September 2002 Safety Under Pressure A survey conducted by The Safety Assessment Federation (SAFed) has revealed that steadily increasing rates of serious defect detection in pressure systems has significantly contributed to a consistent fall in the number of pressure related incidents. The SAFed survey covers the "in-service" inspection of pressure systems across a wide range of industries. All employers need to be aware of their legal obligations, as the recently introduced Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR 2000) apply to all types of pressure equipment meeting certain criteria. These range from relatively simple items such as a hot water boiler in a restaurant or air compressor on a garage forecourt, to major items such as a steam generator within a nuclear power plant. The survey is based on records of in excess of 1 million inspections undertaken over a 3 year period. It shows conclusively that the number of serious defects found in all types of pressure systems inspected has risen year on year. That the number of serious defects found per inspection has also increased, whilst the number of reported dangerous occurrences has fallen , is a testament to the effectiveness of competent independent engineering inspection. Richard Morgan, SAFed's Technical Director, commented. "The survey is conclusive proof that competent independent engineering inspection plays a crucial part in reducing the likelihood of pressure systems failure. As the potential failure mechanisms are well known to the independent inspection industry, serious defects can be readily identified. This allows the necessary repair and preventative steps to be taken before the defect has the chance to manifest itself into a potentially serious incident." The in-service pressure system defect survey has been compiled in partnership with the Health and Safety Laboratory, an agency of the Health and Safety Executive. Harry Bainbridge, HM Principal Specialist Inspector, HSE Technology Division, commenting on the SAFed initiative said, "The collation of this data provides not only a useful barometer of the current safety standards of pressure systems as a whole, but also highlights to all employers the benefits of implementing a competent examination regime as required by the PSSR 2000." The HSE's own statistics reveal that in Great Britain there are approximately 150 dangerous occurrences involving pressure systems each year, around 6 of which result in fatal or serious injury . The SAFed survey found that the most common root causes of serious defects were attributable to "in-service" factors such as insufficient or inadequate maintenance. Perhaps unsurprisingly the majority of serious defects were detected in equipment that was over 10 years old. The potential results of pressure system failure can be catastrophic in nature resulting not only in injury or loss of life, but also to the total destruction of entire work premises. In addition, a company's reputation can also be irreparably damaged. Richard Morgan continues. "Concern over the potentially catastrophic results of the uncontrolled release of energy through failure of pressure equipment is nothing new. Between them our member companies have experience of inspecting all types of pressure systems. By utilising this vast range of expertise and experience, SAFed is able to provide effective guidance to those responsible for operating pressure equipment, through publication of several different and authoritative guideline documents." Ends Back to Press Release Index