CE Marking and Construction Products (UK)

Reminder:

From 1st July 2013 CE marking of construction products is mandatory.
From 1st July 2014 CE marking of fabricated structural steelwork is mandatory.

Background and Legal Source:

The European Construction Products Directive 89/106/EC introduced the concept of CE marking for construction products as a “passport” entitling products to be placed legally on the market in any Member State. Under the UK’s transposition of the Directive in the 1991 Construction Products Regulations (SI 1991/1620), CE marking was not compulsory.

The European Construction Products Regulation EU 305/2011 (CPR) repeals the Directive and from 1 July 2013, requires construction products to be CE marked when they are placed on the market in all cases where a harmonised European standard exists for the product.

The 2011 EU Regulation also places clear duties on a wider range of economic operators (importers and distributors as well as manufacturers) to ensure that the CE marking requirements and associated obligations are met.

The 2013 Regulations (SI 2013/1087) give effect to the 2011 EU Regulations and set out the offences.

The harmonised standard covering fabricated structural steelwork is BS EN 1090: Execution of steel structures and aluminium structures.

Part 1 of the standard is the Requirements for Conformity Assessment of Structural Components. It describes how manufacturers can demonstrate that the components they produce meet the declared performance characteristics (the structural characteristics which make them fit for their particular use and function).

Part 2 is the Technical Requirements for Steel Structures. It specifies the requirements for the execution of steel structures to ensure adequate levels of mechanical resistance and stability, serviceability and durability. It determines the performance characteristics for components that the manufacturer must achieve and declare through the requirements of Part 1.

BS EN 1090-1 became mandatory on 1 July 2014. It is therefore a legal requirement for all fabricated structural steelwork delivered to site from that date to be CE Marked.

The BCSA has made CE Marking compliance a condition of membership of the Association from 1 July 2014, so selection of any BCSA Member company will guarantee that the steelwork contractor will have the necessary certification to comply with the CPR requirements.

Guidance produced by Tata Steel states “Contracts for fabricated structural steelwork to be delivered to site on or after 1 July 2014 should include the following specifications, which incorporate the obligations of BS EN 1090-1 and BS EN 1090-2 on the steelwork contractor:
Buildings
• National Structural Steelwork Specification (NSSS) for Building Construction 5th Edition CE Marking Version
Bridges
• Model Project Specification for the Execution of Steelwork in Bridge Structures (SCI Guide P382) revised January 2012”

The regulator is Local Authority Trading Standards. Queries should be addressed to them.

Link to Trading Standards.

Link to UK Regulations (offences).

Link to EU Construction Products Regulation.