By July 2014 all steel, Concrete and timber frames used in the UK will have to be CE Marked.

This will entail the frame manufacturer (FM) correctly designing the building to the relevant standards and to have a factory quality control system in place which complies with the requirements of the relevant Eurocode.

Both the FM’s design process and their FQC systems will have to be checked on an annual basis by a Notified Body (NB), accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. Following the initial assessment by the NB if the FM passes they will be accredited to CE Mark their frames, their compliance will then be checked bi-annually by the NB.

To help its steel frame Corporate Member FMs, RIDBA has agreed to contract with the Structural Steel Institute (SCI) and BM TRADA to develop a Design Protocol (DP) and a Factory Quality Control Manual (FQCM) for them. RIDBA is working with TRADA to see if a similar DP & FQCM can be developed for timber frames, but this is problematic as the European Standard covering timber frames is not expected to be completed until the end of 2012.
 
As the design standards used in the UK are changing to the Eurocodes, it is the Eurocodes that RIDBA has chosen to use as the basis of its DP. At present agricultural buildings are designed to BS 5502 and in particular Part 22. This part sets certain factors to take into account the lower risk of injury in an agricultural building, because the human occupancy is so low. It is expected that the design protocol to be produced by the SCI will have similar factors incorporated into it.

We will attempt to ensure that he DP is simple for the FM to use and so it will have load tables and charts for common sizes of frames.

Once the DP and FQCM are available RIDBA Members will be able to purchase them from RIDBA, they will then need to change their systems to comply with the DP and FQCM. Once this is complete they will ask the NB to call and asses them.

Any FM can of course go it alone and develop their own DP and FQCM but it will work out far more expensive than purchasing it all from RIDBA.

Both the DP and the FQCM will be launched to the RIDBA Members who have paid for them at a seminar on the 5th October at the National Motor Cycle Museum, where the SCI and BM TRADA will advise how they will work and how they should be used and be available for questions.’

Below are links to a number of articles which explain the situation in more detail.

Links

CE Marking and what RIDBA is doing to help its Members

An introduction to CE Marking by BM TRADA

CE Marking from Countryside Building Volume 10 issue 4

CE Marking from Countryside Building Volume 11 issue 1

CE Marking from Countryside Building Volume 11 issue 2

“A video that highlights a farmer’s problem in deciding whether the frame manufacturer he has asked to quote for his building is competent. This farmer went out to 3 frame manufactures for prices, he did not choose the cheapest but the one he thought was the best. The building was erected and paid for but before any cows were put in the snow fell and with only 43 cm on the roof the building collapsed without warning. The video shows some of the poor detailing and design which caused the collapse and gives some pointers to farmers as to how to check the competence of a frame manufacturer.”

Competent Manufacturer Video (90MB)

Competent Manufacturer Video(180MB)

The presentation given at the 2011 Agricultural Building Show confirming that CE Marking for all frames will be required by July 2013 and showing how RIDBA is helping to reduce the costs of compliance for its members.

CE Marking presentation

Defining Quality Requirements for Fusion Welding of Steel Structures

Welding for CE Marking and how RIDBA will help Members