Certification of construction materials for the EU

EU Regulation 305/2011 (CPR- Construction Products Regulation) EN.pdf

Basic requirements of regulation 305/2011 for construction works and materials

All materials and their parts must be suitable for their intended use and safe for the health of persons using these materials in production. Materials must satisfy construction production requirements - have an economically viable service life.

Requirements:

1. Mechanical resistance and stability. Takes into account the design capacity to resist loads to avoid destruction, unacceptable deformation and consequently prevent significant damage.
2. Safety in case of fire. Takes into account design viability in case of fire, through resistance, non-spread.
3. Hygiene, health and environmental safety. Takes into account absence of toxic emissions, releases.
4. Safety and accessibility in use. Takes into account the level of unacceptable risks of accidents during interaction.
5. Protection against noise.
6. Energy economy and heat retention. Takes into account properties that allow using only the necessary amount of energy, considering local climate.
7. Sustainable use of natural resources. Takes into account durability, recyclability, environmental friendliness.

Systems for assessment and verification of constancy

System 1+; System 1; System 2+; System 3; System 4.

Each system assumes or excludes: various assessment methods by notified body, necessity of audit testing, subsequent monitoring and other measures before placing products on the EU market.

Obligations of economic operators

Producer obligations

1. A producer of construction products falling under harmonized standards must compile a declaration of performance for placing on the EU market. The declaration of performance is intended to reflect compliance of this product's characteristics with agreed technical specifications. A copy of the declaration must be provided in paper form or electronically.
2. After submitting the declaration, the producer applies CE marking to their product. By attaching or applying CE marking, the producer takes responsibility for compliance of construction products with declared characteristics, as well as compliance with all applicable requirements set out in this Regulation and other relevant Union harmonization legislation providing for such marking.

In some cases it is possible to manage without compiling a declaration, for example: product is manufactured individually or by individual order, produced on construction site, produced by traditional method or method suitable for heritage preservation. These deviations from rules require expert clarifications to exclude risk of possible violations.

In case of request from competent national authority, producers are obliged to provide information and documents to demonstrate product compliance with declaration of performance and other applicable requirements of this Regulation, in language that can be easily understood by the checking party. Producers must cooperate with competent authority to eliminate risks related to placed products.

Producer may appoint by written instruction and power of attorney an authorized representative. Main tasks of representative: storing declaration of performance, making technical documentation available to national authorities, cooperating with national competent authorities to eliminate risks related to construction products covered by the authorized representative's mandate.

Importer obligations

Importers placing construction products on the market in compliance with requirements of this Regulation are obliged to:

• ensure that assessment and verification of constancy of performance were carried out by producer;
• guarantee that producer compiled technical documentation and declaration of performance;
• guarantee that product has CE marking according to established rules.

Distributor obligations

• guarantee that product has CE marking and is accompanied by required documents and instructions in required language;
• guarantee compliance with storage conditions to preserve characteristics according to Regulation;
• recall products when doubts arise about performance characteristics compliance, to take corrective measures;
• interact with national competent authorities.

Producer obligations may extend to importers and distributors. Importer or distributor placing products under their name, trademark, as well as in case of making changes to already placed construction product on market, is considered producer.

Harmonized standards

Harmonized standard - European standard developed by authorized European standardization organization: CEN, CENELEC or ETSI at request of European Commission. Producers, other economic operators or conformity assessment bodies may use harmonized standards to demonstrate that products, services or processes comply with relevant EU legislation.

Harmonized standards must provide methods and criteria for assessing construction product characteristics in relation to their essential characteristics.

Services within EU Regulation 305/2011

Construction Products Regulation CPR requires that metallurgical companies and companies using metallic materials for further processing/welding, wishing to sell construction products in European Union, confirm their factory production control (FPC). For example, producers of steel or aluminum metal structures need FPC in accordance with harmonized standard EN 1090-1.

TÜV Rheinland, represented by RBI, is recognized as one of the first Notified Bodies for EN 1090 standard and provides assistance in solving practical issues and regulatory requirements for construction products to be sold throughout EU.

Range of possible tasks:

• Factory production control (FPC) certification.
• Construction product certification.
• Product type determination based on type testing.

Factory production control (FPC) certification

RBI Concept can assess enterprise production control systems within following standards in accordance with CPR:

• EN 10025 - Hot rolled products of structural steels.
• EN 10088 - Stainless steel.
• EN 10210 - Hot finished structural hollow sections of non-alloy and fine grain steels.
• EN 10219 - Cold formed welded structural hollow sections of non-alloy and fine grain steels.
• EN 10340 - Steel castings for structural purposes.
• EN 10343 - Steels for quenching and tempering for use in construction.
• EN 13479 - Welding consumables.
• EN 15088 - Aluminum and aluminum alloys.

RBI Concept represents Notified Bodies (NBs) operating within CPR 305/2011/EU Regulation, authorized to conduct performance certification and compliance of construction products and materials. Notified Body has right to act as designated Technical Assessment Body (TAB), capable of issuing both European Technical Assessment (ETA) and national technical assessment documents in accordance with CPR or national rules.

Example. Necessary conditions for producer certification in accordance with EN 1090.

As basis for certification in accordance with EN 1090 your company must undergo several preliminary qualification actions, such as:

• Welding personnel qualification.
• Welding procedure qualification.
• Non-destructive testing personnel certification.
• Welding quality assurance in accordance with ISO 3834.
• Implementation and continuous supervision of factory production management system.

RBI Concept provides services for fulfilling preliminary conditions and will provide any assistance.

Approach to producer certification according to EN 1090.

1. Certification application. After fulfilling all preliminary conditions producers can apply for certification in accordance with EN 1090.
2. Initial inspection. RBI coordinates entire factory production control system certification process and conducts certification audit.
3. Certificate issuance. If all necessary criteria are met, production control system compliance certificate will be issued.
4. Regular monitoring. If continuous compliance with EN 1090 requirements is required, RBI can provide regular monitoring.

Construction product certification

General provisions, conditions and procedure rules for testing and certification within assessment and verification of constancy of construction product characteristics from authorized body under construction regulation.

Authorized construction product body (hereinafter - Certification Body) offers following services to interested construction product producers:

Testing / monitoring and Factory Production Control (FPC) certification in accordance with System 2+ for following construction products:

Product Group: "Metallic basic materials":

• EN 10025-1: Hot rolled products of structural steels - General technical delivery conditions.
• EN 10088-4: Stainless steels - Technical delivery conditions for sheet/plate and strip of corrosion resisting steels for construction purposes.
• EN 10088-5: Stainless steels - Technical delivery conditions for bars, rods, wire, sections and bright products of corrosion resisting steels for construction purposes.
• EN 10210-1: Hot finished structural hollow sections of non-alloy and fine grain steels. Technical delivery requirements.
• EN 10219-1: Cold formed welded structural hollow sections of non-alloy and fine grain steels. Technical delivery requirements.
• EN 10340: Steel castings for structural purposes.
• EN 10343: Steels for quenching and tempering for construction. Technical delivery conditions.
• EN 15088: Aluminum and aluminum alloys - Structural products for construction works - Technical conditions for inspection and delivery.

Product Group: "Filler materials":

• EN 13479: Welding consumables - General standard for filler metals and fluxes for fusion welding of metallic materials.

Product group: "Structures":

• EN 1090-1: Execution of steel structures and aluminum structures - Requirements for conformity assessment of structural components.

Product type determination based on testing

In accordance with European Construction Products Regulation (EU Regulation № 305/2011, EUCPR), these construction products may be admitted for placement on European market if they comply with requirements of corresponding harmonized standards.

This conformity assessment, more precisely assessment and verification of constancy of performance for above-mentioned construction products occurs according to System 2+:

In this system construction product producer performs following:

• determines product type / type testing;
• implements factory production control;
• conducts testing of samples taken at factory, in accordance with testing plan;

Authorized body works as certification and factory production control verification body, performing following:

• initial inspection of manufacturing plant and factory production control;
• regular surveillance audits and factory production control assessment.

If these steps comply with EU-305/2011 Regulation requirements, then Producer compiles Declaration indicating essential characteristics of construction product and applies CE marking to construction product.

After this construction product can be supplied to European market.

Authorized body or certification body? has accreditation and acts as independent third party.

Certification procedure stages

1. Before procedure determines:

• procedure execution, testing and certification;
• certification body obligations and responsibility;
• tasks, obligations and rights of manufacturing plant;
• certification procedure scope: initial (primary) audit inspection (supervision) and certification; regular surveillance audit for maintaining Factory Production Control (FPC) certification of construction product producers.

2. Application formation

Interested product producer applies to Certification Body for certification procedure.

Together with this request following data and information must be provided:

• name/title/contact details;
• product description: construction product, requirements, harmonized rules (standards);
• expected scope and type of Conformity Assessment System;
• description of production facility and factory production control: number of employees, location, types and number of workshops, production process, any existing certificates, e.g. ISO 9001, outsourced or cooperative processes.

3. Proposal formation and contract conclusion

Depending on certification scope declared, certification body compiles commercial proposal describing individual services, conditions and prices. To use offered certification services, applicant signs certification contract and sends it to certification body.

4. Documents provision

When preparing for audit inspection and certification Applicant provides to certification body documents describing Quality Management System and FPC procedures.

5. Audit inspections

Certification body conducts corresponding on-site audit inspections.

Studies:

• FPC system description;
• production process: raw materials, plant, production capacities;
• technical personnel qualification;
• FPC: testing laboratory, testing equipment, calibrations;
• FPC performance: monitoring/testing and inspection plan,

Conducts:

• testing of specified product properties;
• documentation of tests/test results;
• assessment of products, non-conforming products, corrective actions;
• recording.

Audit inspection and assessment results (including any detected deviations) will be presented in written report and sent to producer.

Any deviations from established requirements must be corrected within reasonable time by taking appropriate corrective actions. Verification of made corrections must be submitted to certification body.

In case of serious deviations (e.g., absence of FPC system description, absence of qualified technical personnel, absence of equipment), subsequent audit inspections may be conducted to verify effectiveness of undertaken corrective actions.

6. Certificate issuance

If audit inspection revealed no deviations or all detected deviations were corrected, then certification body assesses and issues certificate.

Certificate usually contains following:

• applicant name;
• scope and boundaries of certification;
• product, harmonized standard, conformity assessment system, modules;
• issue date, validity period;
• specified product characteristic values and parameters.

Certificate validity period is not limited. However, to maintain certification regular surveillance audits must be conducted.

Certificate validity period ends if certification requirements change, for example:

• change in harmonized standards requirements;
• significant change in conditions at manufacturing plant or in production control;
• change in certification scope;
• suspension or revocation of certificate.

Applicant is obliged to immediately notify Certification Body of all changes in conditions at manufacturing plant or in production control. If necessary, Certification Body organizes corresponding audit inspections.

7. Surveillance audits

Depending on provisions, certification body conducts surveillance inspections for compliance confirmation in specified period and depending on certification type.