Pressure vessels
At our recent AGM, I gave a talk on the duties and responsibilities of importers/manufacturers of pressure equipment, specifically accumulators. For whatever reason, this has become a hotter topic than ever before with the respective department (DoL) clamping down on industry to ensure all respective laws are followed. My slide show is available on the SAFPA website and for a brief overview please go and have a look.
In a nutshell, there are five documents that need to be addressed in this regard:
* Occupational Health and Safety Act (pressure equipment regulations).
* Mines Health and Safety Act (pressure equipment regulations).
* Government Gazette 34995 of 3 February 2012 (guide notes to the pressure equipment regulations) – a new revision should be released within the next six months.
* SANS 347 (categorisation and conformity assessment criteria for all pressure equipment).
* EN14359 (a harmonised European standard for the manufacture of accumulators).
As a manufacturer, importer, seller, distributor or user, you should have the first three documents (OHSAct, MHSAct, and 34995) in your office, on a shelf. This is not debatable. The first two you will need to pay for, the last is downloadable from the Internet if you Google the gazette number.
SANS 347 explains what is categorised as pressure equipment, this is not a necessary document to have as it is very clear that accumulators fall into the pressure equipment category – and so do their appurtenances (relief valves, safety blocks etc).
EN14359 is the European standard for manufacture of accumulators and most, if not all accumulators imported into South Africa will be manufactured to this standard. As it happens, this standard is not referred to in SANS 347 but this has been taken up with the SABS and will be included shortly. As an importer, it would be necessary to have this document to show to an AIA when you conformity assess your accumulators at first importation. An AIA should accept this standard as it is harmonised, implying it has been accepted across all of Europe.
As an importer, when you conformity assess your pressure equipment (as stipulated in the OHS Act), you will need to write a letter on your own letterhead stating that the equipment has been manufactured to the harmonised standard EN14359. The AIA will need to co-sign this letter as part of the conformity assessment. Note: this is only applicable for as long as EN14359 is excluded from SANS 347 and you are importing equipment manufactured to this standard. Read the manufacturing certificates to establish what standard the equipment has been manufactured to.
SAFPA is currently sitting on the technical committee of Pressure Equipment at SABS (TC058), and also has its own sub-committee to address issues around accumulators. Should you wish to participate, add comment, or garner more information, please contact SAFPA.
Regards, Norman Hall
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