3.1.5.18.

(1) Except as permitted by Articles 3.1.5.19. and 3.1.5.21., optical fibre cables and electrical wires and cables with combustible insulation, jackets or sheathes are permitted in a building required to be of noncombustible construction, provided,

(a) the wires and cables exhibit a vertical char of not more than 1.5 m when tested in conformance with the Vertical Flame Test – Cables in Cabletrough in Clause 4.11.4. of CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 0.3, “Test Methods for Electrical Wires and Cables” (FT4 Rating),

(b) the wires and cables are located in,

(i) totally enclosed noncombustible raceways,

(ii) concealed spaces in walls,

(iii) concrete slabs,

(iv) a service room separated from the remainder of the building by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 h, or

(v) totally enclosed nonmetallic raceways conforming to Article 3.1.5.20.v1, or

(c) the wires and cables are communication cables used at the service entry to a building and are not more than 3 m long.

(2) The requirement in Clause (1)(a) is considered to be met where the wires and cables exhibit a flame-spread of not more than 1.5 m, a smoke density of not more than 0.5 at peak optical density and a smoke density not more than 0.15 at average optical density when tested in conformance with the Flame and Smoke Test in the Appendix to CSA C22.2 No. 0.3, “Test Methods for Electrical Wires and Cables” (FT6 Rating).