Legislation

The new Fire Protection Regulation that has been in force since July 2018 (Government Gazette 80/Α/7-5-2018) incorporates the new cable classification depending on their contribution to the spreading of fire and the production of smoke, flaming particles and droplets according to the European classes of the EN 13501.06 standard, which are mandatory according to Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 on construction products. According to the minimum requirements defined per building category, the use of halogen-free cables in escape routes is mandatory in public gathering areas or temporary lodging facilities (schools, hospitals, hotels, etc.), warehouses, car stations, commercial buildings and industrial spaces.

LVD is applied to electrical equipment designed for the use with a voltage rating of between 50 to 1000 V for AC and between 75 and 1500 V for DC. Electrical equipment may be placed on the market under the conditions that it has been manufactured in accordance with the safety LVD objectives, that it does not endanger the safety of persons, domestic animals or property when properly installed, maintained and used in applications for which it was made.

Electrical products are presumed to conform to the safety LVD objectives when manufactured in compliance with Harmonized Standards or with the safety provisions of Electrical Equipment Commission or International Electrotechnical Commission. In order to be placed on the EU market, an established Technical Documentation and a Declaration of Conformity must be drawn up and they should be affixed with the CE Marking.

When electrical equipment is subject to other Directives, apart from LVD, which also provide CE Marking, then the CE label indicates the Conformity to the requirements of those Directives. The new LVD directive keeps the same scope and safety objectives.

KOUVIDIS was the first Greek company to have had all of its products affixed with the CE marking in the Greek market at the early 1990’s.

REACH Regulation EC/1907/2006 concerns the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of chemical substances. It has been valid since 2 June of 2007 and basically it improves and simplifies the past European legislation in chemicals.

It concerns all chemicals and aims to ensure a high level of protection of human health and environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals. This Regulation also promotes the development of alternative test methods for the assessment of hazards posed by chemical substances.

Chemical manufacturers and importers should identify and manage accordingly the hazards of the produced and traded in the market chemical substances.

KOUVIDIS,  being  fully  compliant  with  REACH  regulation since 2011, designs and manufactures products for electrical applications, which, when used within their specification, shall not release any harmful substances.

The RoHS 1 Directive (2002/95/EC) for the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (commonly referred as Restriction of Hazardous Substances or RoHS) was adopted in February 2003, by the European Union and was implemented in a legislation form, on the 1st July 2006 by all Member States. RoHS2 Directive was published on 1 July 2011 in order to increase the e-waste amount that is appropriately treated, to reduce the volume that goes to disposal and to reduce the administrative burdens ensuring coherency with newer policies and legislation. The RoHS 3 (EU Directive 2015/863) adds Category 11 (catch-all) products and adds four new restricted substances – all phthalates. Category 11 products include all other electronic and electrical equipment not covered under the other categories.

The expanded list for RoHS 3 is thus as follows: Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Cadmium (Cd), Hexavalent Chromium (Cr (VI)), Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), Polybrominated diphenlys ether (PBDE), Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP)

The above mentioned substances should not be used or contained beyond the specific allowed limits which are defined by the Directive.

KOUVIDIS has adopted RoHS Directive since 2006 by using heavy metals free raw materials in all of its products.

The Biocidal Products Directive was first published in 1998 and entered in force on 14 May 2000 aiming to harmonize the European market for biocidal products and their active substances, to provide a high level of protection for people, animals and environment through risk assessment, and to ensure that products are sufficiently effective against the target species.

Biocidal products are any chemical substances intended to control unwanted, render harmless, and prevent the action of any harmful organism such as insects, bacteria, virus and fungi. The directive is applicable to 23 different product types relevant to the footwear and leather industries and human hygiene covering fiber, leather, rubber, and polymerized materials.

The BPD can be seen as a precursor to the REACH legislation, as this followed a similar pattern of identification, assessment and authorization.

KOUVIDIS antimicrobial conduit system MEDISOL AM  -MEDIFLEX AM is fully compliant with the BPD Directive.

The European Standard EN 50642 specifies a method for the determination of the content of halogens in Cable Management System (CMS) components or products made of polymeric material(s). The determination is made by combustion and subsequent analysis of the combustion product by Ion Chromatography. This standard specifies how CMS components or products can be declared as halogen free.

Part 3 describes the specifications for pipes and fittings with smooth internal and profiled external surface and the system, Type B

The ΕΝ 13476 series of standards, initially issued in November 2007, provides detailed descriptions.

of the design, production and testing procedures for plastic pipes and components intended for the collection of (sewer) waste water and the drainage of stormwater without pressure. Its exact title is:

“Plastics piping systems for non-pressure underground drainage and sewerage made of un-plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC-U), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE)”

Part 1 specifies the general requirements and performance characteristics.

ISO 9969 specifies a test method for determining the ring stiffness of thermoplastics pipes having a circular cross section

DIN 4261-1 regards pipes and fittings for subsoil drainage of trafficked areas and underground engineering. Part 1 describes pipes, fittings and their joints made from PVC-U, PP and PE

ISO 22196 test method is used to evaluate the antibacterial activity of antibacterial plastic surfaces inhibiting or killing the growth of test microorganisms. The Standard describes the test  procedure for Staphylococcus aureus and E.coli microorganisms. Additional pathogen bacteria like, Salmonella, Listeria monokytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella Pneumoniae, Lactobacilli, Streptococcus pyogenes and Legionella can also be tested by this method

Measurement of smoke density of cables burning  under  defined  conditions.  The  standard contains test procedures and requirements. Smoke density test is combustion of an important  aspect  of performance  evaluation, as it relates to the degree of difficulty for personnel evacuation.

The Standard specifies the general requirements and tests for Conduit Systems, including conduits and conduit fittings, for the protection and management of insulated conductors and/ or cables in electrical installations or in communication systems up to 1000V AC and/or 1500V DC. This Standard applies to metallic, non-metallic, and composite Conduit Systems, including threaded and non-threaded entries which terminate the system. This Standard does not apply to Enclosures and Connecting Boxes which come within the scope of EN 60670.

Part 2-1 specifies the requirements for Rigid Conduit Systems. Rigid Conduits cannot be bent or bent only with the use of mechanical aids, with or without special treatment.

Part 2-2 specifies the requirements for Pliable Conduit Systems. Pliable Conduits can be bent by hand with reasonable force but are not in- tended for frequent flexing.

This   standard   specifies   requirements   and tests for conduit systems buried underground including conduits and conduit fittings for the protection and management of insulated conductors and/or cables in electrical installations or in communication systems.

Part 2 describes the specifications for pipes and fittings with smooth internal and external surface and the system, Type A

The General Standard EN 60754 specifies the test methods on gases evolved during combustion   of materials   from cables.  Part 1 specifies the apparatus and procedure for the  determination  of  the  amount  of  halogen acid gas, other than hydrofluoric acid, evolved during the combustion of compounds based on halogenated polymers and compounds containing halogenated additives taken from electric or optical fibre cable constructions.

This part of IEC 60670 Standard applies to Boxes, Enclosures and parts of enclosures for electrical accessories with a rated voltage not exceeding 1000 V AC and 1500 V DC intended for household or similar fixed electrical installations, either indoors or outdoors.

Part 2 specifies the apparatus  and procedure for the determination of the potential corrosivity of gases evolved during the combustion of materials taken from electric or optical fibre cable constructions by measuring the acidity (pH) and conductivity of an aqueous solution resulting from the gases evolved during the combustion.

This Part specifies the particular requirements for connecting boxes, for junction(s) and tapping(s).

The new European Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU (LVD), on the availability of electrical equipment, designed for use with a voltage rating of between 50 and 1000 V for alternating current and between 75 and 1500 V for direct current, has entered into force repealing the previous one 2006/95/EU.

The aim of the new LVD Directive is the same, thus to ensure that the electrical equipment which is available on the market fulfill the requirements, providing a high level of protection of human health and safety, as well as domestic animals and property, while guaranteeing the better functioning of the internal European market.

It’s noteworthy that the new LVD Directive 2014/35/EU imposes strict penalties on the violators of its provisions. These penalties depend on the type of the offence such absence of CE marking, unfair or deceptive use of the CE marking, absence of Declaration of Conformity, lack of safe installation instructions and deficiencies in the technical documentations.

The use and full application of the above ΕΝ 13476 series of standards is mandatory in Greece according to the ministerial decision no.14097/757/4.12.2012   “testing technical specifications in plastic pipes and their components  used  to  transport  drinkable  water, waste water and for underfloor heating” published in the official government gazette issue b 3346/14.12.2012.

According to this decision, pipes that will be used in any project related to waste water sewage or stormwater drainage system must fully comply with the aforementioned standard. specifically, plastic pipes made of unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC-U), polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene (PE) with  structured walls which are used in unpressured underground stormwater drainage and sewage networks must fulfill the requirements of the above standard,  as applicable, this standard being mandatory for the safety of structural projects and constructions and the protection of users and consumers.

It is forbidden to produce, import, supply in the Greek market, or use any of the aforementioned products if they do not comply with the requirements of  the technical specifications defined in EN 13476.

The lawful supply of products in the Greek market requires a certificate of conformity issued by an acknowledged and accredited (according to regulation (ec) no. 765/2008) conformity assessment organization, in the case of products manufactured in the European economic area, or a competent body designated under Greek legislation in the case of Greek products. for products of third countries outside the EU a control certificate is required, also from the competent body designated under Greek legislation. The strict framework of the above legislation clearly expresses the necessary caution that is required before selecting appropriate pipes in order to ensure a valid certificate of conformity and therefore assure the project design’s required specifications, avoid possible failures due to non-conformity of the products and ensure the quality of the final project.