C&P is your guaranteed certification partner under the Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016. We work with the Approved Body HPi Verification to ensure the compliance of your pressure equipment intended for the Great Britain (UKCA) and Northern Ireland (UKNI) markets. Our certification services strictly follow current regulations, ensuring that your products meet the highest safety standards required by UK legislation. With the support of our experts group, you can approach the certification process with confidence, ensuring that your products meet all necessary regulatory and safety requirements. Choose C&P for reliable, UK-compliant certification.
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PE(S)R applies to pressure equipment and assemblies with a maximum permissible pressure PS higher than 0.5 bar, although there are a number of exclusions, set out in Regulation 4 and Annex 1 of the Regulations. “Pressure equipment” means vessels, piping, safety accessories, and pressure accessories. By “assembly” it’s meant several pressure equipment assembled to form an integrated and functional whole.
Product Classification
To know how PE(S)R is applied to specific pressure equipment, the manufacturer will need to consider
– the type of equipment concerned, i.e. vessel, steam generator or piping
– the state of the intended fluid content – gas or liquid, and
– the fluid group of the intended content:
- Group 1 also includes substances and mixtures contained in pressure equipment with a maximum permissible temperature TS that exceeds the flash point of the fluid
- Group 2 includes substances and mixtures that are not included in group 1 within the definition of fluid, including steam.
With this information, the manufacturer can identify the relevant conformity assessment table in Annex 1B to PE(S)R and determine the correct classification of the equipment by plotting the maximum allowable pressure and, in the case of vessels, the volume in litres or, for piping, the nominal size (DN).
Equipment and assemblies lower or equal to the limits set out in PE(S)R Regulations 6(a)-(c) or 7 shall be designed and manufactured in accordance with proper sound engineering practice in order to ensure safe use and shall be accompanied by appropriate operating instructions. Unless required by other applicable legislation, this second category of equipment and assemblies must not bear the UKCA mark. This is laid down in Regulation 8 of the EP(S)R.
Manufacturers’ obligations
A manufacturer is a the person who manufactures pressure equipment, or make others design or manufacture pressure equipment, and markets it under its own name or trademark or uses it for its own purposes.
Before placing pressure equipment on the UK market, the manufacturer must ensure that it has been designed and manufactured in accordance with the essential safety requirements, or, in the case of equipment covered by Regulation 8, that meets the requirements of that Rule.
The manufacturer must then classify the equipment or assembly in the appropriate category, determine the applicable conformity procedure and carry out the relevant conformity assessment procedure and draw up the relevant technical documentation.
Once this is done, the manufacturer must redact a declaration of conformity and affix the UKCA mark to the equipment in a visible, legible and indelible manner.
In any case, there is a derogation until 31 December 2027, which allows the UKCA mark to be affixed to an attached label or accompanying document of the pressure equipment or assembly, rather than on the product itself. Where applicable, the manufacturer must also ensure that the identification number of the relevant conformity assessment body is affixed to the equipment or assembly.
How to get certified...
When placing on the market their pressure equipment or assemblies falling under PE(S)R, manufacturers must ensure that they have been designed and manufactured in accordance with the essential safety requirements set out in the above-mentioned Regulation.
This guarantee is evidenced by the declaration of conformity, the UKCA marking affixed to the pressure equipment or assemblies. The marking must include their registered trade name or registered trade mark and the postal address at which they can be reached. In addition, the products must be accompanied by instructions and safety information.
In order to ensure the safety of pressure equipment, as required by the PE(S)R directive, compliance with the essential safety requirements is essential.
These requirements are evaluated through conformity assessment procedures. Such procedures shall be designed taking into account the degree of hazard characteristic of pressure equipment or assemblies. Therefore, each category of pressure equipment is assigned an appropriate procedure.
Some conformity assessment procedures require that each element must be inspected and verified by a notified body or user inspectorate as part of the final assessment of the pressure equipment or assembly. In other cases, the final assessment is carried out by a notified body by means of unannounced visits.
The manufacturer that want to obtain UKCA certification must do the following:
- Submit RFQ or issue purchase order.
- Prepare and submit an application for certification by filling out the Request for Approved Body Services Form Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations PRE-F-00c indicating
- Commercial references;
- Company name and registered office of the manufacturer;
- Place of inspection and reference contact;
- Description of the product to be certified;
- Procedure for the selected conformity assessment (Module);
- Design Data (PS, TS, Volume/Diameter, Fluid Type and Condition);
- Any subcontracted processes;
- Testing place
- A written declaration explaining that the same application has not been submitted to any other notified body.
- Attach to the application:
- A general description of the pressure equipment;
- Design and fabrication drawings;
- The descriptions and explanations necessary for the understanding of these drawings;
- Technique concerning design and manufacturing processes;
- The results of the design calculations carried out, of the examinations carried out;
- Reports on the tests carried out;
- Instructions and safety information;
- A descriptive document that specifies
- the materials used;
- the welding procedures used;
- the checks carried out;
- the checks carried out;
- all relevant information relating to the design of the vessel.
- The Approved Body may request other prototype vessels if necessary to carry out the test programme;
- The evidentiary documentation certifying the adequacy of the technical project solutions. This evidence points to any documents that have been used, especially if the relevant harmonized standards have not been fully applied. The evidence shall include, where necessary, the results of tests carried out in accordance with other relevant technical specifications by the manufacturer’s appropriate laboratory, or by another testing laboratory, in his name and under his responsibility;
- In the case of examining a prototype vessel, the technical documentation also consists on:
- certificates relating to the adequate qualification of welding procedures and of welders or welding operators;
- the check report of the materials used for the manufacture of the parts and components that contribute to the container strength;
- a report on the examinations and tests carried out or a description of the planned checks.