What do I need to know?
Since the 1st July 2013, it has been a legal requirement for manufacturers, distributors and importers of construction products for use within the EU to CE Mark their products. Furthermore, since the 1st July 2014, CE Marking became mandatory for all fabricated structural steelwork and is still a requirement after the result of the EU referendum (Brexit).
It is therefore a legal requirement for all fabricated structural steelwork delivered to site to have been CE Marked.
What does this mean for me?
If you are fabricating structural steel products; whether this is steel frames, metal roofing or miscellaneous steel, and putting them on the internal market (European Single Market) – you must be CE certified.
Trading Standards is the enforcement authority for non-compliance in England and Wales. They have the power to force companies to withdraw and/or recall products that do not comply. For certain offences the penalties may include a fine, imprisonment or both.
What can I do about it?
To achieve CE certification, manufacturers will need to demonstrate compliance to the harmonised standard for structural steel and aluminium, BS EN 1090-1.
The standard explains that all fabricated structural steel is safety critical and should be manufactured in a controlled manner. The manufacturer should therefore demonstrate compliance by implementing a Factory Production Control (FPC) system.
A manufacturer’s FPC system will generally be based on a set of controls associated with one of four Execution Classes; Execution Class 1 is the least onerous and Execution Class 4 the most. The FPC system must be assessed by an independent 3rd party called a Notified Body – who will issue a Factory Production Control certificate and a Welding certificate once they are satisfied that it complies with the requirements of BS EN 1090-1.
STRUMIS can assist steel fabricators in complying with the requirements of an FPC system by recording all of their manufacturing processes in the software, including traceability which is a key requirement in CE accreditation.
What is STRUMIS?
STRUMIS is a complete fabrication management system that will help steelwork contractors gain CE Marking accreditation. It is already being used worldwide to improve standards and implement controlled procedures.
Offering solutions for the complete project lifecycle from Estimating, Budgets and Procurement through to Stock Control, Production Tracking and Document Management – STRUMIS reduces costs whilst maximising productivity and increasing profitability.
STRUMIS also offers an Essentials pack for SMEs – with all the features that smaller manufacturers need.
To see how STRUMIS can benefit your company visit www.strumis.com