The Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations

The Pressure Equipment Regulations apply to the design, manufacture and conformity assessment of stationary pressure equipment with a maximum allowable pressure greater than 0,5 bar. The Regulations entered into force on 20 July 2016.

The Pressure Equipment Regulations aim to guarantee free movement of the products in its scope while ensuring a high level of safety. The scope of the Regulations includes pressure equipment, vessels, piping, pressure accessories, safety accessories, assemblies.

Before placing your pressure equipment on the market you, the manufacturer, must ensure that it has been designed and manufactured in accordance with the safety objectives of the Regulations.

Manufacturers of pressure equipment are required to:

• Compile the Technical Documentation (TD)
• Test product to applicable “designated standards” (BS EN)
• Issue the Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
• Affix the UKCA mark onto the product

Before proceeding with the assessment procedure, it is important to determine whether you, the manufacturer, can assess your product by yourself or whether you must involve an Approved Body (CAB).

The pressure equipment in the scope of the Regulations is classified in different categories (ranging from I to IV), according to ascending level of hazard in accordance with Schedule 1B of the Regulations.

The involvement of an Approved Body is obligatory for equipment of category II or higher.

According to the category in which the equipment was classified, the manufacturer will be given a choice of ‘modules’. The higher the category and therefore the greater the hazards, the more demanding the conformity assessment modules are. Equipment in Category I will be subject to the manufacturer’s own internal production control.

The modules for products in Categories II, III & IV will require the involvement of Approved Bodies, either in the approval and monitoring of the manufacturers’ quality assurance system or in direct product inspection. A description of different conformity assessment procedure is given in Schedule 1A of the Regulations.

Whether an Approved Body has been involved or not, the manufacturer must draw up and sign the Declaration of Conformity.

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