BS EN 1090

The Construction Products Regulation 2011 (CPR) is a European Union (EU) regulation harmonising performance information on construction products across the EU. It is made most visible by the mandatory CE marking of regulated products.

CE stands for Communauté Européenne (or Conformité Européenne) and signifies that a product complies with relevant safety, health or environmental regulations across the European Economic Area (EEA).

Some parts of the Construction Products Regulation applied from 24 April 2011, and others from 1 July 2013, however, the structural metalwork sector was given an additional 12 months to prepare for the change.

From 1 July 2014, the harmonised standard, BS EN 1090 Execution of steel structures and aluminium structures, made it an offence to supply fabricated structural steelwork or aluminium to site that does not conform to the standard and carry the CE mark. Clients and contractors are only permitted to use firms that are CE marked with a specific ‘Execution Class’ appropriate for the project, as defined in BS EN 1090-1.

Depending on the nature of the offence, penalties include suspension notices, prohibition notices, notices to warn, application for forfeiture, fines or imprisonment. Failure to comply may also invalidate project insurance and warranties.

Metalwork contractors need to be CE Marked and have Factory Production Control (FPC) procedures for; traceability, competence, calibration, quality control and so on. A notified body must issue an FPC certificate and Welding Certificate.

A Declaration of Performance (DoP) is also required. This is intended to ensure that reliable technical information is provided about the performance of construction products in a common technical language and tested using consistent assessment methods. This consistency should enable designers and specifiers to compare the performance of products more easily.

On 2 July 2014, in what some have seen as a U-turn, the government confirmed that the regulations are aimed at structural metalwork and do not apply to small steel fabricators and blacksmiths producing components such as:

• Scaffolding.
• Supports for machines or other industrial equipment.
• Cabinets for cables and power supply installations.
• Racking systems.
• Fences with no structural role.
• Handrails.
• Balustrades.
• Ladders.
• Windows, doors and facade systems with no structural role.

Ref Construction Enquirer, U-turn sees hand rail firms exempted from CE marks, 2 July 2014.

There is very detailed information about the application of the regulations to fabricated steelwork on SteelConstruction.info CE Marking.

[edit] Find out more

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Attestation of conformity.
• Concrete v steel.
• Construction Products Regulations.
• CE Marking.
• Kite mark.
• Stainless steel.

[edit] External references.

• Alcumus, BS EN 1090 checklist.
• SteelConstruction.info CE Marking.
• Ottaway slams door on EU red tape & saves UK steel fabricating trade millions July 02, 2014
• Ref Construction Enquirer, U-turn sees hand rail firms exempted from CE marks, 2 July 2014.