The primary duty of a PCBU under section 19 of the WHS Act is to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the health and safety of workers and others, such as clients, visitors and customers, is to not be put at risk by the work carried out by the business or undertaking. This duty requires PCBUs to provide and maintain:
- a safe work environment
- safe plant and structures
- safe systems of work
- safe use, handling and storage of plant, structures and substances
- adequate facilities to support the welfare of workers
- information, training, instruction or supervision
- monitoring of workers’ health and workplace conditions to prevent illness or injury.
There are additional duties for PCBUs who:
- manage or control a workplace
- control fixtures, fittings or plant at a workplace
- design, manufacture, import or supply plant, substances or structures
- install, construct or commission plant or structures for a workplace.
as quoted on the Safe Work SA Law and Compliance page
https://www.safework.sa.gov.au/law-compliance/laws-regulations/terminology
Pressure Equipment (PE) falls under these responsibilities and the types, as listed on our ‘Service’ page and as per Australian Standard AS/NZS 3788 – 2006 Table 4.1 Sections 1 through 17 as listed below, require a periodic regular inspection regime, from initial installation (commissioning) and for the life of the vessel in most instances:-
- Boilers
- Steam Pressure Vessels
- Vessels with Quick-Actuating Closures
- Fired Heaters and Convection Banks
- Water Heaters
- Compressed Air Containing Vessels
- Static Storage Tanks
- Storage Tanks to API 620 and/or Equivalent
- Process Vessels
- Auxiliary Vessels
- Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Vessels
- Static Low Temperature Vessels
- Buried or Mounded Pressure Equipment
- Pressure Piping
- Transportable Vessels
- Pressure Relief Devices
- Heritage Boilers and Pressure Vessels
These are then classified to a specific ‘Hazard Level’ within AS 4343 – 2005.
This done by calculating the PE known parameters as per below –
Volume in Litres (L) x (PE’s) Design Pressure in MPa to give = Megapascal Volume (known as MPa.L)
the final figure is then assessed to the AS 4343 – 2005 Table 1 – Fluid Type of Contents (Gas / Liquid) from 1.1 Lethal through to 1.4 Non-harmful. This is based on the PE’s contents / pressurising medium.
The Table 1 is also broken into 6 sub-categories, based on various PE types.
All PE can be Hazard Level classified by these sub-categories below:
- Pressure Vessels
- Vacuum Vessels
- Boilers
- Hot Water Heaters, Fired Heaters and Sterilizers
- Pressure Piping
- Pressure Safety Devices
Please feel free to contact us for assistance and guidance in calculating the Hazard Level’s and Inspection Requirements of your Pressure Equipment.