Apply "China Export". If they aren't breaking in test why the hang up about a standard? They have obviously been fabricated for a specific purpose, not being placed on sale to a mass market.... if you have bespoke equipment fabricated I am sure financial reality sinks in that you don't spend thousands of pounds type testing a one off.

Been some time since I was involved in off shore fabrication but I am damned sure the oil companies don't pay twice/thrice the price of a rig for CE marking the steps and walkways all individually work shopped.

In a previous job we custom made a hoist since it just wasn't possible to buy one to fit our particular task and it solved a fairly major manual handling problem, we had it properly load tested and it was regularly inspected and checked but it wasn't made to any standard (other than common sense) and certainly wasn't CE marked.

Sometimes 'Home Made' can be good.

Sadly JHF is probably correct about CE marking, in practice are the steps 'a problem' probably not.

Without checking the the Supply of Machinery Regs.... what type pf steps are they? How high are they?

Simple 'box' steps/ rigid frame hop up steps? No moving parts? Like hinges/moveable legs etc?

Pretty sure in the Supply Regs there is given a definition of a machine something like 'an assembly of linked moving parts'.

If the steps have no moving parts, do they then fall under the Supply of Machinery Regs??

I'm not sure without reading up the specific details and knowing more what type of steps have been home made.

Provided they have been made by competent fabricators etc, I wouldn't be losing too much sleep.

Or just buy some steps which do the job and are CE marked and of the correct class??? Why would they fab their own steps>

Thanks - one of the reasons they have made the steps is that they claim bought ones in the past haven't lasted - they can make better! Wonder if podium steps might be the best option, the ones in brochures etc. look sturdy enough (and offer a handrail system & platform), they're also supplied CE marked, however - not to a standard (re ladders).

Podium steps might be the answer, but they cost more, mmmh?

I've seen some workshop made similar steps/working platforms at some of our sites, for access AC units on vehicles or cleaning the top of a vehicle, usually they say its because the bought items were a poor fit. I tend to be a little more cautious the bigger the item and think it might be about cost. If the purpose of a workshop is fabrication, and they are competent at making stuff for other people then again no reason why they cant make their own work equipment, within limitations.

My cynical take (and I have been the responsible person for applying CE marks to medical products):

When you make "equipment" to sell on the open market, the bean counters have swarmed all over the design and will cut costs to the bone (and beyond!). Two quid saving on a product you hope to sell by the 100 thousand is big money even if the unit price is measured in thousands.

So.............standards (British, IEC etc) EEC regulations etc are in place to specify the minimum acceptable level that can safely be foisted on the unsuspecting public. I know this is true as I have been a committee member writing British & IEC medical devices standards.

A home made product tends to be over engineered, as its a one off and its unit cost is not too important. So long as the "designer" understands all of the safety impilcations presented by the "equipment", you are fine.