What is the UKCA Mark? By Technology International Europe Ltd

Published 10 Feb 2021

UKCA Mark

Special thanks to Technology International Europe Ltd for allowing the republish of this Article.

The United Kingdom Conformity Assessment Mark, or UKCA Mark for short, is a replacement for the CE Mark.

With the UK having left the EU, the CE Mark will cease to be a valid indicator of conformity with UK Product Safety Regulations, such as the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations or the Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations. To indicate that a product conforms to relevant UK Product Safety Regulations, the manufacturer will be required to affix a UKCA Mark instead.

Which UK Product Safety Regulations Require the UKCA Mark?

The five UK Product Safety Regulation that Technology International provides support for, require the UKCA Mark. They are:

In addition, the UK Regulations found here should carry a valid UKCA Mark, plus any additional marking that may be required (e.g. the Ex Mark for ATEX):

How do the New UK Regulations Differ from the EU Directives They Replace?

The technical requirements of the new UK Regulations that came into effect January 1st, 2021 is identical to the requirements of the EU Directives they replace. For example, the Essential Health and Safety Requirements of the UK Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations is identical to the Essential Health & Safety Requirements of the EU Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.

The rules regarding confirming or demonstrating conformity with the UK Regulations are very similar to those for the EU Directives. For example, the UK Regulations still requires manufacturers and other responsible parties to prepare Technical Files or other Technical Documentation to provide evidence of conformity. UK Declarations of Conformity that reference the applicable UK Regulations and UK Standards need to be issued to support the UKCA Marks affixed to the Products themselves.

Will Notified Body Assessments Still be Required?

The new system of UK Regulations does not make use of Notified Bodies. As a result of the UK’s departure from the EU, all existing UK based Notified Bodies lost their appointments on January 1st, 2021. However, those organisations have the option to automatically become ‘UK Approved Bodies’ (UKABs) on the same date.

Each new UKAB’s appointment scope will cover the UK Regulations that have replaced the EU Directives for which they were Notified Bodies. (i.e. a UK Notified Body for the EU Machinery & EMC Directives will become a UKAB for the UK Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations and the UK EMC Regulations).

Under the new UK Regulations, UKABs fulfil precisely the same functions, as UK Notified Bodies did for EU Directives. Therefore, if an EU Directive made the involvement of a Notified Body a mandatory requirement for a specific product type, the equivalent UK Regulation will also make the involvement of a UK Approved Body mandatory on the same basis.

What Do I Need To Do To Comply With The New UK Regulations?

The precise actions that Manufacturers and other responsible parties will need to take to comply will depend on the specific UK Regulations that are applicable to a product or system. However, there are some common steps that will need to be followed, including:

Amending existing EU compliance documentation such as Technical Files and Declarations of Conformity to reference current UK Regulations and Standards.
Affixing UKCA Marks to products.
When required, obtaining third-party approval from a UK Approved Body

Do I Need to Have a UKCA Mark on my Products by January 1st, 2021?

The simple answer is no, it will not be necessary to have a valid UKCA Mark on pre-existing Products that are placed on the market in the UK from January 1st, 2021.

To allow Manufacturers and other responsible parties time to transition to the new UK Regulations, the UK Government has stated that pre-existing CE Marks on products will be accepted in the UK until December 31st. 2021.

However, new products placed on the UK market for the first time after January 1st, 2021 should carry a valid UKCA Mark. The UK Government also recommends that manufacturers transition to use of the UKCA Mark for all products as soon as possible.

What are the UK ATEX Regulations?

The official title of the UK ATEX Regulations is The Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016.

The original purpose of the UK ATEX Regulations was to enact into UK Law the requirements of the European ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU.

However, with the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union, from January 1st, 2021 any products or systems placed on the market in the UK that would previously have been declared in conformity with the EU ATEX Directive will need to meet the UK ATEX Regulations instead.*

ATEX

What are the Differences Between the UK ATEX Regulations and the ATEX Directive?

Initially, the technical requirements of the UK ATEX Regulations will be identical to those of the EU ATEX Directive. That is likely to remain the case for the foreseeable future.

Though the methods of demonstrating conformity for the UK Regulations and EU Directive will remain broadly similar, if you are applying the both the UK Regulations and EU Directive you will need to apply for each one separately.

For example, if the conformity assessment process requires the involvement of a Notified Body for the EU ATEX Directive, the involvement of a UK Approved Body (UKAB) will be required for the UK ATEX Regulations.

Do the UK ATEX Regulations apply to me?

The UK ATEX Regulations apply to any product that is placed on the market or brought into service in the UK and is intended for use in a potentially explosive atmosphere.

It up to the owners and operators of workplaces to determine whether potentially explosive atmospheres are likely to form in the facilities they are responsible for. In the UK this is done by applying the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) 2002.

If it is found that there is a risk of a potentially explosive atmosphere forming in a workplace or other location, only equipment that conforms to the UK ATEX Regulations can be used in that environment.

If you currently apply the EU ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU to your products, either as standard because of the industry sectors you regularly supply to or periodically when specific customers have requested that you do so, you will need to apply the UK ATEX Regulations for any product you sell in the UK.

How Do I Comply with the UK ATEX Regulations?

The UK ATEX Regulations provide a list of Essential Health and Safety Requirements (EHSRs) that the equipment, protective system or component must comply with. The Regulations cover both electrical and non-electrical (mechanical) products that generate their own ignition source. To comply with the Regulations, the manufacturer or responsible party shall do the following:

Show compliance with the EHSRs by designing their equipment to comply with the applicable British Designated Standards, or other suitable standards.
Produce a UK Technical File which includes all the information / evidence required to demonstrate compliance with the EHSRs / relevant standards.
Depending on the required ATEX Category / Zone of use, perform the relevant compliance procedure. This can require employing a 3rd party ATEX UK Approved Body to provide an UK-Type Examination Certificate.
Mark the product with the UKCA Mark and relevant explosion protection symbol, protection concept and associated scope of use marking.
Create and supply a UK Declaration of Conformity or Assertation of Conformity for each product placed on the market.

*UKCA only applies in England, Wales and Scotland, but not Northern Ireland.

UKCA Support from Technology International

If you have questions or concerns regarding the new UKCA requirements, or need assistance meeting them, please contact Technology International.

They can provide everything from advice and guidance on specific UKCA requirements that will impact your business, to product evaluation services and third-party approvals.

From January 1st, 2021 Technology International Europe became a United Kingdom Approved Body for The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations, The Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Regulations and The Radio Equipment Regulations. also provide support to companies who need to comply with the Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use In Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations and The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations.

➡ For further information please click to see the full article here

Technology International Europe

At Technology International Europe we specialise in ensuring that our clients’ products are both safe and compliant with the applicable regulations. We do so in a manner that gives customers confidence and allows them to demonstrate clearly that they have met their contractual or statutory obligations.

We pride ourselves on achieving this in a cost-effective manner by taking a holistic approach to conformity and using combinations of testing, documentation and sound engineering practice. Taking this balanced and flexible approach means we can achieve cost savings for our clients by applying the correct amount of testing and engineering rationale to each project to prove conformity.

Technology International Europe is the Headquarters and European arm of a global engineering safety consulting group. The Group also includes Technology International Inc., based In Richmond, Virginia, USA, providing services to the North and South American markets and Technology International Japan Ltd, based in Shin-Yokohama, Japan and supporting clients in Asia and Australasia.

Experts In Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres | Leaders in ATEX Innovation

➡ Contact us to discuss your Electrical Heating, Lighting, Ventilation or Power requirements for safe and reliable use in hazardous areas and explosive atmospheres in accordance and compliance with UKCA certification requirements and ATEX/IECEx.

UKCA Support

View further reading about the introduction of the UKCA Mark and ATEX Hazardous Area Equipment – Thorne & Derrick can assist with the specification and supply of UKCA “Ex” Accredited, Marked and Certified equipment for Explosive Atmospheres – Leaders In ATEX & IECEx Product Innovation | Supporting DSEAR Regulatory Compliance & COMAH Sites.