Tuesday 6 September 2016

Choosing the right steelwork contractor is now your legal duty

Under the CPR it is now mandatory for all structural steel fabrications delivered to site within the European union to carry the CE mark. CE Marking for constituent structural steel products covered by a harmonised European standard or conforming to a European Technical Assessment, became mandatory on the 1st July 2013 and for fabricated structural steelworks one year. This represents a major development for engineers, contractors and steelwork specialists and it demands careful attention to the new laws imposed.

You will already recognise the CE mark as its been widely used on toys and electrical goods within the European union for some years. CE marking demonstrates compliance with the appropriate manufacturing standard for a product giving peace of mind that the quality, and more importantly, safety of a product is guaranteed. It provides proof that the product meets working and safety requirements and is essentially ‘fit for purpose’.


The BCSA has also made CE Marking compliance a condition of membership of the Association after 1 July 2014.


What is BS EN 1090?

The harmonised standard covering fabricated structural steelwork is BS EN 1090: Execution of
steel structures and aluminium structures.

Part 1 of the standard is the Requirements for Conformity Assessment of Structural Components. It describes how manufacturers can demonstrate that the components they produce meet the declared performance characteristics (the structural characteristics which make them fit for their particular use and function).

Part 2 is the Technical Requirements for Steel Structures. It specifies the requirements for the execution of steel structures to ensure adequate levels of mechanical resistance and stability, serviceability and durability. It determines the performance characteristics for components that the manufacturer must achieve and declare through the requirements of Part 1.


What do steelwork contractors need to achieve to be compliant?


In order to be able to CE Mark the fabricated structural steelwork that they produce, steelwork contractors are required to declare performance to the System 2+ level of assessment. This requires:

  • Initial type-testing of the product
  • Factory Production Control (FPC), which will include implementation of FPC system procedures, appointment of a responsible welding coordinator (RWC) and implementation of welding quality management system (WQMS) procedures
  • Further testing of samples taken at the factory in accordance with the prescribed test plan.


They must also be assessed by a notified body that will carry out:

  • Initial inspection of the manufacturing plant
  • Initial inspection of the FPC
  • Continuous surveillance, assessment and approval of the FPC, which will typically include an annual audit to ensure continued competence to the declared Execution Class (Table B.3 of BS EN 1090-1 sets out minimum levels for the routine surveillance intervals) The notified body will then issue a FPC certificate and Welding Certificate identifying the Execution Class that the steelwork contractor has achieved.


In order to achieve this, the client or main contractor should appoint a steelwork contractor with an Execution Class equal to that required for the project, as determined by BS EN 1090-1. It should be noted that steelwork contractors with EXC3 capability can be used for EXC1, 2, & 3; and a steelwork contractor with EXC2 capability can be used for EXC1 & 2. At present JWCI Process engineers hold class EXC2 meaning we can undertake any EXC1 and EXC2 projects.


As you can see compliance with the requirements of BS EN 1090-1 is no mean feat and places obligations on the steelwork contractor that take significant time to achieve and then maintain. To eliminate the risk of non-compliance with the CPR, it is essential that you only award projects that will have fabricated structural steelwork to steelwork contractors who have achieved CE Marking accreditation, as the team at JWCI have achieved.


How can CE accreditation be proved?


In order for a steelwork contractor to demonstrate their right to CE Mark their products, they must provide the following three documents:

  1. Factory Production Control (FPC) Certificate – issued by a notified body
  2. Welding Certificate – issued by a notified body
  3. Declaration of Performance (DoP) – issued by the steelwork contractor

The client or main contractor engaging the steelwork contractor should carry out due diligence before appointing any contractor who will be delivering fabricated structural steelwork.


Making sure you are compliant with the regulations


To ensure you comply with the mandatory regulations only choose a steelwork contractor with an execution class equal to that required for your project. Here at JWCI we have achieved EN 1090-1:2009+A1:2011 under system 2+ meaning we can cater for many structural steelwork projects throughout the UK and Europe.


If you are unsure or need any further advice on whether JWCI are the right CE certified contractor for your next project please do get in touch.




Please contact the team at JWCI Process Engineers on 01889 507177 or discover more about the team and our services by visiting out website www.jwciltd.com.



Thursday 11 August 2016


jwciltd.com new responsive website launched!

We're pleased to announce that we have launched our new website at www.jwciltd.com. 


Our services, projects and experience has grown over the years and as such we wanted our new website to reflect our full offering to both existing and potential customers. Please take a look and let us know if you would like to see any further information added that may be helpful to you in future or call us to discuss your next project.

Our new website showcases several new features including;

Our Markets
We are specialist process engineers in the Chemical and Food and Beverage industries but work across numerous sectors including Healthcare and Pharmaceutical. Here you'll find information about products and services which may be specifically relevant to your industry.
http://jwciltd.com/our-markets/

CIP Mapping Service
You may not already know but JWCI offer expert CIP/Process pipework and equipment mapping of your facility. CIP Mapping is important as modifications to site services are made over time, the factory drawings are rarely updated if they exist at all. Such documentation can be of benefit for many reasons from future project planning, to an event where the emergency services are called to site to treat an incident, as they would be able to locate critical isolation valves for example which may reduce the potential for the incident to escalate. Although at present the compilation of such documentation is not legally mandatory, the competent person in charge of pipework systems (often the Engineering Manager) has a duty of care to provide all persons working on their site with up to date and accurate information relating to the systems that they will be working on - don't run the risk, let JWCI map your facility.
http://jwciltd.com/cip-mapping/

Turnkey Solutions
Professional management is at the heart of every successful project. Our vast experience means that we can manage a diverse range of projects and understand the many trades and the skills required to provide a high quality solution. JWCI Ltd are able to provide expert dedicated project management services to ensure that projects are delivered on time and on budget. The more complex that a project is, the greater the need for constructive co-ordination which a good project manager will bring to the table.
We have extensive knowledge of Process Plant and offer free site visits to clients where we can then provide invaluable advice, guidance and expertise in ways to improve your plant.
http://jwciltd.com/turnkey-solutions/

Why use us
JWCI is a mechanical services contractor specialising in the provision of bespoke engineering solutions and installations to all areas of the Food and Beverage and Chemical industry among others. Our quality services range from plant design, strip out works, factory refurbishments and installation to process pipe-work including steam systems and CE approved general fabrication. This page gives a summary of what we do and we've listed all relevant industry training and accreditations here, in one easy to find page, so you can rest assured you're using the best!
http://jwciltd.com/why-use-us/

Meet the team
Watch our podcast (with our lovely Director John Clarke making his podcast debut!) and see some of the faces you'll get to know when working with JWCI. We've also listed all our contact details with easy to use email links to each for your convenience.
http://jwciltd.com/about-us/

We hope you find our new website helpful. If you wish to discuss your next project or any other services with us please call on 01889 507 177.