australia today will emit toxic and corrosive gases when they come into contact with flames.This is a major safety concern especially in areas where large groups of people may gather such as airports, trains stations, stadiums and high rise buildings. 
Although Australia is well behind the rest of the World in embracing this requirement, Europe in particular  
(the Kings Cross underground fire in London in the 80's prompted an urgent review of fire safety standards) the move to deploy more eco friendly and recyclable products is well under way and I believe it is only a matter of time before its a standard requirement for all new building specifications across Asia and Australia. 
 

What are the advantages of using LSZH?

Well the advantages are clear

• Health & safety and possibly life saving implications
• In the event of fire prevents acidic damage to electronic equipment 
• Same cost as PVC (at 4LAN anyway)
• Green friendly & recyclable
• Future proofing for emerging standards
   

So why is the change taking so long?

As with everything the cost of LSZH sheathed cables is higher and basically impacts on the overall project costs. At 4LAN we standardise all of our reels of Cat 6 and Cat 6A with an LSZH sheath with no additional cost. They are independently tested and conform to the rigorous European standard IEC 60332-3C. Why not gain a competitive edge and offer a LSZH Cat 6 or Cat 6A solution for your next installation. 4LAN can offer massive savings and also guarantee a 20 year performance on our range of Cat 6 and Cat 6A so why not check out our website for premium copper and fibre optic solutions or if you have a specific requirement call us on 02 85569044.