December 2023

Roofing Battens
BUILDING PRODUCT TRUST
& CERTAINTY
So why should roofing contractors really care about the Code for Construction Product
Information? Daniel Weait, National Accounts Manager, explains all…
The new Code for Construction Product
Information (CCPI) is a landmark initiative
for the construction sector as it aims to
deliver transparent and independently verified
product information to the trade.
Roof batten, as a central component of a
structurally strong pitched roof, is an important area
where the introduction of the CCPI can add value
and further help eradicate sub-standard batten
choices.
All construction product categories, from tiles on the
roof to the foundations in the ground, offer a myriad
of product choices from an array of manufacturers
and suppliers.
Navigating the maze of potential product options
can be time consuming for busy contractors who
are naturally keen to complete projects on time and
to budget.
Daniel Weait, National Accounts Manager and CCPI
Project Lead at Marley, outlines how the launch of
the CCPI should make the selection process easier.
What is the code?
The new CCPI code has been developed as the
result of collaboration across the construction
sector in recent years, and is a consequence of
2018’s Hackitt Report, a landmark review into
building regulations and fire safety. The CCPI further
strengthens the accuracy and transparency by
which construction product manufacturers manage
and provide external information on products.
What does it aim to do?
The CCPI will ensure the trade has access to
accurate and relevant product information to aid
decision-making and help provide increased
product certainty for the construction sector. The
code’s aim is simple: to drastically strengthen the
Marley says its JB Red Batten is the only UK manufactured
BS 5534 factory graded roof batten carrying both BBA
certification and the CCPI mark, making it an independently
verified and quality-led solution.
precision and transparency by which
manufacturers must generate, manage and share
external information about the products they
supply to the industry.
How do products get verified?
The code should make the product search and
selection process easier. It means contractors who
choose to use a product that is verified with the
CCPI mark know that the marketing claims around
its manufacture and performance have been
independently assessed across eleven clauses.
The CCPI verification process is a rigorous, in-depth
and wide-ranging examination to ensure the
manufacturer can substantiate the external
declarations it makes for the specific product under
consideration.
In addition, CCPI verification is also based upon a
forensic assessment of the organisation behind the
product, including close examination of the internal
management processes that support the generation
and sharing of specific product information.
It’s important to remember, the CCPI verification
applies only to the product and not the
manufacturer behind it.
How will the CCPI help with batten choice?
The certainty provided by CCPI verification means
contractors can choose important components such
as roof battens with increased confidence.
Roof battens are a central component of a
structurally strong pitched roof, and roof is the type
of product category where the introduction of the
CCPI will add real value, as well as safety-driven
benefit.
This is especially important as concerns about
inferior roof batten use on UK roofing projects
continues.
Due to the high industry demand for ‘treated
battens’, some product options are not compliant or
have not been exposed to the correct preservative
treatment process. This can result in builders or
roofing contractors mistakenly selecting a batten
which they believe meets BS 5534. Here, the
standard calls for battens to be treated with a highpressure
preservative to strengthen and preserve
the material.
Weakened or sub-standard roofing battens can
have consequences, both for contractors using
them to stand on as part of the roof installation, or
their long-term ability to support the roof’s weight.
Because of these reasons, it is important that the
trade has access to fully rounded product
information when it comes to making important roof
batten choices.
The best safeguard to ensure compliance with
regulations and reduce any health and safety risks
should see contractors always select factory graded
roofing battens that meet the BS 5534 standard,
and are manufactured by an established supplier
with a recognised third-party certification.
Contact Marley
www.marley.co.uk/roofsystem
01283 722222
Marley
30 TC DECEMBER 2023