PED Legislation

Revision directive pressure equipment: What has changed for you?

For the first time in a long while, the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) (97/23/EG) has been revised. The changes have consequences for all manufacturers, importers and distributors of pressure equipment.  

What does the PED legislation involve?

Since 2001, the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) (97/23/EG) doesn’t only apply to new pressure equipment with a maximum allowable pressure of over 0,5 bar (g), but also to reparations/modifications to existing installations. The CE mark applied by the manufacturer, indicates the equipment complies with all applicable product directives and that applicable safety regulations are met.  

Why has the European directive been changed? Besides the fact that the European directive received a new number (2014/68/EU), there are two practical reasons behind revising the PED:  

  • The foundation for determining a substance group (1 or 2) in article 9 of the PED (Directive 67/548/EEG) has been replaced by a new regulation since June 1st, 2015. In this new regulation the rules regarding classification, labeling and packaging (no. 1272/2008) are included.
  • The ‘New Legal Framework’. This initiative of the European Union aims at bringing nine European directives in line with the ‘New Legal Framework’ (NLF) of 2008. The NLF is meant to rationalize the rules for marketing and simplifying, amongst other, pressure equipment. This is supposed to prevent fraud involving certification of pressure equipment. According to the European Commission, the revision of the legislation makes it easier for companies to comply to the legislation. 

The modifications in the legislation have been classified as a ‘alignment’ in the New Legal Framework. This means no alterations have been made in the area of application of the PED and in the tables for the conformity assessment.  

Fundamental modification in the PED safety philosophy The essential safety guidelines have not been changed. Still, the fundamental PED safety philosophy has been modified. This is because manufacturers are obligated to analyze risks as well as hazards of pressure equipment. According to the directive, the existing approvals and the certificates supplied by the assessment body remain valid.  

How can Tecona be of your service?

You have to determine whether your quality system, procedures and certifications comply to the new PED legislation for pressure equipment. We can assist you in this. Our specialists are fully informed regarding the legislation and can offer advice regarding amendments that may be relevant to you. Also, we can assist you in compiling manuals, procedures and operational instructions and in incorporating them in your quality system. Our specialists also serve as external experts during internal and external audits. Certification authorities such as Auditors and Technical Experts already make use of our specialists.  

More info?

Would you like to learn more about the consequences of the revised PED-legislation for your organization and the adjustment of your quality system? Or perhaps you want to prepare for an audit by a certification authority? Please contact us. We love to explain all options to you.  

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