The pressure equipment directive, sound engineering practice, and CE markings are all part of the European Union's Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC (PED). Following several directives that dealt with pressure instruments, the European Union instated the PED 97/23/EC to set a common standard in design, production, testing, marking, and labelling of the pressurised equipment for manufacturers and operators.
PED is both aimed at ensuring all pressure equipment, and related equipment, is safe for use across the European Economic Area. The equipment subjected to the directive may include pressure vessels, pipes, safety components, and pressure accessories such as flange and nozzles.
The Conformitè Europëenne (CE) mark indicates the product’s compliance with the requirements of the derivative. PED and CE marking makes it easier to ensure common conformance and ease of trade across the EU.
Depending upon the type of fluid or gas, maximum allowable pressure, volume, and hazard level of the fluid or gas, pressure measuring components were subjected to different requirements, different in each country of the EU. This caused a wide range of trade difficulties with manufacturers having to seek multiple approvals to ensure local manufacturing and safety standards.
The Pressure Equipment Directive provides a common legal framework for pressure equipment manufacturers across the EU. The directive sets the common standard in the design, production, testing, marking, and labeling of the pressurized equipment and consists of:
SEP: Sound engineering practice
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4
IMPORTANT: NOTE THAT SEP AND CAT 1 ARE NOT IDENTICAL.
The least hazardous is SEP, and the most hazardous is Category 4. With increasing hazards, quality assurance during design, manufacture, and testing will become more extensive. Following the quality assurance process, categories 1 to 4 will be marked with the CE mark. SEP products do not require the CE mark, it is also expressly forbidden to mark SEP-products with the CE mark.
