Safety row brews over CE badging

Construction equipment manufacturers are urging better policing of European rules on CE marking of equipment which they claim are being ignored by many firms.

And they are taking their battle to the Government to try to level the playing field.

In January this year it became compulsory to display the CE mark which is designed to show that a machine meets specific standards stipulated in the Machinery Directive. But manufacturers say that firms have not complied and that government and safety officials are failing to act.

CE marks are meant to break down trade barriers between member states to produce a single, standard specification of machine for each product type.

But angry manufacturers say there is confusion and essential safety features introduced on one machine as a result of compliance are not always being introduced on competitors' models despite CE badging.

Alan Fullerton, managing director at Stanley Power tools, cites the hydraulic breaker market as one example: 'I am incensed to find that we now find ourselves at a commercial disadvantage, due to the non-compliance of those whose only investment was a CE sticker.'

While Stanley has introduced an inter-lock button on the operating trigger of its breakers to prevent accidental start-up, the company claims some of its competitors have not. Recent work carried out for Stanley by DTI consultants found that the feature was essential to compliance.

Fullerton has joined forces with other UK manufacturers, to lobby DTI and HSE officials on the subject of policing. 'The bodies responsible for the enforcement of this legislation, must be pursued, to ensure that there is at least a level playing field for the UK market, and that imported products are also made to conform.'

David Moir of the DoE's Construction Directorate, with responsibility for CE marking, said: 'The first port of call for manufacturers should be the local trading officer. In exceptional circumstances, where a machine is likely to cause injury, the Secretary of State could serve a prohibition notice.'