CE MARKING
Together with Centre For Assessment we provide expert and practical awareness training for those requiring an understanding of RWC (Responsible Welding Co-ordinator) responsibilities.
CE MARK FOR CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS
Our Members are audited on a regular basis for both quality and maintenance of their Factory Production Control (FPC) Systems. Together with that, all of our Members are accredited to either ISO or EN 1090 CE Marking for Structural Steel and are fully insured.
Within the Asssociation, we have qualified Auditors in EN1090, ISO 9001, 14001 and 18001. and in association with EISL Engineering Inspection Services (weld testing) and access to two International Welding Engineers, we offer to Engineers, Developers, Clients etc…. a monitoring and inspection service, giving you peace of mind that your Fabricator is working to a high standard and in compliance.
Have you a potential steel project that requires pricing or help with design? We can advise on the right Fabricator for the job.
If you would like to avail of this service or have any queries on our Members qualifications, please do not hesitate to contact us.
CE MARKED COMPONENTS
This is rather like believing that if someone builds a house using CE Marked bricks, the house must automatically be safe; obviously nothing could be further from the truth!
Under the Construction Products Regulations (CPR) not only do the components need to be CE Marked, but so does the finished assembly.
This requirement also applies to kits, which are defined as “a construction product placed on the market by a single manufacturer as a set of at least two separate components that need to be put together to be incorporated in the construction works”. The consequences of these and perhaps other misunderstanding relating to the Directive will be dire for any business concerned and time is running out fast.
OUR PRODUCTS ARE ALL ONE-OFFS
Whilst it’s perfectly true that genuinely “one off” products don’t require CE Marking, there is a huge amount of confusion between what is legitimately a ‘one-off’ product and what is actually a ‘bespoke’ product, which will require CE marking.
An example of this is where a manufacturer is producing individually designed and manufactured staircases; even though each one may be unique, this is still considered to be series production of staircases which will require CE Marking.
Without appropriate CE Marking, companies will in effect be trading illegally after 1st July and their Insurers will obviate liability. In serious cases Directors may also face imprisonment.
Even once these hurdles have been overcome, failing to achieve certification first time will not only bring the additional cost of a re-test, there would also be the delay waiting for a new assessment date (assessors are already becoming heavily booked) during which time, of course, the business would be prohibited from supplying the affected products.
USEFUL DOCUMENTS / READING
Understanding Compliance in Structural Steel EN 1090 and Eurocodes Practical Information for Designers
A very useful document by Jim Mansfield (Kavanagh Mansfield & Partners) for Engineers, Fabricators, Site Management, Auditors and End Users.
Members excel in Welding standards
With the help of EIS who are the Leaders in NDT and Inspection Specialists. Jimmy Byrne explained visual inspection procedures, relevant codes of practice, terms and definitions; welding processes and typical welding defects, weld measurements, typical documentation and requirements as well as practical inspection and reporting to our Members.