CE Marking has arrived for structural steelwork

From 1 January this year CE Marking of fabricated structural steelwork, in accordance with BS EN 1090-1, came into force in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

CE Marking has now entered an 18 month co-existence period when either it or national provisions can be used.

The steel construction sector already has the capability to provide CE Marked solutions for clients who need them, but the period of co-existence will allow steelwork contractors and other manufacturers of steelwork components to put into place the necessary certified Factory Production Control (FPC) and Welding Quality Management systems to comply with BS EN 1090-1, as well as to complete any non CE Marking contracts.

Steelwork contractors need to have their FPC systems assessed by a Notified Body, which is similar to a certification body. This can now be done by The Steel Construction Certification Scheme (SCCS) which has recently gained Notified Body status.

The Construction Products Directive (CPD) is being amended and one of the changes is to replace the CPD with the Construction Products Regulations (CPR). The main difference between a directive and a regulation is that a regulation is mandatory in all member states.

On 18th January the European Parliament voted in favour of the text for the Construction Products Regulations (CPR).  This paves the way for the Regulations to be adopted in the spring 2011 and to become law in mid 2013.

This change will make CE Marking of construction products (including steel sections, structural bolts and fabricated steelwork) mandatory in all member states including the UK and the RoI after mid 2013.