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The Pressure Equipment Directive (PED)

The Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) has been in force in the European Union (EU) since November 1999. The PED applies to equipment subject to a pressure greater than 0.5 bar.

Production of pressure equipment
An important aspect of the new regulations is that the responsibility for the conformity of the equipment with the essential safety requirements is clearly assigned to the manufacturer (also: installer). The manufacturer has various resources available to demonstrate conformity. When a manufacturer can demonstrate product conformity, the product may bear a CE marking.

To ensure that the PED regulations are properly applied, notified bodies were brought into being. These independent bodies are appointed by the Member States to carry out conformity assessment procedures. They assess whether the manufacturers rightly declare that the equipment they produce conforms to the PED.

Depending on the size of the pressure equipment and the associated hazard level, it is classified into categories and the associated modules. The conformity assessment procedures to which the pressure equipment is subjected to determine whether it satisfies the essential safety requirements and whether it may bear a CE marking are determined by the category in which the equipment is classified, and the notified bodies may need to be engaged for this purpose.

Use of pressure equipment
The inspection before the equipment can be used, and any reinspection, are not based on European but on national legislation. In the case of the Netherlands, this is the Pressure Equipment Decree of the Consumer Goods Act (Warenwetbesluit drukapparatuur). In this phase, the user is responsible for ensuring that the pressure equipment is inspected.

These inspections must be carried out by an approved inspection body. Under a number of strict conditions, some of the inspections can be carried out under the supervision of an approved inspection body.

SGS INTRON and PED
SGS INTRON is a notified body and an approved inspection body. This means that, on the basis of its proven expertise, it has been approved by the government to carry out all assessments, inspections and audits required by the relevant procedures (modules) for pressure equipment and quality systems.

SGS INTRON can also help you with regard to guidance and training courses to support the implementation of PED in your company.

Your contact at SGS INTRON:
Peter Kosterman (tel.: +31(0)345-580733)