With the UK leaving the European Union there is a change in the supply of personal protective equipment. Up to the 31st of December 2020 all PPE sold in the UK had to have a CE mark to show that it conformed to European requirements. As of the 1st of January 2021, new CE marked product can be placed on the UK market unless it has been UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) approved. If it is an existing product placed on the market prior to the 1st of January 2022, it can still be sold, if it has been assessed by the UKCA and it will need the UKCA mark on the packaging.
UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) marking applies to products, production tools and equipment which is supplied or sold in Great Britain. It came into effect on 1st January, 2021. This conformity marking has replaced the European Union’s CE marking as the necessary certification for products and machinery being sold in Great Britain and covers many of the same goods.
An example of the UKCA mark is below:
A general rule of thumb is that if the product needed a CE mark before, such as PPE, then it will need a UKCA mark by the 1st of January 2022.
So when purchasing PPE check with your supplier that the product is also compliant with the UKCA.