General Product Safety Case Study – Pizza Ovens

The Challenge

Worcestershire based Dingley Dell Enterprises is a specialist in manufacturing large hand-made architectural pots and unique African Pot Houses that can seat up to eight people (pictured right). However, Jay Emery of Dingley Dell Enterprises has developed a new wood burning pizza oven, for use in a commercial environment such as a pub or restaurant, and wanted to know what general product safety and user legislation would be applicable to his ovens. In addition, Jay also wanted to explore the applicable legislation for a gas fired version of the oven.

The Project

The wood burning pizza oven, for use only in a commercial environment, is quite an interesting scenario when it comes to looking at the applicable product legislation. Due to the functionality of the oven, it falls outside the scope of all of the CE Marking Directives, but because the oven is solely for use in a commercial environment, it also falls outside the scope of General Product Safety Directive.The gas fired oven would fall under the Appliances Burning Gaseous Fuels Directive and would require the involvement of a Notified Body for both type-examination and production monitoring.

After identifying the product legislation, the CE Marking Association investigated the user legislation, looking at any aspects where Dingley Dell would be able to ensure that their product can comply with the specified requirements or where they could pass information onto their customers, such as passing details on about the Gas Safe Register scheme for the gas fired oven. Jay’s two main concerns where complying with the Clean Air Act and the Building Regulations. Wemtech established that there were a range of options to comply with the Clean Air Act and where applicable provided rough quotes for testing. Under the Building Regulations, Jay had heard that there were specific dimensional requirements for flues and ventilation systems. Wemtech established that the rumoured dimensions only featured in a guidance document, so the dimensions were not compulsory to comply with the Building Regulations.

The Result

Dingley Dell Enterprises now have a clear documented roadmap of the applicable product and user legislation that is applicable to their pizza ovens. The investigation carried out by the CE Marking Association has provided multiple routes as to how Dingley Dell can comply with the applicable legislation and has helped to clarify Dingley Dell’s specific areas of concern. The project was also supported by the West Midlands Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS-WM).

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