PSSR

Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 

PSSRPressure Systems Safety Regulations – (2000) lay down the legal requirements aimed at preventing serious injury from the hazard of stored energy as a result of the failure of a pressure system or one of its component parts.

A pressure system is defined as:
  • a system comprising one or more pressure vessels of rigid construction, any associated pipework and protective devices;
  • the pipework with its protective devices to which a transportable pressure receptacle is, or is intended to be, connected; or
  • a pipeline and its protective devices, which contains or is liable to contain a relevant fluid.
A relevant fluid is:
  • steam;
  • any fluid, or mixture of fluids, which is at a pressure greater than 0.5 bar above atmospheric pressure, and which fluid or mixture of fluids is:
    – a gas; or
    a liquid which would have a vapour pressure greater than 0.5 bar above atmospheric pressure when in equilibrium with its vapour at either the actual temperature of the liquid or 17.5ºC; or
  • a gas dissolved under pressure in a solvent contained in a porous substance at ambient temperature and which could be released from the solvent without the application of heat.
The PSSR require that users and owners of pressure systems must ensure that a Written Scheme of Examination (WSE – see What the Hec?! September 2010) is in place before the system is operated and that the system is examined in accordance with that WSE. The examinations specified by the WSE are conducted to assess the condition of those parts of the system which may give rise to an uncontrolled release of stored energy. Such examinations are the responsibility of a competent person. Where ancillary examination techniques, for example non-destructive testing, are undertaken, the competent person must assume responsibility for the results of these tests and their interpretation, even though the tests may have been carried out by someone else.

For more information on PSSR see:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg261.pdf
and
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l122.htm

What the hec?! articles are not intended to be the definitive account on the topic or acronym in question. Readers’ comments and contributions are welcomed. Email: ndtnews@bindt.org