Pressure Equipment Directive (PED)

PED (97/23/EC) initially came into force in November 1999, but became fully obligatory on May 30th 2002. Its purpose is to harmonise national laws of Member States regarding the design, manufacture, testing and conformity assessment of pressure equipment and assemblies of pressure equipment.

PED is concerned with items such as vessels, pressurised storage containers, heat exchangers, steam generators, boilers, industrial piping, safety devices and pressure accessories. Such pressure equipment is widely used in the process industries (oil & gas, chemical, pharmaceutical, plastics and rubber and the food and beverage industry), high temperature process industry (glass, paper and board), energy production and in the supply of utilities, heating, air conditioning and gas storage and transportation.

Under the Community regime of the Directive, pressure equipment and assemblies with a maximum
allowable pressure greater than 0.5 bar must:

• be safe;
• meet essential safety requirements covering design, manufacture and testing;
• satisfy appropriate conformity assessment procedures; and
• carry the CE marking and other information.

Pressure equipment and assemblies with a maximum allowable pressure lower than 0.5 bar must:

• be safe;
• be designed and manufactured in accordance with the sound engineering practice of a Member State; and
• bear specified markings (but not the CE marking).

Additional Pressure Equipment Directive Information

• Pressure Equipment Directive (PED): guidelines
• UK Guide
• BIS Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC
• Europa Pressure equipment sector
• European Standards for PED Pressure equipment