Keeping S-FABS UKCA-compliant

From July 2013, CE marking became mandatory for all construction products covered by harmonised European standards or a European Technical Assessment. However, CE marking isn’t a new term. For many industries, including toys and electrical goods, it’s been a legal requirement since the 1990s.

At S-FABS, we CE marked every applicable product or material in our supply chain as soon as the legislation landed. In fact, we were one of the first steel fabricators in the UK to achieve a fully CE-compliant operation, keen to ensure our customers experienced no disruption as a result of the changes.

However, the rules became more convoluted in January 2021, when UKCA marking was introduced to replace CE marking for goods sold in England, Scotland and Wales.

Today, the UKCA requirement applies to both constituent products (like steel beams or bolts) and any fabricated element derived from CE or UKCA marked materials. If even the smallest contributing product isn’t correctly marked, the entire finished project is deemed non-compliant.

While some industries can self-certify their products, the construction industry is considered too high-risk. For us, the process can be notoriously tricky. UKCA compliance is far from a simple stamp of approval or tick-box exercise. Requirements vary from product to product, but many must undergo rigorous testing to demonstrate compliance with safety, environmental and performance standards before a series of technical documentation is also submitted.

If testing uncovers any issues, the product may require a comprehensive redesign, a software update, or a change in the manufacturing process. Where products rely on third-party suppliers, those suppliers must also provide the appropriate certification.

To maintain our compliance at S-FABS, we undergo annual audits and have developed a company-wide process to ensure that no new product is used without verified UKCA documentation. It’s one of the many reasons we proudly partner with a trusted network of local suppliers who share our values and adhere to this regulation as strictly as we do.

Despite this, some companies continue to use non-UKCA-compliant products to reduce costs and charge lower prices. We urge customers to work only with steel fabricators that can demonstrate full regulatory compliance. UKCA marking is not just a badge of credibility – it’s a clear indicator of the safety and care required across the construction sector.