cemarkit.co.uk

What is CEmarkit?

CEmarkit is a small professional engineering consultancy that specialises in CE Marking and PUWER compliance for machinery and work equipment. It is aimed at manufacturers, importers and employers who need to place equipment on the European market or ensure it is safe for use at work but lack the time or in-house resources to handle the compliance work themselves. According to the site, the firm was established in 2000 and has helped over 200 manufacturers and importers worldwide.

Its two main service areas are:

• CE Marking — conducting CE marking assessments and compiling the Technical File for equipment or machines before they are sold in Europe.
• PUWER compliance — conducting PUWER compliance assessments or pre-purchase safety audits, helping employers and suppliers confirm equipment is suitable for its purpose and maintained in a safe condition.

The practical distinction is between bringing a product to market and keeping it safe once in use. A manufacturer launching a new machine in the EU would typically need CE marking support, while a company buying or operating work equipment would lean toward the PUWER assessment or pre-purchase audit.

If you are weighing whether to engage them, start by identifying which side of that line you are on and gather your existing technical documentation, risk assessments and equipment records before making contact. For official definitions of the underlying rules, see European Commission and HSE.

How do I know if my machinery needs CE marking before selling it in the UK or Europe?

You need CE marking when your machine is being placed on the market in Great Britain or the EU and it falls within the scope of a relevant product safety law. In practice, that means you are the manufacturer, importer or someone presenting the machine as your own, and the machine is new to the market there. If you are only an end user putting a machine into service in your own workplace, CE marking is not the usual question — PUWER compliance is.

CEmarkit describes itself as a small engineering consultancy, established in 2000, that has helped over 200 manufacturers and importers with CE marking and PUWER work. Its page evidence shows two distinct services: CE marking assessments and Technical File compilation, and PUWER compliance assessments or pre-purchase safety audits. That split is the clearest clue to the deciding factor.

The practical decision path

1. Identify the machine and its intended use. A standard industrial machine, a partly completed machine, or a machine you have modified can fall into different categories.
2. Check which law applies in the destination market. Great Britain and the EU now operate separate but closely related machinery safety regimes. A machine that complies for one market is not automatically documented for the other.
3. Decide whether you are placing it on the market or using it at work. Selling, importing, or first making available points to CE marking. Using equipment in your own workplace points to PUWER.
4. Ask whether the machine is complete or partly completed. A partly completed machine is generally not CE marked in the same way as a finished machine; it comes with a declaration of conformity for incorporation instead. This is a common trap for buyers and sellers of custom-built lines.

A concrete scenario

A small UK integrator buys a used packaging line from Germany, refurbishes it and sells it to a UK food manufacturer. Because the integrator is placing the refurbished machine on the GB market, it is normally treated as the manufacturer for that machine. That means assessing it against the applicable supply regulations, compiling a technical file, and issuing a declaration. The food manufacturer, by contrast, needs PUWER compliance for its own staff using the line. CEmarkit's two service lines map onto these two roles.

Comparison

Where to get a firm answer

The legal text, not a consultant's summary, decides scope. The EU Machinery Regulation and the GB Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations set out what counts. For official guidance, see GOV.UK and European Commission. For an independent view of machinery safety practice, the Health and Safety Executive covers PUWER duties for work equipment.

A sensible next step is to write a one-page description of the machine: what it does, who you are in the chain, where it will be sold, and whether it is complete. Send that to a consultancy and ask for a scope opinion before commissioning a full Technical File. That keeps the early cost proportional to the risk.

What is the difference between CE marking and PUWER compliance for work equipment?

CE marking and PUWER compliance address different stages and duties in the life of work equipment. CE marking is a pre-market conformity process: the manufacturer or importer assesses the machine against applicable EU directives and regulations, compiles a technical file, and affixes the mark before selling it in Europe. PUWER is a use-in-work duty: employers and suppliers must ensure equipment is suitable for its purpose and kept in a safe condition throughout its working life.

CEmarkit describes itself as a small engineering consultancy established in 2000, working on both sides of this split — CE marking assessments and technical file compilation, plus PUWER compliance assessments and pre-purchase safety audits.

A practical example: a machine builder buys a used press. Before resale in the EU, it needs CE marking work — risk assessment, technical file, correct marking. The buyer who then puts that press into a workshop needs PUWER checks: guards, controls, emergency stops, maintenance and training. The same machine can need both, at different moments and by different people.

For a decision criterion, ask who is acting and when. If you are selling or importing into the EU, start with CE marking. If you are buying, installing or operating equipment at work, start with PUWER. If both apply, sequence them: resolve CE marking first so the equipment is placed on the market correctly, then confirm PUWER suitability before it is used. CEmarkit's pre-purchase safety audit service fits the second stage, giving a buyer evidence before committing to used equipment. For official guidance on the underlying rules, see European Union and HSE.

What does a PUWER pre-purchase safety audit involve and when should I request one?

A PUWER pre-purchase safety audit is an independent check of a machine or item of work equipment before you buy it, hire it or take it into service. Rather than assessing equipment you already own, it asks a simple question early: if we acquire this, can we make and keep it safe and compliant for its intended use? CEmarkit describes itself as a small engineering consultancy offering PUWER compliance assessments and pre-purchase safety audits, so the service sits alongside, but is distinct from, CE marking work.

What the audit typically covers

• Intended use and suitability — whether the equipment is appropriate for the task, the environment and the people who will operate it.
• Guarding and access — guarding of dangerous parts, emergency stops, isolation and lock-off points, and safe access for maintenance and cleaning.
• Controls and information — control layout, markings, warnings, and whether instructions and a declaration of conformity or CE documentation exist and match the machine.
• Residual risks and gaps — anything that would need modification, extra guarding, training or a change of process before the equipment is safe to use.
• Findings and actions — a written picture of what is compliant, what is not, and roughly what it would take to close the gaps.

When to request one

• Before committing to a purchase, especially of used, imported or custom-built machinery where documentation may be incomplete.
• Before signing a hire or lease, so remedial costs are known and can be priced into the deal or pushed back to the supplier.
• When buying at auction or from a dealer where you cannot inspect thoroughly or verify history.
• When the equipment will be used differently from its original purpose, or by different operators.
• When you need evidence for your own PUWER duties as an employer or supplier of equipment for use at work.

A practical way to decide

As a next step, list the machine's intended use, who will operate it, and what documentation the seller can provide. If any of those are unclear, that is the moment to commission an audit — the cost is usually far smaller than retrofitting guarding or defending an incident after the equipment is installed.

What documents and steps are required to compile a CE marking technical file for a machine?

A CE marking technical file is the evidence package that shows a machine meets the applicable EU health and safety requirements. For machinery, the core legal framework is the Machinery Directive/Regulation, supported by standards such as EN ISO 12100 for risk assessment and EN 60204-1 for electrical safety. The file must be compiled before the Declaration of Conformity is signed and the CE mark is affixed.

Typical contents of a machinery technical file

• Technical drawings and diagrams — general arrangement, electrical, hydraulic and pneumatic schematics, plus relevant control diagrams.
• Risk assessment — systematic identification of hazards, risk estimation and the protective measures applied, ideally following EN ISO 12100.
• Compliance route and standards list — the harmonised standards applied, fully, partly or not at all, with reasons for any deviations.
• Description of protective measures — guards, interlocks, emergency stops, safe distances, and how they address each significant risk.
• Component evidence — declarations of conformity or certificates for bought-in safety components and assemblies.
• Test reports and calculations — noise, vibration, stability, strength, electrical safety and functional safety data where relevant.
• Operating instructions — original language plus translations for each target market, covering intended use, residual risks and maintenance.
• Declaration of Conformity — signed by the responsible person, listing the machine, the legislation and the standards applied.
• Traceability records — serial numbers, production dates, and the identity of the person who compiled and authorised the file.

Practical sequence

1. Define the machine and its limits — intended use, reasonably foreseeable misuse, space, time, energy and environmental limits.
2. Carry out the risk assessment — identify hazards, estimate risk, reduce risk by design, then by safeguarding, then by information for users.
3. Select and apply standards — choose the A, B and C-type standards relevant to the machine type and record how each is applied.
4. Design and verify protective measures — confirm guarding, control systems, stopping performance and ergonomics against the assessment.
5. Assemble the technical documentation — drawings, calculations, component declarations, test results and instructions.
6. Draft and sign the Declaration of Conformity — only once the file demonstrates compliance.
7. Affix the CE mark — visibly, legibly and indelibly on the machine, and keep the file available for authorities for the required retention period.

A realistic reader scenario

A small manufacturer builds a conveyorised packing line for sale in Germany and France. The engineering team knows the mechanics but has no in-house compliance specialist. They start with a risk assessment, discover that the interlocked guard does not meet the required safe distance, redesign it, then gather component declarations and electrical test results. The technical file becomes the single place where drawings, standards choices and test evidence live, so the Declaration of Conformity is supported rather than merely asserted.

When to bring in outside help

If your team lacks the time, the standards knowledge, or the ability to interpret the applicable legislation, a specialist consultancy can conduct the assessment and compile the technical file. CEmarkit describes itself as a small engineering consultancy, established in 2000, providing CE marking and PUWER compliance services, including compiling technical files and conducting pre-purchase safety audits. That kind of support is most useful when you need an independent assessment, a second opinion on standards selection, or help producing a file that will withstand scrutiny from a market surveillance authority.

A sensible next step is to list every document you already hold, mark the gaps against the contents above, and decide whether the remaining work is a short internal project or a task better handled with external expertise.

How much does it cost to hire a CE marking or PUWER consultant, and how long does the process take?

Costs and timelines for CE marking or PUWER consulting depend almost entirely on the machine, not on a fixed rate card. A single, standard machine with an existing technical file might take a few days of consultancy; a complex assembly, a production line, or a product involving several EU directives can run to weeks or months of engineering work. Most consultancies quote per project after a scoping review, because the variable is the engineering effort required, not the consultant's hourly rate alone.

CEmarkit describes itself as a small professional engineering consultancy, established in 2000, that has helped over 200 manufacturers and importers. Its stated services are CE marking assessments, compiling the Technical File, PUWER compliance assessments, and pre-purchase safety audits. It does not publish prices, so you would need to request a quote.

H3 What drives the cost

• Number and type of machines, and whether they are similar enough to share one assessment.
• Whether you already have a technical file, risk assessment and drawings, or the consultant must produce them.
• Which directives apply (for example machinery, EMC, low voltage) and whether a Notified Body is required for your category.
• How much of the work you do in-house versus outsourcing.
• For PUWER: whether it is a one-off compliance assessment, a pre-purchase audit, or ongoing support across a fleet of equipment.

H3 What drives the timeline

• Availability of your documentation: missing drawings or manuals are the most common cause of delay.
• Whether design changes are needed after the risk assessment, which resets part of the process.
• Testing and, where relevant, Notified Body involvement, which adds external lead time you cannot compress.
• Your own review and sign-off speed.

H3 How to compare consultants

A practical next step: write a one-page brief listing each machine, its function, the market it will be sold into, and what documentation already exists. Send that to two or three consultancies and ask for a scoped quote with an estimated number of days. That brief is what turns a vague "it depends" into a comparable number, and it also tells you quickly whether a consultant understands your equipment.