What the Pressure Equipment Directive covers
Since 28 May 2002, pressure equipment sold into the EU — such as fire extinguishers, pressure gauges, valves, safety valves, air tanks, columns and towers, piping, pipe fittings and steam equipment, and other equipment that contains or conveys fluids — must comply with the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 97/23/EC. Any equipment with a design pressure above 0.5 bar must comply with PED regardless of its pressure or volume. PED was adopted on 29 May 1997 and took effect on 29 November 1999, with a 30-month adaptation period before 28 May 2002, during which products could follow either PED or the pre-existing national rules, although products following national rules could circulate only within that country. From 29 May 2002 the pre-existing national rules were repealed and PED became the mandatory regulation for pressure equipment in Europe. Manufacturers of pressure equipment should therefore plan for compliance in advance to avoid being excluded from the European market.
Applicable regulation
- Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 97/23/EC
Products covered
Conformity assessment
Pressure equipment and assemblies above a certain pressure/volume threshold must be safe; meet the essential safety requirements for design, manufacture and testing; satisfy the appropriate conformity assessment procedure; and bear the CE mark and the required markings. Equipment below the specified pressure/volume thresholds must be safe, be designed and manufactured in accordance with sound engineering practice, and bear the relevant markings; the CE mark is not necessarily required.
Manufacturers must analyse and classify their products in order to apply the different PED provisions. Products are classified into five categories: Article 3.3 (designed and manufactured in accordance with sound engineering practice in the member states) and Categories I to IV. The higher the hazard, the higher the category and the stricter the requirements.