EN 12613:2021

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-marec-2021
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 12613:2009
Polimerne opozorilne priprave za podzemne kable in cevovode z vidnimi
značilnostmi
Plastics warning devices for underground cables and pipelines with visual characteristics
Warneinrichtungen aus Kunststoff mit visuellen Eigenschaften für erdverlegte Kabel und
Rohrleitungen
Dispositifs avertisseurs à caractéristiques visuelles, en matière plastique, pour câbles et
canalisations enterrés
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 12613:2021
ICS:
13.320 Alarmni in opozorilni sistemi Alarm and warning systems
83.140.99 Drugi izdelki iz gume in Other rubber and plastics
polimernih materialov products
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 12613
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
January 2021
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 83.140.99 Supersedes EN 12613:2009
English Version
Plastics warning devices for underground cables and
pipelines with visual characteristics
Dispositifs avertisseurs à caractéristiques visuelles, en Warneinrichtungen aus Kunststoff mit visuellen
matière plastique, pour câbles et canalisations enterrés Eigenschaften für erdverlegte Kabel und Rohrleitungen
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 13 December 2020.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2021 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 12613:2021 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 5
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Material . 7
5 Requirements . 7
5.1 Colour . 7
5.2 Appearance and colour fastness . 7
5.3 Dimensional characteristics. 7
5.3.1 General . 7
5.3.2 Type 1 warning devices . 7
5.3.3 Type 2 warning devices . 7
5.4 Laying characteristics . 8
5.4.1 General . 8
5.4.2 Tensile withstand strength . 8
5.4.3 Flatness . 8
5.5 Visual warning characteristics . 8
5.6 Resistance against microorganisms . 9
5.7 Resistance to UV-light . 9
5.8 Temperature stability . 9
5.9 Resistance of printing . 9
5.10 Marking . 9
6 Test methods . 9
6.1 Test pieces and test conditions . 9
6.2 Determination of the colour fastness . 10
6.3 Determination of the tensile withstand strength . 10
6.3.1 Test pieces . 10
6.3.2 Apparatus . 10
6.3.3 Procedure. 10
6.4 Determination of the flatness . 11
7 Test report . 11
Annex A (normative) Determination of visual warning characteristics by simulation of
trench opening . 13
Annex B (normative) Chemical resistance to ammonium sulphide . 19
Bibliography . 20

European foreword
This document (EN 12613:2021) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 249 “Plastics”,
the secretariat of which is held by NBN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by July 2021, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by July 2021.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN 12613:2009.
The major modifications compared to the previous edition are:
— Addition of a reference to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) (Clause 4);
— Addition of the apparatus for measurement of dimensional characteristics (5.3.1);
— Review of the tolerances for nominal widths greater than 1 000 mm (5.3.3);
— Deletion of the transversal rigidity (5.4.3 in EN 12613:2009), since it is not a discriminating
characteristic for products with width ≤ 500 mm;
— Addition of a sentence to specify that the case of absence of rupture of the test specimen is
considered as successful (5.5);
— The method according EN 60898-1, for the resistance of printing, is now recommended only
(instead of being mandatory) and other methods are allowed (5.9);
— Review of the number of test pieces reduced from four to one. In addition, when the test is not
successful, an acceptance criteria is defined for retesting (6.1);
— Extension of the tolerances on the test temperature for the products submitted to testing (6.1);
— Deletion of 6.4 of EN 12613:2009 (transversal rigidity);
— Deletion of Clause 7 of EN 12613:2009 as factory production control tests do not necessarily
appear in a product standard;
— In A.2, deletion of the paragraph beginning with “IMPORTANT” (no added value);
— Review of Figure A.4 and expressing of minimum gaps between the plates and the transversal walls
of the central compartment;
— Addition of Table A.2 giving the characteristics of an alternative quality of EPDM sheets (A.2.4);
— Review of tolerances for EPDM sheets (Table A.3);
— Total load values were changed to minimum values (Table A.4);
— Review of the number of test pieces (A.3);
— Review of the number of test pieces to be tested from six to three (A.5);
— Addition of a new paragraph for the acceptance criteria (A.6);
— Change of the duration of the test from 15 days to 28 days (B.3);
— Addition of a Bibliography.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of
North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the
United Kingdom.
Introduction
Visual warning devices are used for the manual or mechanized laying of cables and piping buried in
ground such as electrical power cables, communication cables, pressure and non-pressure piping
systems.
The purpose of warning devices is to warn of the presence of a pipe or a cable, when opening a trench,
to indicate its orientation and to identify the equipment protected.
The warning devices are expected to last at least the lifetime of the equipment with which they are
associated.
1 Scope
This document specifies the material, mechanical and functional (fitness for purpose) requirements for
warning devices with visual characteristics manufactured from plastics, intended to indicate the
presence of cables and piping systems buried in ground when opening trenches and more generally
during digging work.
This document also specifies test methods.
This document is applicable to two types of visual warning devices: tapes (type 1) and meshes (type 2).
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 60898-1:2019, Electrical accessories — Circuit-breakers for overcurrent protection for household and
similar installations — Part 1: Circuit-breakers for a.c. operation (IEC 60898-1:2015, modified)
EN ISO 175, Plastics — Methods of test for the determination of the effects of immersion in liquid
chemicals (ISO 175)
EN ISO 846, Plastics — Evaluation of the action of microorganisms (ISO 846)
EN ISO 4892-1, Plastics — Methods of exposure to laboratory light sources — Part 1: General guidance
(ISO 4892-1)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
3.1
Type 1 warning device
strip manufactured from plastics to warn of the presence of underground cables or pipes during
excavation
3.2
Type 2 warning device
mesh/net manufactured from plastics to warn of the presence of underground cables or pipes during
excavation
3.3
nominal width of a warning device
W
overall width of the warning device, as declared by the manufacturer, in millimetres
3.4
longitudinal direction
direction corresponding to the extrusion direction, parallel to the length of the reel
...