What Requirements Does the Pressure Equipment Directive Set

Pressure Equipment Directive and the Manual

    Gavel on product documentation with EU flag background, symbolising European product liability law and compliance.

    It is important that not only your product, but also your manual complies with legislation and regulations. Various standards and directives may include requirements related to the manual.

    In this article, you will read about the scope of the Pressure Equipment Directive (2014/68/EC) and find an overview of several articles from the directive that relate to documentation. Directive 2014/68/EC replaces 97/23/EC which is no longer in force.

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    Table of Contents

    Scope of Directive 2014/68/EC for Pressure Equipment

    This directive applies to the design, manufacture and conformity assessment of pressure equipment and assemblies with a maximum allowable pressure (PS) greater than 0.5 bar.

    Examples of products covered by Directive 2014/68/EC include:

    • Air receivers / compressed air vessels 
    • Pressure vessels in compressors 
    • Storage tanks for compressed air or nitrogen 
    • Pressure vessels in pneumatic systems 

    What the Directive States Regarding Documentation

    The Pressure Equipment Directive states, among other things, the following about the manual:

    Note: Always read the full directive to ensure complete understanding and to review all relevant requirements.

    Artikel 6(7) Manufacturers shall ensure that the pressure equipment or assemblies referred to in Article 4(1) and (2) is accompanied by instructions and safety information in accordance with points 3.3 and 3.4 of Annex I, in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other users, as determined by the Member State concerned. Such instructions and safety information shall be clear, understandable and intelligible.
    Artikel 8(2) Before placing on the market the pressure equipment or assemblies referred to in Article 4(1) and (2), importers shall ensure that the appropriate conformity assessment procedure in accordance with Article 14 has been carried out by the manufacturer. They shall ensure that the manufacturer has drawn up the technical documentation, that pressure equipment or assemblies bear the CE marking and are accompanied by instructions and safety information in accordance with points 3.3 and 3.4 of Annex I, and that the manufacturer has complied with the requirements set out in Article 6(5) and (6).
    Before placing on the market the pressure equipment or assemblies referred to in Article 4(3), importers shall ensure that the manufacturer has drawn up the technical documentation and that pressure equipment or assemblies are accompanied by adequate instructions for use and that the manufacturer has complied with the requirements set out in Article 6(5) and (6).Where an importer considers or has reason to believe that the pressure equipment or assembly is not in conformity with the essential safety requirements set out in Annex I, he shall not place the pressure equipment or assembly on the market until it has been brought into conformity. Furthermore, where the pressure equipment or assembly presents a risk, the importer shall inform the manufacturer and the market surveillance authorities to that effect.
    Artikel 8(4)Importers shall ensure that pressure equipment or assemblies referred to in Article 4(1) and (2) are accompanied by instructions and safety information in accordance with points 3.3 and 3.4 of Annex I, in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other users, as determined by the Member State concerned.
    Importers shall ensure that the pressure equipment or assembly referred to in Article 4(3) is accompanied by instructions and safety information in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other users, as determined by the Member State concerned.
    Artikel 9(2) Before making the pressure equipment or assemblies referred to in Article 4(1) and (2) available on the market distributors shall verify that the pressure equipment or assembly bears the CE marking, that it is accompanied by the required documents and by instructions and safety information in accordance with points 3.3 and 3.4 of Annex I, in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other users in the Member State in which the pressure equipment or assembly is to be made available on the market, and that the manufacturer and the importer have complied with the requirements set out in Article 6(5) and (6) and Article 8(3) respectively.
    Where a distributor considers or has reason to believe that pressure equipment or assemblies are not in conformity with the essential safety requirements set out in Annex I, he shall not make the pressure equipment or assembly available on the market until it has been brought into conformity. Furthermore, where the pressure equipment or assembly presents a risk, the distributor shall inform the manufacturer or the importer to that effect as well as the market surveillance authorities.
    Before making the pressure equipment or assembly referred to in Article 4(3) available on the market, distributors shall verify that that pressure equipment or assembly is accompanied by adequate instructions for use, in a language which can be easily understood by consumers and other users in the Member State in which that pressure equipment or assembly is to be made available on the market, and that the manufacturer and the importer have complied with the requirements set out in Article 6(5) and (6) and Article 8(3) respectively.

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