08 Xbos3103 T4

T op i c
Pressurised
Equipment
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
1.
Identify pressurised equipment and their classifications;
2.
Describe hazards related to pressurised equipment;
3.
Discuss basic precautions to reduce pressurised equipment risk;

and
4.
Explain legal requirements pertaining to pressurised equipment in

Malaysia.
INTRODUCTION
Bhopal disaster, one of the worlds worst industrial disasters is an example of
how pressurised equipment failure can result in such a tragedy. In this topic, we
will learn about pressurised equipment and their classification, common
pressurised equipment hazards, basic precautions to reduce risk and also the
legal requirements pertaining to pressurised equipment in Malaysia.
4.1
DEFINING PRESSURE EQUIPMENTS
Pressure equipment refers to piping, steam generator, vessels, as well as

pressurised accessories and safety accessories. In some cases, pressurised
equipment may also refer to components attached to pressurised parts such as
nozzle, supports, flanges, and lifting lugs found in the Pressure Equipment
Directive (97/23/EC) (European Parliament, 2015). Detailed explanations on the
definition of pressure equipment stated by European Pressure Equipment
Directive 1998 (PED) are as the following (European Parliament, 2015):
Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)
TOPIC 4
PRESSURISED EQUIPMENT
51
(a)
Piping
Refers to the piping component designed for transporting fluid in
pressurised system. Piping includes in particular a pipe or system of pipe,
tubing, hoses, and other pressure-bearing components. Other than that,
pipe used in heat exchangers for cooling and heating air is also regarded as
piping.
(b)
Steam Generator
Refers to specific type of vessel used to generate steam or super-heated
water at temperature higher than 110 Celsius by means of fired or unfired
(Learman, 2009).
(c)
Vessels
Vessels is defined as housing designed and built to contain fluids under
pressure including its direct attachments up to the coupling point
connecting it to other equipment. It may be composed of more than one
chamber.
(d)
Pressure Accessories
Pressure accessories refer to devices that have operational function as well
as pressure-bearing housings.
(e)
Safety Accessories
Safety accessories refer to any safety devices used in protecting pressurised
equipment from exceeding permissible limits. For examples, safety valves,
bursting disc safety devices, pressure switches, or fluid level switches.
4.2
CLASSIFICATION OF PRESSURISED
EQUIPMENT
The type of pressurised equipment, physical state of fluids in the pressurised

equipment as well as which group the fluid belongs to must be determined in
order to classify pressurised equipments. Classification of pressurised equipment
is important as it determines further requirements such as design method,
hazards and control measures. According to PEDs classification, five categories
of pressurised equipment can be identified based on the following risk level as
shown in Figure 4.1:
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Figure 4.1: Categories of pressurised equipment according to PED
The following explains in further detail the five categories of pressurised

equipment:
(a)
Sound Engineering Practice (SEP)

Pressurised equipment that falls in the SEP category:
(i)
Must comply with Sound Engineering Practice;
(ii)
Not bound to meet the standard requirements related to design,

manufacture and testing;
(iii) Not subjected to conformity assessment; and

(iv)
(b)
CANNOT bear the Conformit Europenne (CE) marking. However, it

must provide adequate instruction for use and shows the identification
of the manufacturer or established authorised representative.
Pressurised Equipment in Categories I, II, III and IV

Pressure equipment that fits these categories must:
(i)
Conform to essential requirements related to design, manufacture and

testing;
(ii)
Comply to the conformity assessment procedures; and
(iii) Bear CE marking and other relevant information.
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4.2.1
53
Pressure Equipment Directive (PED)

Classification Methodology
This section discusses the starting point when dealing with equipment or piping
according to PED. The first step is to determine the classification category of the
equipment according to its perceived level of hazard. In order to classify pressure
equipment, you will need to know the type of equipment concerned, state of
intended fluid contents and fluid group of the intended contents. The PED
classification methodology is simplified in these following steps shown in Figure 4.2.
Figure 4.2: Steps to classify pressure equipment
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TOPIC 4
The following explains in further detail on the steps to classify pressure

equipments:
(a)
Determine the Types of Pressure Equipment in Question

The first step is to select the type of pressure equipment. Pressure equipment
can be a vessel, piping, pressure accessories or safety accessories.
(b)
Determine the Physical State of the Fluid in the Pressure Equipment

The second step is to determine the physical state of fluid in the pressure
equipment.
(c)
(i)
Gas
Comprises of gases, liquefied gases, gases dissolved under pressure,
vapours and also liquids whose vapour pressure at the maximum
allowable temperature is greater than 0.5 bar above normal
atmospheric pressure (1,013 mbara).
(ii)
Liquid
Include liquids with vapour pressure that has maximum temperature
lower than 0.5 bar above normal atmospheric pressure.
Determine the Fluid Group

Next is to determine whether the fluid is listed in Group 1 or Group 2. Group
1 consists of hazardous fluid whereas Group 2 is for the non-hazardous fluid.
Group 1 consists of fluid that falls in these categories:
(i)
Explosive;
(ii)
Extremely flammable;
(iii) Highly flammable;

(iv)
Flammable;
(v)
Very toxic;
(vi)
Toxic; and
(vii) Oxidising.
Group 2 comprises of all other fluids and steam.
(d)
Select the Right Classification Chart or Tables

After completing the third step, the next step will be selecting the right
classification chart or table provided in the PED. Table 4.1 shows the
classification chart based on the type of equipment, physical state and group
of the fluid.
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55
Table 4.1: Classification Chart

Equipment Type
Fluid State
Fluid Group
Chart
Gas
Not applicable
Not applicable
Gas
Vessel
Liquid
Steam generator
Piping
Liquid
(e)
(f)
Determine the Maximum Allowable Pressure and the Defining Dimension of

the Equipment
The next step is to determine the following:
(i)
Maximum Allowable Pressure

It is the maximum pressure for the equipment to be operated as
specified by manufacturer.
(ii)
Defining Dimension
Defining dimension is dependent on the equipment type. For example,
the defining dimension for vessels and steam generators are expressed
in litres whereas piping system is expressed in millimetres.
Determine the PED Hazard Category

The last step is to select the PED hazard category from the right chart using
the given relevant value (maximum allowable pressure and defining
dimension).
Now that we have learnt the six steps for classifying pressure equipment, study
the example below for further understanding (refer to Figure 4.3).
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Example
Determine the PED category of a 50m3 horizontal storage vessel containing
propane by using Chart 1 (in Figure 4.3). The given maximum allowable pressure
is 100 barg and vapour pressure of 30.0 bara2.
Solution
Apply the six steps of the PED classification methodology;
Step 1
The equipment type is a vessel.
Step 2
The given vapour pressure of propane is 30.0 bara2.
30.0 bara2 is greater than 0.5 bar above normal atmospheric pressure of 1013
mbara, therefore, the state of the fluid in the equipment is considered to be gas.
Step 3
Propane falls known to be extremely flammable and thus it is a Group 1 fluid.
Step 4
Referring to Table 4.1, Chart 1 is the appropriate chart as it is for vessel containing
Group 1 gas.
Step 5
The given maximum allowable pressure of the vessel is 100 barg and the defining
dimension of vessel is volume. The given volume is 50m3 which is equivalent to
50,000 litres.
Step 6
Refer to points corresponding to 100 barg and 50,000 litres on Chart 1 shows that
this pressure equipment is in the Category IV area.
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Figure 4.3: Chart 1 (Vessels for Group 1 gases)

Source: Learman (2009)
SELF-CHECK 4.1
1.
List down the components or parts registered as pressure

equipment according to European Pressure Equipment Directive
1998 (PED).
2.
Briefly explain the six steps to classify pressure equipment

according to PED hazard category.
57
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TOPIC 4
ACTIVITY 4.1
By applying what you have learnt from Subtopic 4.1, determine the
appropriate Chart from Table 4.1 for a 100m length and 20cm diameter
piping used for transporting water. The given maximum allowable
pressure is 20 barg and vapour pressure of 0.125bara4.
4.3
PRESSURISED EQUIPMENT HAZARDS
Pressurised equipment is often hazardous. Even the slightest failure with

pressurised equipment such as liquefied petroleum gas storage tanks, steam
boilers, pressurised hot-water boilers, high-pressure vessels, and chemical
vessels can lead to catastrophe damages, injuries and fatalities. Therefore, it is
really important to identify hazards related to the pressurised equipment at your
workplace.
4.3.1
Cracking Hazards
According to Goetsch (2015), cracking is considered as one of the most serious

pressurised equipment hazards. If cracking occurs, it may lead to either rupture
or leakage. The hazards are explained in further detail below:
(a)
Leakage
When there is a leakage to the pressurised equipment, the potential
consequences include:
(i)
Poisoning due to the toxic chemical or substances inside the

pressurised equipment;
(ii)
Suffocation as a result of inhaling the chemical contents of the leaked

pressure vessel;
(iii) Fire due to escape of flammable fluids; and

(iv) Explosion may occur as a result of contact with the escaped
flammable fluids.
(b)
Rupture
Rupture of pressurised equipment may further result in:
(i)
Flying debris or parts from ruptured pipe or vessels;
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(ii)
59
Chemical burns when comes into contact with high temperature

contents; and
(iii) Injury or damage to properties due to blast effects from sudden

expansion of pressurised vessel content.
4.4
CONTROL OF PRESSURISED EQUIPMENT

HAZARDS
We have learnt that pressurised equipment may lead to large scaledamage and
serious injuries. Now, let us learn about the primary factors that cause incidents
involving pressurised equipment hazards. A study done by Ladokun, et al.
(2010) found that primary factors that may contribute to the afore mentioned
undesired incidents are:
(a)
Design
Poor design of pressurised equipment that does not meet the minimum
requirement and ineffective safety system is one of the factors of design
failure.
(b)
System of Work
Unsafe work practice results in incidents at workplace. For example,
operation of equipment exceeds the maximum allowable pressure.
(c)
Maintenance and Inspection

Poor maintenance or inadequate inspection also contributed to failure of
pressurised equipment.
4.4.1
Reduce Risk of Failures
Risk assessment is unnecessary if the risk and the appropriate control measures
are already known. Some factors that need to be considered for risk assessment
of the identified hazards which are contained in Pressure systems: brief guide to
safety (Health and Safety Executive, 2012) are:
(a)
The design and test for the pressure equipment (provided by

manufacturer);
(b)
Complexity and control of the operation;
(c)
Operating condition;
(d)
Pressure level in the system;
(e)
State of fluid (liquid or gas);

60
(f)
Properties of the fluid;
(g)
Age and condition of the equipment;
(h)
Suitability of pressure equipment and pipework that contains it; and
(i)
Skills and knowledge of the designer, manufacturer, installer, maintenance

tester and operator of the pressure equipment and systems.
4.4.2
TOPIC 4
Control Measures of Pressure Equipment Risk
Basic precautions based on hierarchy of control measures to minimise risks of

pressurised equipment which are contained in Pressure systems: a brief guide to
safety (Health and Safety Executive, 2012) are summarised as follows:
(a)
Elimination
Whenever possible, consider whether the job can be done another way
without using pressure equipment. For example, eliminate the use of
compressed air for cleaning and opt for other alternative such as vacuum
cleaner. However, in most cases where the pressurised equipment is used
in complex process, elimination is not possible.
(b)
Substitution
When applicable, use low-pressure equipment rather than high-pressure
equipment when low-pressure will do enough for the work activity.
(c)
Isolation
Pressurised equipment containing hazardous fluids must be located not too
close to the working place with a lot of workers.
(d)
Engineering Control
(i)
Design
Ensure the pressurised equipment bought or manufactured is welldesigned and made up from materials that suited to the intended
fluid types and properties.
(ii)
Safety Devices
Ensure suitable protective devices such as safety valve, bursting

disc discharge and other electronic device are in place and
function properly.
Isolation valves should be provided to protect from flare if

maintenance is conducted while pressurised equipment is in
operation.
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(iii) Maintenance
Prior to conducting any maintenance work, ensure the systems are
fully depressurised.
(iv) Examination
(e)
Having the pressurised equipment to be examined by competent

person is required in most cases.
Do not allow pressurised system to be operated without proper

examination and proper written scheme of examination.
The examination must cover all the pressurised equipment

including the protective devices.
Administration Control
(i)
(ii)
Safe Work System
Learn and understand the process or operating conditions such as

pressure, temperature, types of fluid and their properties.
Provide clear operating instructions for all equipment and for the
control of whole system including during emergencies.
Training
Only competent person that has undergone adequate training is

allowed to operate the equipment.
Additional training and retraining may be required in the case of

(1) equipment changes, (2) operation changes and (3) job changes.
(iii) Maintenance
(f)
Proper maintenance is important to detect any potential signs of

wear, corrosion and malfunction.
Provide a safe maintenance program as a guideline for all the

maintenance work.
Personal Protective Equipment, (PPE)

(i)
Clothing
Wear flame-resistant clothing when working with pressurised

equipment containing combustible or flammable fluids.
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(ii)
TOPIC 4
Wear non-conductive clothing when working under a high risk

explosive atmosphere.
Wear water-jet suit resistant to protect from potential water jet.
Face and Eye Protection
Wear face and eye shield all the time when working with
pressurised equipment.
(iii) Head Protection
Wear approved safety headgear for protection from flying debris

or hazardous objects.
(iv) Foot Protection
(v)
Wear approved safety boot that can protect from dangerous

chemicals and also prevent slip.
Respiratory Protection
If the work activity involves exposure to hazardous gases, wear

approved respirator properly.
(vi) Hearing Protection
4.5
Wear appropriate earplugs when working under a noisy

environment.
LEGAL REQUIREMENT PERTAINING TO

In Malaysia, legal requirement pertaining to pressurised equipment falls under

the responsibility of the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH).
Steam boiler and unfired pressure are covered under Factories and Machinery
(Steam boiler and unfired pressure vessel) Regulations 1970 (DOSH, 2014). Refer
to Appendix A and B for further information for a guideline on design approval
of unfired pressure vessel by import and local manufacturer respectively.
TOPIC 4
4.5.1
63
Factories and Machinery (Steam Boiler and

Unfired Pressure Vessel) Regulations 1970
Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH, 2014) requires that any
steam boilers or unfired pressure vessels manufactured or imported into the
country must have a valid certification. Factories and Machinery (Steam boiler
and unfired pressure vessel), Regulations 1970 stated that:
(a)
Manufacture of Boilers and Pressure Vessel (Section 5)

(i)
Each steam boiler or pressure vessel to be manufactured in Malaysia

requires a valid certificate of fitness (CF) obtained in advance from
DOSH before it can be manufactured.
(ii)
Every application for approval to construct the steam boiler or

pressure vessel must be accompanied by:
Three copies of design drawing that shows the principal

dimension of the steam boiler or pressure vessel with views of the
front, side and elevation;
A set of particulars of the formula and design pressure

calculations using the recognised latest edition of design code; and
Prescribed fee for approval of design.
(iii) Examples of steam boilers that must be registered under this

regulation are:
Water tube steam boiler;
Electric steam boiler;
Fire tube steam boiler; and
Waste heat recovery boiler.
(iv) Examples of unfired vessels that requires design approval from

DOSH are:
Air container;
Steriliser;
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage tank; and
Heat exchanger.
64
(b)
Imported Steam Boiler and Pressure Vessel (Section 6)
TOPIC 4
(i)
Each steam boiler or pressure vessel brought into Malaysia must have
obtained valid Certificate of Fitness (CF) from DOSH before it can be
installed and operated.
(ii)
All the imported boiler and pressure vessel must meet the following
standard conditions to be approved by DOSH:
Must be completely new and have never been in used before;
All the materials used, tested and inspected must comply with the
provisions of one of the codes or rules set out in Fifth Schedule in
this regulation;
Shall have been under supervision of authorised member of

Inspecting Authorities listed in Fourth Schedule of this regulation;
and
Shall be provided with fittings that meet the requirement in this

regulation.
(iii) Application for approval of the design of unfired pressure vessel

must be accompanied by the following information:
(c)
Manufacturer Data Report consists of information on the material

used, test and inspection reports and certified by the
manufacturer;
Design drawing that contains minimum information required; and
Design calculation in accordance with any latest version of the

recognised design codes by DOSH.
Hydrostatic Tests
(i)
The steam boiler or unfired pressure vessel shall undergo hydrostatic

test after obtained design approval (new machinery) or repair
approval (registered machinery).
(ii)
Application letter to carry out the test shall be submitted to the State
DOSH office where the test will be carried out.
(iii) Contact DOSH office to set a test not later than one week from the
date of the test.
(iv) Submit relevant information to the DOSH officer.
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65
ACTIVITY 4.2
In the next tutorial, discuss the following scenario with a classmate.
Scenario
Your company bought a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage tank
from Germany. As a safety and health officer, you are assigned to
handle the registration of the LPG storage tank before it can be put into
operation.
Discuss the procedures for the registration of the LPG storage tank.
SELF-CHECK 4.2
1.
Briefly describe the hazards related to pressurised equipment.
2.
What are the principal causes of incidents involving pressurised

equipment?
3.
Suggest basic precautions based on principle of control measures

to reduce the risk of pressurised equipment.
Pressurised equipment consists of piping, steam generators, vessels,

pressure accessories and safety accessories. In certain cases, components
attached to pressurised parts such as nozzle, supports, flanges and lifting
lugs are also considered as pressurised equipment.
Piping refers to piping component designed for transporting fluid in
pressurised system.
Steam generator applies to specific type of vessel use for steam generation or
super-heated water with the means of fired or unfired at temperature higher
than 110o Celsius.
Vessels defined as housing designed and built to contain fluids under
pressure including its direct attachments up to the coupling point connecting
it to other equipment.
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TOPIC 4
Pressure accessories include devices with an operational function and

having pressure-bearing housings.
Safety accessories can be any safety devices used in protecting pressurised
equipment from exceeding permissible limits.
Five categories of pressurised equipment based on PED are; Sound
Engineering Practice (SEP), I, II, III and IV.
For PED classification, we need to know the type of pressurised equipment,
physical state of fluid in the pressurised equipment and which group the
fluid belongs to.
Six steps to classify pressurised equipment based on PED are; determine the
pressurised equipment type, determine the fluid state, determine the fluid
group, choose the right chart, determine maximum allowable pressure and
defining dimension of the pressure equipment and lastly select the PED
hazard category.
One of the most serious pressurised equipment hazards are cracking hazard.
Cracking can further leads to rupture or leakage.
Leakage of pressurised equipment can result in suffocation, chemical
poisoning, fire and explosion.
Potential consequences of rupture are chemical burns due to pressurised
equipment content, flying debris and injury or damage from blast effects.
Principal factors of pressurised equipment incidents are normally related to
design, system of work and maintenance and inspection.
Pressurised equipment must be designed according to standard design and
manufactured from materials that suit the intended purpose.
Only competent person is allowed to install, operate, maintain or repair the
equipment. Retraining is a must whenever there is job change, equipment
change or operation change.
Safety devices must be in place and function properly.
Only authorised person is allowed to conduct maintenance
depressurised has to be done before any maintenance work.
and
TOPIC 4
67
Proper examination is mandatory before any pressurised equipment is in

place to operate.
Pressurised equipment is covered under Factories and Machinery Act 1967
(Steam boiler and unfired pressure vessel) Regulation 1970.
Each boiler and pressure vessel manufactured or brought into Malaysia must
have valid Certificate of Fitness (CF) from DOSH before it can be fabricated,
manufactured, installed and operated.
Certificate of Fitness (CF)
Pressurised equipment
Cracking hazard
Pressure Equipment Directive (PED)
Factories and Machinery (Steam
Pressure equipment hazard
boiler and unfired pressure vessel),
Sound Engineering Practice (SEP)
Regulation 1970
Department of Occupational Safety & Health Malaysia (DOSH). (2014). Factories

and machinery (steam boiler and unfired pressure vessel) regulations, 1970.
Retrieved from http://www.dosh.gov.my/index.php?option=com_docman
&task=cat_view&gid=168&Itemid=181&lang=en
Goetsch, D. L. (2015). Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists,
Engineers, and Managers (8th ed.). England: Pearson.
Ladokun, T., Nabhani, F. & Zarei, S. (2010). Accidents in pressure vessels: Hazard
awareness. Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering, 2, 1120-1123.
Learman, S. (2009). A process engineers guide to the pressure equipment
directive. Retrieved from http://www.blackmonk.co.uk/downloadsPED_
Guide.pdf
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Health and Safety Executive. (2012). Pressure systems: A brief guide to safety.
Retrieved from http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg261.pdf
European Parliament. (2015). The Pressure Equipment Directive (97/23/EC).
Retrieved
from
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/ALL/?uri=
CELEX:31997L0023

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T op i c

Identify pressurised equipment and their classifications;

Describe hazards related to pressurised equipment;

Discuss basic precautions to reduce pressurised equipment risk;

Explain legal requirements pertaining to pressurised equipment in

DEFINING PRESSURE EQUIPMENTS

Pressure equipment refers to piping, steam generator, vessels, as well as

The type of pressurised equipment, physical state of fluids in the pressurised

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

Figure 4.1: Categories of pressurised equipment according to PED

The following explains in further detail the five categories of pressurised

Sound Engineering Practice (SEP)

Must comply with Sound Engineering Practice;

Not bound to meet the standard requirements related to design,

(iii) Not subjected to conformity assessment; and

CANNOT bear the Conformit Europenne (CE) marking. However, it

Pressurised Equipment in Categories I, II, III and IV

Conform to essential requirements related to design, manufacture and

Comply to the conformity assessment procedures; and

(iii) Bear CE marking and other relevant information.

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

Pressure Equipment Directive (PED)

Figure 4.2: Steps to classify pressure equipment

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

The following explains in further detail on the steps to classify pressure

Determine the Types of Pressure Equipment in Question

Determine the Physical State of the Fluid in the Pressure Equipment

Determine the Fluid Group

(iii) Highly flammable;

Select the Right Classification Chart or Tables

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

Table 4.1: Classification Chart

Determine the Maximum Allowable Pressure and the Defining Dimension of

Maximum Allowable Pressure

Determine the PED Hazard Category

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

Figure 4.3: Chart 1 (Vessels for Group 1 gases)

List down the components or parts registered as pressure

Briefly explain the six steps to classify pressure equipment

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

PRESSURISED EQUIPMENT HAZARDS

Pressurised equipment is often hazardous. Even the slightest failure with

According to Goetsch (2015), cracking is considered as one of the most serious

Poisoning due to the toxic chemical or substances inside the

Suffocation as a result of inhaling the chemical contents of the leaked

(iii) Fire due to escape of flammable fluids; and

Flying debris or parts from ruptured pipe or vessels;

Copyright Open University Malaysia (OUM)

Chemical burns when comes into contact with high temperature

(iii) Injury or damage to properties due to blast effects from sudden

CONTROL OF PRESSURISED EQUIPMENT

Maintenance and Inspection

Reduce Risk of Failures

The design and test for the pressure equipment (provided by

Complexity and control of the operation;

Pressure level in the system;

State of fluid (liquid or gas);

Properties of the fluid;

Age and condition of the equipment;

Suitability of pressure equipment and pipework that contains it; and

Skills and knowledge of the designer, manufacturer, installer, maintenance

Control Measures of Pressure Equipment Risk