Plenum Cable Association
1. Objectives. The Plenum Cable Association objectives are as follows:
"The Plenum Cable Association shall endeavor to promote the manufacture, design, and use of cables and wires for use in ceiling cavity plenums and/or raised floor plenums, and shall encourage requirements ensuring that such cables and wires are associated with a high level of fire safety, namely one that is commensurate with the fire hazard and fire risk inherent in the application."
2. Scope. The Plenum Cable Association shall address:
a) Issues associated with the development and revision of fire test standards intended to measure and describe the response of cables or wires to be used in plenums and of materials intended to be included in plenum cables or wires.
b) Issues associated with the development and revision of codes and specifications intended to assess or regulate the use of cables or wires to be used in plenums and of materials intended to be included in plenum cables or wires.
c) Issues associated with the development and revision of fire standards intended for analysis and assessment of the fire performance (and the associated fire hazard or fire risk) of cables or wires to be used in plenums, including those suitable for use by regulatory officials, as well as of those intended for the assessment of materials, when such materials are to be used in plenum cables or wires.
d) The stimulation and, where appropriate, support of fire-related research; and, the administration and evaluation of fire research programs related to plenum cables or wire activities.
e) Identification of means for measuring the hazard or risk associated with fires in plenums, or during the process of extinguishing fires originating in or spreading to plenums, especially when such fires are associated with cables or wires.
f) Monitoring of the public need for fire standards, and proposing new standards as appropriate.
g) Provision of guidance to the users of fire standards and of codes associated with the use of plenum cables or wires. Such users may include laboratories performing fire tests, and committees developing codes and standards.
3. Definition of Critical Terms
Plenum - A compartment or chamber to which one or more air ducts are connected and that forms part of the air distribution system.
Note: such plenums can be located in ceiling cavities or raised floors.
Plenum cable - A cable or wire that is permitted to be installed in a plenum without enclosure in a metallic raceway.
4. Membership: A company shall be eligible to apply for membership in the Plenum Cable Association if one of the following six criteria apply to it:
(i) Manufacturer of cables intended for use in plenums
(ii) Manufacturer of wires intended for use in plenums
(iii) Manufacturer of compounds intended for use in plenum cables
(iv) Manufacturer of resins which are either: (a) intended for use in plenum cables or (b) intended to be used in compounds, themselves intended for use in plenum cables
(v) Manufacturers of additives intended to be compounded together with resins to form compounds intended for use in plenum cables
(vi) Distributors of plenum cables or wires.
5. Member companies in good standing shall appoint a representative to attend meetings of the association, and receive association information. Such members shall be eligible to participate in all decisions of the association, and shall be informed of all activity of the association, including decisions made, or positions taken, by the members.
6. Any member company is free to identify itself as belonging to the Plenum Cable Association. However, member companies shall only be permitted to speak on behalf of the Plenum Cable Association if the position espoused has been agreed on by the association members.
7. Membership Application: Each company applying for membership in the Association shall furnish complete information on the qualifications for membership, which should include sufficient information about the business interests of the company to classify the applicant for membership in the Plenum Cable Association. This information shall be maintained confidential and shall not be distributed to other members or made public.
8. Membership shall not be denied to any company who meets the criteria in section 4., except if members can demonstrate a justifiable reason for excluding the said company, based on past behavior within the association or outside of it.
9. Resignations from membership shall be reported to association staff as soon as possible.
10. Alternative memberships
(i) Affiliate Member: Individuals recognized for particular skills or knowledge may be elected as Honorary Members of the Association. Nominations shall be made by a majority vote of the membership, after a motion made by a member company. Reapproval shall be on an annual basis and in accordance with Association rules
(ii) Associate Member: This type of member shall include companies that do not qualify under the criteria in section 4., but that are among the following:
11. Membership Fee: the members shall assign levels of membership fees, to be paid by full members, affiliate members and associate members. Staff shall be responsible for collection of fees.
12. Association Decisions: Plenum Cable Association decisions shall be taken at meetings conducted under Roberts rules of orders (although the physical presence of members is not required: the use of telephone conference calls and of electronic mail is encouraged whenever possible). No single member company shall have veto power over association decisions, and decisions shall be taken by a vote of over 50% of the members involved. No decisions shall be taken unless at least ten companies, or 25% of the association membership, whichever is the smaller, participate in the process
13. The Plenum Cable Association financial year will run from June 1 to May 31.
14. The Plenum Cable Association shall be located, in the first instance,
at 2 Friar's Lane, Mill Valley, CA, 94941, USA, Telephone: 415-388-8278;
FAX: 415-388-5546, e-mail: gbhint@aol.com
