Major changes have been made to the system of conformity assessment for construction products following the UK’s exit from the European Union and the ending of the transition period on 31 December 2020.
Main contractors, clients and all construction professionals need to be aware of the changes to what was the system for CE marking of construction products that had been in force since 2014.
CE marking continues for products placed on the EU market, which includes the Republic of Ireland. However, for products placed on the market in England, Scotland and Wales, a new system of UKCA marking has been introduced, although CE marking will continue to be recognised in GB until the end of 2021.
A free downloadable guide produced by the BCSA and Steel for Life spells out in detail what UKCA marking is, how it will work for the steel construction sector, and how you can ensure that you and your supply chain are compliant with the new legislation. The guide also covers the slightly different arrangements that apply in Northern Ireland.
The guide highlights how the steel construction sector can easily meet the requirements of UKCA marking and details the straightforward process for continuing to comply with the Construction Products Regulation, which is the legal basis for both UKCA and CE marking. There will be no disruption to the regular supply of fabricated structural steelwork from accredited sources.
CE marking compliance became a condition of membership of the BCSA from 1 July 2014. BCSA now requires members to be compliant with the new marking schemes in GB, NI and Ireland, as appropriate. This means that selection of any BCSA Member company will guarantee that the steelwork contractor will have the necessary certification to comply with BS EN 1090-1. Clients and main contractors will therefore continue to have confidence in the complete supply chain for steel construction from manufacture of the steel sections through distribution to fabrication and erection on site.
“The steel construction sector successfully introduced CE marking six years ago, and we are confident that the sector will manage the change to UKCA marking just as effectively,” said BCSA CEO David Moore
