Manufacturing & Engineering UK-wide

Electronics and electrical equipment manufacturer: compliance checklist

A self-audit checklist for makers of electronic and electrical products (SIC divisions 26 and 27). Work through the yes/no items to confirm you meet your product-conformity, producer-responsibility and workplace health and safety obligations before you place products on the market.

Guide summary

Check your electrical products against each safety, electromagnetic compatibility, radio, and hazardous substances rule before selling. You must carry out a conformity assessment, keep a signed declaration and technical file, and apply UKCA or CE marking. Answer yes or no to each checklist item. A 'no' means you cannot place the product on the market until you fix it.

  • Carry out a conformity assessment for each applicable rule
  • Keep a signed declaration of conformity and a technical file
  • Apply UKCA or CE marking correctly on your product
  • Check electromagnetic compatibility for all electronic products
  • Meet radio equipment rules if your product has Wi‑Fi or Bluetooth
  • Restrict hazardous substances (RoHS) in your materials
  • Ensure mains plugs follow safety rules for consumer products
  • Follow metrology rules if your product is used for trade or measurement
  • Answer each checklist item yes or no
  • Fix any 'no' before you sell
On this page

Use this checklist to confirm your business meets its obligations as a maker of electronic or electrical products. Answer each item yes or no. A "no" is a gap to close before you place the product on the market or continue trading. Skip any regime that does not apply to your product.

1. Product conformity

Confirm each applicable regime is assessed, documented and marked. The detail behind each item is in the linked requirement below.

  1. 1

    Conformity assessment carried out for each applicable regime?

    You have run the assessment procedure for every regime that bites on the product, using an approved body where one is required.

  2. 2

    Declaration of conformity signed and technical file kept?

    A signed declaration lists every regime the product complies with, and a technical file is held ready to show OPSS or Trading Standards on request.

  3. 3

    UKCA marking applied correctly?

    The product carries the correct markings for the GB market.

  1. 1

    Electromagnetic compatibility assessed?

    Any product containing electronics has been assessed so it neither emits nor is disrupted by interference.

  2. 2

    Radio equipment regime met, if the product transmits or receives?

    Anything with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular or a radio module is assessed under the radio regime instead of the separate safety and compatibility routes.

  3. 3

    Restricted hazardous substances assessed and documented?

    The materials in the equipment meet the restriction on hazardous substances, recorded in the same technical file.

  4. 4

    Mains plugs to specification, if a consumer mains product?

    Any plug, socket or adaptor supplied with a consumer mains product meets the plug safety rules.

  5. 5

    Metrology conformity met, if a trade or measuring instrument?

    Instruments used for trade or official measurement carry the metrology marking and meet their accuracy class. Skip if this is not your product.

2. Producer responsibility

These are ongoing registration and reporting duties, usually met by joining a compliance scheme, not one-off checks.

  1. 1

    Registered and reporting for waste electrical equipment?

    You are registered as a producer, mark your products, and report the quantities you place on the market.

  2. 2

    Registered as a battery producer, if you supply batteries?

    Any product supplied with or as a battery is covered by battery producer registration and reporting.

3. Workplace health and safety

These duties apply to your factory, not your product. Confirm you meet each one against its own guidance rather than treating it as covered by the conformity work above.

  1. 1

    General health and safety duties met?

    Check you meet your duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 — see the health and safety guide.

  2. 2

    Hazardous substances controlled (solvents, process chemicals)?

    Check you meet COSHH for the substances used in manufacture — see the COSHH guide.

  3. 3

    Machinery safe to use?

    Check you meet PUWER for production equipment — see the work equipment guide.

  4. 4

    Manual handling risks assessed?

    Check you meet the manual handling rules — see the manual handling guide.

  5. 5

    Fire safety arrangements in place?

    Check you meet your fire safety duties — see the fire safety guide.

  6. 6

    Employers' liability insurance held?

    Check you hold current employers' liability insurance — see the employers' liability insurance guide.

4. Other

  1. 1

    Data protection registration in place, if you hold personal data?

    Check you are registered with the ICO and meet your data protection duties — see the data protection guide.

If you answered "no" to any conformity or producer-responsibility item, do not place the product on the GB market until the gap is closed. If you answered "no" to a health and safety item, follow the linked guide before continuing to operate.