CE Marked High Strength Structural Bolts

To ensure the consistent and predictable performance of structural fasteners, whether in steel, concrete, masonry, timber, aluminium or hybrid structures the regulatory framework for product standards and design codes has been completely overhauled and standardised across Europe.

New EN product standards are intended to rationalise the measurement of product performance, ensure the adoption of best practice in factory production control and to provide a level playing field for suppliers across Europe, enabling designers and contractors to make more objective and thorough comparisons between alternate products. The product standards for structural fasteners are seen as subsidiary to the new Eurocode design code, which now supercedes all national design codes. The former British Standards such as BS5950 and BS5268 are now no longer supported by the BSI.

The Eurocode comprises 10 interacting parts, each written as a European Standard (EN):

• EN 1990: Basis of structural design
• EN 1991: (Eurocode 1) Actions on structures
• EN 1992: (Eurocode 2) Design of concrete structures
• EN 1993: (Eurocode 3) Design of steel structures
• EN 1994: (Eurocode 4) Design of composite steel and concrete structures
• EN 1995: (Eurocode 5) Design of timber structures
• EN 1996: (Eurocode 6) Design of masonry structures
• EN 1997: (Eurocode 7) Geotechnical design
• EN 1998: (Eurocode 8) Design of structures for earthquake resistance
• EN 1999: (Eurocode 9) Design of aluminium structures

The subsidiary harmonised European product standards enable compliant products to be CE marked, they include:

• EN14592 Structural fasteners for timber
• EN14399 High strength structural bolts for preloading
• EN15048 Non-preload structural bolts

These all define dimensional and material characteristics, testing procedures and factory production control requirements. Where the variation in products between manufacturers is greater or a harmonised standard has not yet been created, an alternative method of CE marking has been in place for many years, the European Technical Assessment (ETA). This typically requires even more performance testing and supervision by accredited expert bodies. Concrete and masonry anchors are CE marked by ETAs.

Profast has worked with its manufacturing and supply partners to ensure that they are able to provide fastening solutions that comply with all the new codes. As the new codes evolve with new product standards being developed, Profast is ensuring through its interaction with producers across Europe and around the world, that they make available to their customers in the UK and Ireland, the best performing, fully compliant and most economic fastening solutions.

What has changed for structural steel fabricators?

To ensure the timely adoption of the Eurocode, the Construction Products Regulation (CPR – EU305/2011) has become mandatory in all EU member states including the UK and RoI from the 1st of July 2013.

This European regulation replaced the Construction Products Directive (CPD) and affects all construction products covered by a harmonised standard or ETA (European Technical Assessment). Nonpreload bolting assemblies have to be supplied in accordance with EN 15048-1 and preload bolting assemblies in accordance with EN 14399-1 in order to adhere to the CE marking requirements. Assemblies need to be labelled in accordance with standard and regulatory requirements and supplied with the required documentation (DOP – Declaration of Performance).

Profast UK Ltd is currently preparing for independent audit to gain accreditation to
ISO9001:2008 Quality Management Systems. Quality control and factory production control
processes are already in place to meet the requirements of relevant EN product standards for fasteners to make structural connections to steel, concrete and timber.

From the 1st of July 2013 buyers have to ensure that construction products covered by a
harmonised standard or a European Technical Assessment (ETA) are purchased to these
standards or ETAs and that they are properly CE marked. Non-preload bolting assemblies have to comply with EN 15048. For dimensional requirements the relevant product standards should be used (ISO 4017, ISO 4014, ISO 4032, ISO 7091, ISO 7090,
or ISO 7098, etc).

Basic Legal Facts

The Construction Products Regulation (305/2011/EU - CPR) was adopted on 9 March 2011.
However, the main parts of its substantial Articles shall apply first from 1 July 2013.
The CPR repeals the Construction Products Directive (89/106/EEC – CPD). The CPR is
directly applicable in its entirety in EU law. Some transposing regulations exist regarding penalties, fines etc.

The deadline for the mandatory CE Marking of fabricated steelwork is 1st July 2014. After this date it will be illegal to trade fabricated steelwork and related products on the European market. CE Marking is regulated by criminal law and the penalties for not CE Marking or incorrect CE Marking, if found guilty, are a fine, imprisonment or both.

The policing of the structural steelwork CE marking from 1 July 2014 in the UK will be down to local authority trading standards bodies (HSA - Health and Safety Authority).
It is acknowledged by Trading Standards that some firms may not be able to comply by the deadline date of 1st July and in the first instance, it is expected that Trading Standards will work with firms to try and establish the problems that are being encountered in achieving accreditation. This does not remove the potential downside risk to companies that are non- compliant which could be on your business, which could be closed until the proper certification is in place, and be forced to recall non-complying products already on the market.

Preload bolting assemblies must comply with EN 14399

The BCSA has produced a CE marking supplement, a very useful guide to CE marking.
This CE marking supplement contains information on CE marking of products and of fabricated structural steelwork and also on what is needed to do to comply with the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). Visit the BCSA’a website to read the CE marking supplement. Since October 2007 for PRELOAD and October 2009 for NON-PRELOAD 4.6-10.9 Grade Fasteners) structural fasteners have had to comply with the Construction Products Directive 89/106/EEC as amended by 93/68/EEC. The method of achieving this is to use CE marked fasteners and maintain a record of their use, including production batch details. Profast UK Limited leads the way by detailing batch details on all delivery documentation for non-preload fasteners, whilst in addition the production batch code is stamped on the head of the preload fasteners Profast distributes on behalf of Peiner GmbH, making these the most easily traceable fasteners in the market.

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