CE marking became compulsory for fabricated structural steelwork in European Union (EU) on 1 July 2014. This represented a major change for designers, contractors and steelwork specialists and introduced new obligations for steel projects.

1. Introduction

CE Marking of steelwork (EN 1090) is a declaration by the steel producer. It states the metal fabrications or steel structures produced by the steelwork contractor meets certain safety requirements. These requirements are a set of necessary characteristic that each steel fabrication complies. These characteristics are listed in the product’s harmonized standard.

Figure 1 CE Mark

CE marking shows:

• The manufacturer confirms that these products meet EU health, safety and environmental regulations.
• The product complies with EU legislation.
• The product can be traded in the European single market.

2. Which products need CE marking?

CE marking is not mandatory for every product to be sold in Europe. CE marks are only essential for those products which are in the context of the European Directives requirements associated with safety, health, and environmental concerns. The main categories of metal products which require the CE mark to be traded in European Union (EU) are;

• Construction materials
• Machinery
• Pressure equipment

3. What are the benefits of CE marking?

The CE marking offers a great measure of constraints, demands and specification for the security of the products.

• The products with CE marking follows the practices of universal measures that have been assuring the health, security, and stability of consumers. A CE mark of a product is a trust mechanism to secure its usability. Steel fabrications with CE mark is a sign of strict steel fabrication quality control of the producer.
• CE marked products have the right to move freely inside European Economic Area. The trade of CE marked products in the European single market have no restraints and can be smoothly travel through all member states.
• CE Marking provides a united quality standard in the European Union preventing multiple different regulations from each member states.
• CE Mark provides a level playing field for the manufacturers in terms of fundamental quality and safety requirements.
• The liability requirements of the product will be limited in the European market.

4. Conclusion

A steel fabricator with an EN 1090-2 certificate has the right to mark its products with CE marking. Although CE marking is a regulatory legislation of the European Union, It can be used also outside of the EU since it does not have any geography limitations. EN 1090-2 certification can be considered a worldwide quality mark of a steel fabricator, therefore it is a criteria how to select a steel contractor.