Any product sold in the UK or Europe must, by law, be CE marked.
The CE mark shows buyers that the manufacturer has checked that the product complies with all the relevant standards.
Before a manufacturer can put a product on the market they must also, depending on the type of product, prepare a Declaration of Conformity or a Certificate of Incorporation. By issuing this certificate the manufacturer is making two important declarations:
The manufacturer declares that the product meets all the 'harmonised' standards which apply.
To do this the manufacturer must compile a list of all the relevant standards and compile evidence that the product complies. For most mechanical products the Machinery Directive is the main standard but many others may also be relevant. If the product includes any electrical components then the EMC directive will be relevant as well as others relating to electrical safety.
An important part of the requirements is that the product should be supplied with properly written instructions detailing clearly how to use the product and any risks associated with the product.
The CE mark means that the manufacturer declares that the product is safe when it is used correctly AND when it is not used properly - what the Machinery Directive calls 'forseeable abuse'.
To do this the manufacturer has to consider all the ways in which people might interact with the product and then take steps to make sure that nobody can be injured.
Frangus can help guide you through the whole CE marking process and help with check lists and documentation to validate the certificate.
The key to the safety part of the process is identifying and recording all the possible hazards. This is often done through a HAZID or HAZOP workshop and Frangus can assist with convening and chairing this process.