Transportable pressure equipment is regulated by the Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations S.L. 427.30 which transpose the provisions of Directive 2010/35/EU. These regulations apply to the design, manufacture, conformity assessment of transportable cylinders, tubes, cryogenic vessels and tanks including both refillable and non-refillable cylinders, and their associated valves.
Aim of the Regulations
These regulations set out detailed rules concerning transportable pressure equipment to enhance safety and ensure free movement of such equipment within the European Union. This is achieved by ensuring common standards of design, manufacture, testing and certification in all transportable pressure equipment within the European Economic Area.
Scope
These regulations apply to:
new transportable pressure equipment to be placed on the market,
transportable pressure equipment as for the purposes of its periodic inspections, intermediate inspections, exceptional checks and use,
transportable pressure equipment which does not bear the conformity markings, for the purposes of reassessment of conformity.
The following are examples of equipment which is excluded from the regulations namely:
Aerosols
Open cryogenic receptacles
Gas cylinders for breathing apparatus (covered by the Pressure Equipment Regulations)
Fire extinguishers (covered by the Pressure Equipment Regulations)
Vessels for pressurized foodstuffs or fizzy drinks
The regulations define specific requirements for all economic operators which are involved with the placing on the market of transportable pressure equipment namely manufacturers, authorised representatives, importers and distributors. All the parts have an important role in making sure that the product is safe for use as described below.
The obligations of manufacturers are as follows: ensure that transportable pressure equipment are designed and manufactured in accordance with the essential safety requirements set out in the regulations; ensure that transportable pressure equipment has all the necessary technical documentation and that the relevant conformity assessment procedure is carried out; affix the Pi marking to transportable pressure equipment which is compliant with the regulations; retain the technical documentation for the period specified in the regulations; document all such instances of noncompliance and corrective measures; provide the Technical Regulations Division with all the information and documentation necessary to demonstrate the conformity of the transportable pressure equipment; eliminate the risks posed by transportable pressure
An authorised representative is appointed with a written mandate by the manufacturer which includes a list of tasks to be carried out namely to keep the technical documentation for a period specified in the regulations; and to cooperate with the Technical Regulations Division as required.
The obligations of importers are clearly defined in the regulations and to a large extent they are similar to those of the manufacturer. The importer must ensure that the manufacturer has correctly fulfilled his obligations. The importer is not a simple re-seller of transportable pressure equipment but has a key role to play in guaranteeing the compliance of the imported transportable pressure
The obligations of the distributors are namely: to have a clear indication of a transportable pressure equipment being non-compliant; ensure that transportable pressure equipment bear the Pi marking and that it is accompanied by the certificate of conformity;
Pi Marking
This marking indicates that the equipment is in conformity with the applicable conformity assessment requirements set out in the Motor Vehicles (Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road) Regulations and the Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations. The Pi mark shall be followed by the identification number of the notified body involved in the initial inspections and tests, date of inspection, identification number of the notified body responsible for periodic inspection.
In addition to the Pi mark, other markings for the transportable pressure equipment are defined in detail in the Motor Vehicles (Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road) Regulations.
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