LSZH Cablea
A low smoke cable has a LSZH sheath. LSZH stands for Low Smoke Zero Halogen and refers to the compound making up the sheath of a cable. In the event of a fire, this type of sheath will emit very low levels of smoke, and non-toxic levels of poisonous halogen gases (typically under 0.5% HCl emission).

After the King’s Cross fire in London in 1987 it became mandatory to use this type of sheathing on all London Underground cables since the majority of fatalaties occurred through gas and smoke inhalation rather than directly from the fire itself. This type of sheathing is mainly recommended for use in highly populated enclosed public areas.

Other equivalent terms for this type of sheathing are LSHF (Low Smoke Halogen Free), LS0H (Low Smoke Zero Halogen), 0HLS (Zero Halogen Low Smoke).

Low smoke zero halogen (LSZH or LSOH) is a material classification typically used for cable jacketing in the wire and cable industry. LSZH cable jacketing is composed of thermoplastic or thermoset compounds that emit limited smoke and no halogens when exposed to high sources of heat (ie. flame)

Most network cables are insulated with polyethylene, PVC or Thermoplastic Urethane (TPU) . In fires, a halogen-containing plastic material releases hydrogen chloride, a poisonous gas, which forms hydrochloric acid when it comes in contact with water. Designated Halogen-free cables, on the other hand, does not produce a dangerous gas/acid combination or toxic smoke when exposed to a flame.

Low smoke zero halogen cable reduces the amount of toxic and corrosive gases emitted during combustion. These types of materials are typically used in poorly ventilated areas such as aircrafts or rail cars. Low smoke zero halogen is becoming very popular and in some cases a requirement in instances where the protection of people and equipment from toxic and corrosive gasses is critical.

Click for test certificate