What is Pressure Equipment Directive and CE Marks?

The Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 97/23/EC came into force the 15^{th of} July 1999 and was replaced by 2014/68/EU on the 20^{th of} July 2016.

PED aims to educate customers to ensure they choose products that meet a common safety standard. It applies to the ‘design, manufacture, and conformity assessment of stationary pressure equipment with a maximum allowable pressure greater than 0.5 bar’[1]. Pressure equipment, as defined by the PED guidelines, that is being manufactured and sold throughout the European Union must meet all essential safety requirements covering design, manufacturing, and testing while also carrying the CE marking and relevant paperwork.

Who is the Pressure Equipment Directive applicable to?

The Directive is applicable to manufacturers (and may include importers, suppliers, or authorised representatives) of pressure equipment selling into most European countries.  Once you meet the requirements of the Directive you will be able to apply CE marking to relevant products and sell them within EU member states.

Walker Filtration products are CE market as required and suitable for distribution within the European Economic Area.

Read more about PED: Pressure Equipment Directive

Sound Engineering Practice

In order to determine how the Pressure Equipment Directive will apply to specific items of pressure equipment, a manufacturer needs to classify the pressure equipment into one of four conformity assessment categories: Categories I to IV. I relates to the lowest, category IV to the highest, hazard category.

Small equipment falling within the scope of PED may come under the Sound Engineering Practice category. A competent person will need to make an engineering judgement as to whether there is a enough information to confirm the equipment can fit into this category.

Sound Engineering Practice (SEP) applies to equipment that falls below category I is not subject to conformity assessment but must be designed and manufactured in accordance with SEP of a Member State to guarantee safe use. The equipment must be accompanied with clear instructions for use and bear identification of the manufacturer.

The Approval Process

The manufacturer bears sole responsibility for declaring conformity with all requirements. The product must adhere with all relevant EU-wide requirements, come with a technical dossier documenting conformity, a drafted and signed EU declaration of conformity and, if appropriate, be assessed by a third party ‘notified body’.

The modules the pressure equipment are assessed against are dependent on the category in which the equipment belongs, and is outlined in the directive.

UKCA Marking

UKCA Marking came into effect in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) on 1^st January 2021 for pressure equipment and associated products on the market in Great Britain. Businesses have until 31^st December 2022 to achieve requirements and assessment for UKCA marking. Read more about UKCA marking In our blog piece.

Walker Filtration is certified to the Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU View our certificate here: Lloyd’s Register Module D1 Certificate