PRODUCED BY THE OPERATIONS DIRECTORATE OF ENERGY NETWORKS ASSOCIATION

Technical Specification 12-23

Issue 3 2013

Polyethylene Warning Tape, Polyethylene

Protection Tape and Polyethylene Protection Tiles
for Buried Electricity Supply Cable

www.energynetworks.org
© 2013 Energy Networks Association

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Operations Directorate
Energy Networks Association
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This document has been prepared for use by members of the Energy
Networks Association to take account of the conditions which apply to
them. Advice should be taken from an appropriately qualified engineer
on the suitability of this document for any other purpose.
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CONTENTS

Page no.
FOREWORD ................................................................................................................ 4

1. SCOPE ........................................................................................................................ 4

2. REFERENCES............................................................................................................. 4

3. DEFINITIONS .............................................................................................................. 4

4. CONFORMANCE AND CHANGES TO MATERIALS ................................................... 5

5. MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION ........................................................................... 5

6. DIMENSIONS .............................................................................................................. 5

6.1 Length
6.2 Width
6.3 Thickness

7. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES ........................................................................................... 6

7.1 Tensile Stress and Elongation

7.2 Impact Resistance
7.3 Density
7.4 Melt Flow Index

8. CHEMICAL PROPERTIES ........................................................................................... 7

9. COLOUR...................................................................................................................... 7

10. WRITTEN WORD AND LAYOUT ................................................................................. 7

11. ROUTINE TESTS ........................................................................................................ 7

11.1 Measurement of Thickness

11.2 Adhesion of Printing

12. TYPE TESTS ............................................................................................................... 8

12.1 Tensile Stress and Elongation Tests

12.2 Impact Resistance Tests

13. PACKAGING ................................................................................................................ 9

FIGURE 1 .................................................................................................................... 9

APPENDIX A ............................................................................................... 10, 11 & 12

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POLYETHYLENE WARNING TAPE, POLYETHYLENE PROTECTION TAPE AND

POLYETHYLENE PROTECTION TILES FOR BURIED ELECTRICITY SUPPLY CABLE

Foreword

This specification has been produced on the basis of experience gained in trial installations.

Three different products are specified: Polyethylene warning tape, polyethylene protection
tape and polyethylene protection tile.

The protection tape and protection tile consist of a base of reconstituted polyethylene to
which is laminated a polyethylene warning tape.

1. Scope

This Specification details the materials, dimensions, physical and chemical properties,
colour, lettering layout and testing of polyethylene warning tape, polyethylene protection tape
and polyethylene protection tile for laying above buried electricity supply cables.

2. References

This specification makes reference to the following documents:

BS 5252: 1976 (confirmed 1996) Framework for Colour Co-ordination for Building
Purposes

ISO 4593 1993 Plastics – Film and sheeting

Determination of thickness by mechanical scanning

BS EN ISO 527: 1996 Plastics – Determination of tensile properties.

Part 1: General principles.
Part 2: Test conditions for moulding and extrusion
plastics.
Part 3: Test conditions for films and sheets.

BS EN ISO 1183: 2004 Methods for determining the density of non-cellular

plastics.

BS EN ISO 1133: 2005 Plastics: Determination of the melt flow rate (MFR) and
the melt volume rate (MVR) of thermoplastics.

3. Definitions

The following definitions apply:

3.1. Tensile stress: tensile force per unit of the cross-sectional area of the un-stretched
test piece.
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3.2. Tensile strength: maximum tensile stress recorded in extending the test piece
breaking point.

3.3. Elongation at break: increase of the reference length of the test piece, expressed
as a percentage of the reference length of the un-stretched test piece, at breaking point.

4. Conformance and changes to materials

A test certificate shall be supplied by the supplier to the purchaser, on request. If changes
are made to the materials used and / or the process of manufacture, the relevant conformity
assessment tests as agreed between the purchaser and the supplier shall be repeated.

5. Materials and construction

The warning tape shall consist of a printed polyethylene tape. The material shall be
manufactured from a low density polyethylene (LDPE) blend, which enables the warning
tape to conform to the requirements of the standard. The use of re-worked or re-processed
material is not permitted. The material and colourants shall have no detrimental effects on
the environment.

The protection tape and protection tile shall consist of a base material to which is laminated
a warning tape. The base material shall be manufactured from re-constituted low density
polyethylene (LDPE) to which has been added only those materials needed to facilitate the
required good finish, strength, durability, colours and opacity. The warning tape shall be
manufactured in accordance with this specification and then laminated to the upper surface
of the base material.

The protection tiles shall be joined using a hole and peg system. The hole size shall be 5/8”
(15.5mm) and drilled at both ends of each tile. The hole centres shall be positioned in the
centre of the tile width (+/- 2mm) and 25mm in from the tile end (+/-2mm).

6. Dimensions

6.1. Length

Warning tape Protection tape Protection tile

365m (+/- 10m) 40m (+/- 1m) 1m (+/- 10mm)

6.2. Width

Warning tape Protection tape Protection tile

150mm (+/- 2mm) 200m (+/- 2mm) 300mm (+/- 2mm)

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6.3. Thickness

Warning tape Protection tape Protection tile

To meet the specified CLASS 1 or

0.1mm average* 2.5mm (+/- 0.3mm) CLASS 2 acceptance criteria
(see Appendix A)

*Please note: The average thickness of the warning tape shall be 0.1mm (+/- 0.015mm),
when measured in accordance with 11.1.

7. Physical Properties

The warning tape, the protection tape and the protection tile shall have the following physical
properties indicated.

7.1. Tensile Stress and Elongation

Minimum ultimate tensile strength at break.

Warning tape Protection tape Protection tile

2
15 MN/m 10 MN/m
2
8.4 MN/m
2

Elongation at break.

Warning tape Protection tape

>400% >300%

7.2. Impact resistance

The protection tile shall pass the impact test described in Appendix A.

7.3. Density

The density of the polyethylene polymer of the warning tape shall lie between 910 and 935
kg/m3 at 20°C.

The density of the re-constituted polyethylene used to produce the protection tape and the
protection tile shall lie between 910 and 990 kg/m3 at 20°C