In this blog, BWF Technical Director, Kevin Underwood explains how the Construction Products Regulation governs UKCA and CE marking for timber and construction products. Kevin gives clarification when each marking applies, outlines relevant standards, and summarises the essential information that must accompany compliant products placed on the market within the UK.
The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) requires that either the UK or CE marking is affixed by the manufacturer, or their representative, to the products for which the manufacturer has drawn up a declaration of performance (DoP). Which marking is applied depends on who undertook the assessment of the product’s essential characteristics. If this was by a UK Approved Body in accordance with a UK designated standard the UK marking should be affixed. If the assessment was by an EU Notified Body in accordance with an EU harmonised standard, or by an EU Technical Assessment Body (TAB) in accordance with a European Assessment Document (EAD), the CE marking will be used.
For any construction product covered by a UK designated or EU harmonised standard, or for which a European Technical Assessment (ETA) has been issued, the UK or CE marking shall be the only marking which attests conformity of the construction product with the declared performance in relation to the essential characteristics.
There are designated or harmonised standards for
- windows and doorsets,
- building hardware,
- glass and glazing units,
- wood-based panels,
- solid wood panelling and cladding,
- wood flooring and parquet and timber structures.
The designated or harmonised product standards relevant for external pedestrian doorsets and windows are EN 14351 -1:2006+A2:2016 covering non-fire characteristics, e.g. thermal transmittance (U-value), watertightness etc. and EN 16034:2014 covering fire and smoke control characteristics, e.g. resistance to fire, smoke control etc.
The UK or CE marking must be accompanied by the information given in Table 1. This information can be printed or otherwise applied directly onto the product or onto a label attached to it. However, where this is not possible or not warranted on account of the nature of the product, it can be affixed to the packaging or to the accompanying documents. It isn’t a requirement that the information can be read once the product is installed.
The layout of the UK or CE label can be varied, the order of the information can be changed, the essential characteristics for which no performance has been determined can be omitted and information can be combined to make the labelling easier to understand.
For example, panels are often marked by printing the information in a single row on the edge of the product. Once the product is installed the information is hidden from view, paving blocks are often marked by attaching the label to the packaging and bulk aggregates are often marked in the accompanying documents.
Table 1 – information that should accompany the UK or CE marking
  |
The UK or CE symbol.
These must be no less than 5mm high when shown on the label. |
| 25 | The last two digits of the year in which this specific UK or CE marking was affixed for the first time. |
| Name and address | The name and the registered address of the manufacturer, or an identifying mark which easily allows the identification of the name and address of the manufacturer. |
| Unique identification code of the product type | The unique identification code of the product type without any ambiguity which will link the UK or CE marking to the DoP |
| Reference number of the declaration of performance | In case the unique identification code of the product type is not the same as the reference number of the DoP you will also have to include this number. |
| Declared performance | The declared product performance for those essential characteristics which are not entered as NPD (No Performance Determined). |
| Reference to the harmonised technical specification | The UK designated or EU harmonised standard or EAD applied to assess the product. This can be undated as this information will be on the DoP |
| Identification number of the Approved or Notified Body | The identification number of the UK Approved or EU Notified Body(ies), for essential characteristics subject to AVCP systems 1, 1+, 2+ or 3. |
| Intended use(s) | The intended use or uses; this must be the same as the information in the DoP |
| Website where the DoP can be found | If the DoP is available on a website a link can be included. |
