Home > Industries > Wire and Cable > Optical Fiber Certification Services

Optical fiber certification

UL tests raceways and fittings for installation of nonconductive optical fiber cables in accordance with Article 770 of the National Electrical Code and communications cables in accordance with Article 800 of the National Electrical Code. Listing includes pliable lengths, rigid straight sections, elbows, bends and fittings such as expansion joints, female and male adapters, and couplings. Individual raceway systems differ in their construction and therefore their components are not interchangeable with other raceways or fittings of other systems. The basic standard used to investigate products in this category is UL 2024, the Standard for Safety of Optical Fiber Cable Raceway.

It is important to check the product surface marking and its product tag for the UL performance mark. Even though a product may be included in this directory, it must bear the proper marking to be considered verified by UL for performance.

Consider only those products that bear the performance marking as UL Verified for performance

Plenum

A raceway marked "plenum" is suitable for use in ducts, plenums or other spaces used for environmental air when used to enclose optical fiber cables marked OFNP or communications cable marked CMP or CMP-OF. This raceway exhibits a maximum peak optical density of 0.5, a maximum average optical density of 0.15, and a maximum flame spread distance of 5 feet when tested in accordance with the Test For Flame Propagation and Smoke-Density Values (Plenum) in UL 2024. A marking on the surface of the raceway or on a marker tape indicating "plenum" identifies this raceway.

Riser

A raceway marked "riser" is suitable for installation in risers when used to enclose optical fiber cable marked OFNP and OFNR or communications cable marked CMP, CMP-OF, CMR or CMR-OF. This raceway has fire-resistant characteristics capable of preventing the carrying of fire from floor to floor. This raceway exhibits flame-propagation height of less than 12 feet and a temperature of less than 850 F at the 12-foot point when tested in accordance with the Test For Flame Propagation (Riser) in UL 2024. A marking on the surface of the raceway or on a marker tape indicating "riser" identifies this raceway.

General purpose

A raceway with neither the marking "plenum" nor "riser" is suitable for general purpose use, with the exception of risers, plenums, and other spaces used for environmental air when used to enclose optical fiber cables marked OFNP, OFNR or OFN or communications cables marked CMG, CMG-OF, CM, CM-OF, CMR, CMR-OF, CMP or CMP-OF. This raceway does not exhibit damage at its upper end after being subjected to 20 minutes of flame when tested in accordance with the Vertical-Tray Flame Test (General Use) in UL 2024.

The UL symbol and one of the following: "optical fiber raceway" or "communications cable raceway," or "optical fiber/communications cable raceway" on the raceway and the Listing Mark of UL on the attached tag, the reel, or the smallest unit container in which the product is packaged is the only method provided by UL to identify these products manufactured under its Listing and Follow-Up Service.