Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC

Pressure Equipment Regulations 1999

Implemented in the UK by:

Statutory instrument 1999 no.2001 The pressure equipment regulations. Effective 30 May 2002 onwards, and amended by SI 2002/1267 The pressure equipment (amendment) regulations 2002.

These regulations apply to pressure equipment such as vessels, piping (including heat exchangers), safety accessories (eg safety valves and bursting discs) and pressure accessories where the maximum allowable pressure is greater than 0.5 bar.

The regulations do not apply to our pumps and vent valves. Pumps are excluded and the volume of vent valves are too small.

Strainers, however could be treated as pressure equipment depending on the vapour pressure of the fluid, the fluid group (see below), the strainer volume and the maximum pressure. Although in practice this is unlikely to arise in most applications, it may occur if you will be using a strainer with Group 1 fluids or alternatively with Group 2 fluids but where the vapour pressure of the fluid at the maximum allowable temperature is greater than 1.5 bar absolute.

- Group 1 fluids are dangerous, ie explosive, extremely flammable, highly flammable, flammable (where the maximum allowable temperature is above flashpoint), very toxic, toxic or oxidising.

- Group 2 fluids are fluids not in Group 1.