BS EN 124:2015 CE marking for gully and manhole tops
What is BS EN 124:2015 and when was it published?
What is CE marking and how can BSI, a Notified Body (NB), help you?
BS EN 124: 2015, the standard for gully tops and manhole tops for vehicular and pedestrian areas was published on 31 July 2015. It is a substantial revision to the 1994 version, as it splits the standard into one general part and five material specific parts, and it brings products made of different materials into the scope of BS EN 124.
CE marking
Whilst the standard has expanded to reflect different materials, one of the most significant changes is that it also contains an Annex ZA for all these standards thereby detailing a route to CE marking. This means, if you are producing gully or manhole tops which fall within the scope of BS EN 124 and are being sold in the UK or the wider European Economic Area (EEA), there is a legal requirement for you to affix CE marking. In order to do this you need help from what’s called a Notified Body (NB) such as BSI.
Which are the relevant standards? BS EN 124-1:2015 Definitions, classification, general principles of design, performance requirements and test methods BS EN 124-2:2015 Gully tops and manhole tops made of cast iron BS EN 124-3:2015 Gully tops and manhole tops made of steel or aluminium alloys BS EN 124-4:2015 Gully tops and manhole tops made of steel reinforced concrete BS EN 124-5:2015 Gully tops and manhole tops made of composite materials BS EN 124-6:2015 Gully tops and manhole tops made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) or unplasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-U). You can find these standards on our BSI shop http://shop.bsigroup.com/SearchResults/?q=en%20124
CE marking is affixed by the manufacturer in line with the requirements of the Construction Products Regulation and the Annex ZA of the appropriate standard, EN 124:2015 in this case. The product must fall within the scope of the standard and depending upon the required system of Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance (AVCP) the tasks are shared between the manufacturer and the Notified Body. In this case the AVCP is System 1, this requires the manufacturer to implement and maintain a suitable documented factory production control (FPC) that maintains the declared characteristics and for the Notified Body to conduct initial type testing, assess the manufacturing facility and assess the FPC on a regular basis. The resulting Certificate of Constancy of Performance issued by the Notified Body forms an important part of the technical file that supports the manufacturers CE marking. A Declaration of Performance (DoP) for each product type must be drawn up by the manufacturer before CE marking.. Notified Body A Notified Body, such as BSI, will complete the tasks required for the system of AVCP and in this case (system 1) will issue a Certificate following the successful assessment of plant, FPC and Initial Type testing. This Certificate enables the manufacturer to prepare the DoP and the CE marking. Under AVCP system 1 the services of a NB must be engaged.
Continued >>
BS EN 124:2015 Gully tops and Manhole covers
Are BSI a Notified Body? Yes. BSI are a Notifed Body for many products under the CPR and we are already UKAS accredited to BS EN 124:1994. We have made an application to be UKAS accredited to the 2015 version of EN 124 and also for Notified Body status. BSI can only become a Notified Body once EN 124:2015 has been cited in the Official Journal (OJ) of the European Commission which we anticipate will be around June 2016. Until EN 124:2015 is cited in the OJ and BSI have been granted NB status for the standard we are unable to issue Certificates of Constancy of Performance. We will of course let you know as further information becomes available.
Once Notified BSI will carry out Notified Body services for you which will enable you to affix CE marking. We will provide you with Notified Body services in the form of Factory Production Control (FPC) assessments and Initial Type Testing. We play a supporting role and cannot give you permission to affix CE marking, as it is the responsibility of the manufacturer but we are here to help
Timelines: When do I have to affix CE marking? Based on the latest information we anticipate that CE marking will be mandatory for products sold within the EEA from February 2017. We will of course let you know as further information becomes available.
Coping with compliance We’ve compiled some useful questions below which explains what the new standard means for clients who have a BSI Kitemark™. Q: I have a BSI Kitemark to BS EN 124:1994 but I don’t supply into Europe what does this mean to me? A: If you are a manufacturer that makes products that are not going to be sold into Europe then your BSI Kitemark EN 124;1994 certificate will still be valid. For these products you are not required to affix CE marking, and you don’t have to transition to the 2015 standard straightway. We will agree a mutually satisfactory period for you to move to the 2015 version.
Q: I have a BSI Kitemark to EN 124:1994 and all my production is sold into Europe - what do I do? A: You need to take action. Please contact BSI and we will offer you two services: 1. A transfer of your current BSI Kitemark certificate to the appropriate part of EN 124:2015 and Kitemark to any other appropriate part of EN 124:2015 if you require that. 2. BSI’s services as a Notified Body to enable you to affix CE marking. You will be quoted for any work needed to an existing BSI Kitemark certificate and any costs associated with a new BSI Kitemark certificate or for offering Notified Body services.
Q: What are the main differences between a BSI Kitemark and CE mark? A: A BSI Kitemark is a voluntary trade mark, unique to BSI, which not only meets the requirements of CE marking, but underlines a continual commitment to producing high quality, durable and fit for purpose products. In order to achieve a BSI Kitemark, companies must have their products independently tested to all the appropriate requirements of the standard as well as pass an assessment visit from BSI. Clients with a BSI Kitemark certificate will enjoy an advantage when applying for CE marking, as the BS EN 124 requirements for CE marking and BSI Kitemark are very similar. Some of the performance criteria for BSI Kitemark are more stringent, and therefore enable clients to use it as a significant differentiator when competing in the market or securing new opportunities. CE marking is mandatory and must be applied to all products manufactured to an harmonised European standard and that are sold within the EEA. To affix CE marking companies must be able to demonstrate compliance with the Annex ZA in the harmonised standard. CE marking to EN 124: 2015 is to AVCP system 1 -for which no on-going product audit testing takes place, this is not the case with BSI Kitemark where samples are taken every year for independent testing to demonstrate on-going compliance.
bsigroup.com
Q: Can I use the BSI Kitemark and CE mark together? A: Yes, manufacturers may use voluntary marks where they: 1. Add value to the CE marking 2. Do not cause confusion. For BS EN 124, given that some of the BSI Kitemark performance criteria are more demanding, and that continuing audit samples are taken there is no difficulty in demonstrating the criteria above.
Q: As I have a BSI Kitemark can I now CE mark? A: Having a BSI Kitemark gives you many advantages but you will need to speak to BSI as we need to do a gap analysis for you to show you where the 1994 standard and the 2015 one are different. For example, if you have a BSI Kitemark for ductile Iron products and wish to change from the 1994 standard to part 2 of the 2015 version then we would test to the new or revised clauses where applicable and reissue your certificate once we are satisfied you comply to part 2 of EN 124:2015. If you wanted to add a BSI Kitemark certificate covering new materials like composites we would need to fully type test for compliance to part 5 of EN 124:2015, and issue the appropriate certificate to that part of the standard. For CE marking to be applied the following applies: 1.
The Standard must be cited in the Official Journal of the EU.
2. Manufacturers must comply with the requirements of the appropriate Annex ZA and have the appropriate certificate of constancy of performance issued by a Notified Body such as BSI for those products. Under system 1 a Notified Body must conduct an initial factory and FPC assessment, carry out initial type testing and complete continuous surveillance for FPC systems. Having done the appropriate FPC visits and testing we would then issue you with a certificate of constancy of performance to enable you to affix CE marking to your products.
Q: All this sounds like a lot of testing! Do you need to retest all my products…? 1. BSI will only type test products intended to be sold in the EU to new parts of the standard, or where there are significant differences between the old and new standard. 2. BSI will not retest a manufacturers complete range of products but will ensure there is sufficient and robust test data to demonstrate compliance.
Q: How much does all this cost? A: Contact us and we will take you through this to meet your needs. I want to add different products to my BSI Kitemark range in materials that weren’t covered by BS EN 124 before-what do I do? If you wanted to add a BSI Kitemark covering new materials- such as composites -we would need to fully type test for compliance to part 5 of EN 124:2015, and issue an appropriate certificate to that part.
Q: Who will do the testing? A: The majority of testing for BSI will be done on site by BSI test engineers using your current equipment as now. Some testing may be done elsewhere depending on how specialised it is and what equipment is used.
Q: Do I have to do all this right now? A: Clients who have an existing BS EN 124:1994 BSI Kitemark for product sold within the EEA will be given a period of time to transit over to the 2015 versions- negotiable with each certificate holder, however this will be tied in with the provisional date of mandatory CE marking i.e. by February 2017.
Q: What must I do I have to do to apply the CE marking, what documents do I need? A: The Annex ZA details the tasks for manufacturers and NB’s. A Declaration of Performance, documented FPC and your Notified Body Certificate are key documents. BSI will be producing further guidance on CE marking for clients based on the Annex ZA and the CPR. We are here to help you as much as we can.
Q: When can I start? A: Now, contact BSI and we will help you through the process. As the standards are published the sooner you start the process with BSI the better.
BS EN 124:2015 Gully tops and Manhole covers
Why BSI? Our knowledge, expertise and drive can make a difference to your business:
• As a Notified Body for many key European Regulations and Directives, we have the experience and technical capability to help our clients achieve CE marking
• You can enjoy the benefits of working with BSI
• We continue to lead the way with ongoing developments in various industries
• We provide end-to-end support, helping you monitor and maintain your excellence throughout.
teams who have decades of experience helping businesses of all sizes
• We are the pioneers of many of the world’s first standards
• We are renowned for our innovative work in many fields
If you have any further questions regarding BS EN 124 and the CE marking process, one of our BSI specialists can help you.
BSI Group Kitemark Court Davy Avenue, Knowlhill Milton Keynes MK5 8PP
T: +44 845 0765 606 F: +44 1908 814920 bsigroup.com
© BSI Group
BSI/UK/678/PC/0915/enBLD
Call us on 0845 0765 606 or email us at
[email protected] or visit bsigroup.com/en124-uk
