Industry Responds to Morrell Day Report on Construction Products Testing

THE CONSTRUCTION Leadership Council (CLC) has responded to the report on construction product testing by Paul Morrell OBE and Anneliese Day KC.

The Morrell-Day report looked at any potential weaknesses in the construction products testing system and made recommendations for improvement.

CLC’s Standards and Regulatory Alignment Group considered the Morrell-Day review which was published in April 2023: Independent Review of the Construction Product Testing Regime – Testing For A Safer Future.

Construction Products Testing

Led by Peter Caplehorn of the Construction Products Association, the industry response urges a pan-European approach to product testing.

It points to the impracticality of not aligning with European standards and urges government to decide on whether the UK is aligning or diverging. It says some products have already not reached the UK market, despite being launched in Europe, because of the confusion surrounding product testing standards and certification in the UK.

The response also recommends indefinitely postponing introduction of a UK CA mark. It adds that greater testing capacity is needed in the UK and the ability to accept European testing.

Implicit in the response is the confusion surrounding safety regulation of construction products and CLC urges government to produce secondary legislation as “soon as possible”.

The CLC analysed the report’s recommendations and sets out which are for industry, which are for government, and which are for all parties, to act on.

It focused on:

• Existing construction product regulatory landscape
  • Current understanding and guidance
  • Testing methodologies and standards
  • Testing and certification providers
  • Can technology help?

The UK construction products industry has an annual value of £63bn, employs 383,000 people in 24,000 companies.

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