This will mean that all Construction Products manufactured after this date will need to be CE marked - and must be accompanied by a Declaration of Performance (DoP) when installed.
Cantifix Design Director William Sharman shares his thoughts on the new rules, and how Cantifix plan to approach them.
In order to maintain conformity under these new regulations, clients will see a few changes to the amount of paperwork issued at the end of each installation, and its content. A document will be issued for each individual element of the design – showing the CE mark, and highlighting the specific European Standard that covers the performance of that particular product.
These will include:
- Reaction to fire.
- Overall thermal properties.
- A list (if any) of all ‘dangerous’ substances contained within the product.
- If panic devices are fitted, confirmation showing their load bearing capacities to operate have been tested.
For non-standard products, although performance assessments will be made, those that have not been through ITT can only display ’No Performance Declared’ (NPD). Initial Type Testing will prove expensive, and will only be undertaken when a particular product warrants it. This by no means suggests that the assessed performance is not accurate - but simply that third-party testing has not taken place.
Continued revisions to the relevant European Standards will no doubt take place over the next 18 months or so to bring them more in line with clients’ requirements, but until then we will all have to bear with those that we have been provided with. The present standards have been produced to satisfy the regulators, rather than to develop new products - and Cantifix are actively involved with those who can make the necessary recommendations for change.
Bring on July 1st and all that it brings to provide a more regulated glazing market, and renewed confidence in those who know what they are doing."
For further information on how this may affect a current project, please get in touch on 020 8203 6203.