With businesses given till 1 January 2022 to affix the new UKCA marking, Sentry Doors looks at the end of the CE mark recognition in Great Britain and what the regulation change means going forward
The new product marking UKCA (UK Conformity Assessed) for Great Britain came into force as of 1st January 2021, following the Brexit transition period and replacing the CE mark.
To allow a grace period to make the necessary adjustments, businesses have until the 1st of January 2022 to ensure compliance.
From a technical perspective, the requirements of CE marking and UKCA remain the same, including the conformity assessment processes and standards that can be used to demonstrate conformity. But the recertification process is time-critical, and businesses are urged to act fast to carve a path to rapid UKCA fulfilment.
What is UKCA marking?
The United Kingdom Conformity Assessment Mark, or UKCA mark for short, is a replacement for the CE Mark. The mark serves as a manufacturer’s declaration that their products conform with all relevant safety legislation in the market for which they are intended.
The CE mark continues to apply to both the EU and Northern Ireland markets. The UKCA mark applies to products on the GB market certified by UK AB.
Reacting to the Change
Considering that obtaining certification is often a lengthy process, the industry was left with a minimal timeframe in which to make the transition from the CE mark to UKCA mark. The Fire Industry Association (FIA) has been central to leading communications with the government and relevant approval bodies over the past year.
This has involved voicing the concerns of the fire industry on the impact on implementing the new UKCA mark in terms of investment, resource, and timeframe.
“As an industry, we were put under a great amount of pressure in order to make the transition,” explains Donna Webster, compliance manager at Sentry Doors. “Not only is there investment to consider here but also resources.”
She adds: “However, due to our rigorous processes and internal procedures, we were able to react quickly to this change.
“When purchasing external fire doors, it is imperative that you check with the manufacturer that the product holds the correct accreditation.
“The new process also means that a Declaration of Performance will be issued in accordance with the harmonised standards.”
Where to look for the UKCA mark?
In most cases, you must apply the UKCA marking to the product itself or to the packaging. In some cases, it may be placed on the manuals or other supporting literature. This will vary depending on the specific regulations that apply to the product.
Although it may become mandatory in future to label the products themselves, in terms of fire-door manufacture there is no requirement for this, in which case, you will find the UKCA mark on the product packaging.
Traceability should also be found on the Declaration of Performance that is issued. When attaching a UKCA marking, the manufacturer takes full responsibility for the product’s conformity in line with the relevant legislation.
At Sentry Doors, we aim to make compliance easy. As a part of this commitment, having received UKCA certification in Jan 2021, we are pleased to report that we were the first fire and security door set manufacturer to hold the new UKCA mark, as certified by UK-approved body BM Trada.
Sentry Doors is a Housing Digital Stakeholder that specialises in manufacturing bespoke, fully certified timber-fire and security-door sets and screens.
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