UKCA - Pressure Equipment Regulation in the UK

[IdanPV]

As of 1 January 2023, all pressure equipment for sale in the UK must be UKCA marked.

I work in a company which manufactured pressure vessel with ASME U stamp and CE mark.

We now facing this UKCA issue and I have some question regarding that issue, and I wonder may be some of you might have the answers.
1. Does a new qualification of welding procedures, welders, and welds specifications is needed?
2. Does a new qualification of NDE procedures is needed?

I wonder if you can share an official source with answer to the above questions.

Thanks,

 

[The Obturator]

It's worth reviewing what Lloyds Register in the UK have to say about it.

https://www.lrqa.com/en-gb/ukca/resources/

(see also attached mini guide).

Officially, the UK Government UKCA can be found here, but this covers everything

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-the-ukca-marking

I suggest that if you already have PED/CE certified product, to investigate whether the certifying body (NoBo - Nominated Body) you used for CE, are acceptable under the UKCA programme. Ask them. If so then discuss adding UKCA to already reviewed and accepted documents and procedures etc., and obtain UKCA certification and authorisation to mark product that way.


*** Per ISO-4126, the generic term
'Safety Valve' is used regardless of application or design ***

*** 'Pressure-relief Valve' is the equivalent ASME/API term ***

 

[The Obturator]

Lloyds UKCA mini guide


*** Per ISO-4126, the generic term
'Safety Valve' is used regardless of application or design ***

*** 'Pressure-relief Valve' is the equivalent ASME/API term ***

 

[XL83NL]

We've recently done an internal basic study on UKCA as we'll be exporting an assembly under the UKCA (and MD and several other Directives) from NL to UK after 1-1-23. We found the gov.uk link to be very useful.
UKCA follows PESR, CE follows PED - for pressure equipment that is. PESR and PED are almost 100% identical.

Some of our key findings - status march 2022, this may change over time.
- best success in achieving UKCA mark is by using a harmonized standard, e.g. EN 13480 or EN 13445
- a UKCA approved nobo (notified body) is required. This may indeed, as Obturator told, be a local NoBo that's familiar with UKCA and meets those requirements. E.g. LRQA.
- there's an LRQA webinar, that may be valuable. However, some details contained therein may be outdated - see next points
- we've talked with DNV and LRQA. There's currently still debate about some key issues. As an example, it's currently unclear if in an assembly, that's being built before 31-12-2022, may contain (sub-)items that are CE-marked acc PED 2014/68/EU. Obviously, not all companies will have moved to UKCA-marking before the transition date of 1-1-2023 - but one might have to buy UKCA-marked stuff before that date.
- another key issue is that about third-party approved items under PED 3.1.2/3.1.3, like welders certification and NDE personnel, might require 3rd party approval by means of a UKCA approved NoBo. This one may have a big impact. There's no definite answer yet on this.

Huub
- You never get what you expect, you only get what you inspect.

 

[IdanPV]

The Obturator and XL83NL,

Thank you very much for your answers,
The gov.uk is indeed very helpful, so is the information from Lloyds Register.
We are using ASME VIII-1 for the design and fabrication of pressure vessel, till now, no issues with achieving CE mark for our pressure equipment. I hope there will be no issue with UKCA.

One more question regarding materials, we currently use PMAs in order to use our materials for CE equipment. It is not clear if same PMAs can be use, or a new PMAs with different requirement shall be use.

Thanks again

 

[XL83NL]

I'd suspect PMA's can remain the same, the only thing I can think off is that you might need to adjust the reference in a PMA. It now needs to refer to the applicable section of the PESR, and the PESR itself, obviously.

Huub
- You never get what you expect, you only get what you inspect.

 

[IdanPV]

Hello all,

We have all our WPSs, PQRs, WPQs and WOPQs certified and approved for PED.

Does someone have an experience with ask the NoBO regarding adding UKCA to already reviewed and accepted documents and procedures etc., and obtain UKCA certification and authorization to mark product that way?

Thanks,

 

[The Obturator]

As advised earlier, you need to see if your NoBo for UKCA will accept what has already been done for PED. If its the same NoBo it shouldn't be a problem.


*** Per ISO-4126, the generic term
'Safety Valve' is used regardless of application or design ***

*** 'Pressure-relief Valve' is the equivalent ASME/API term ***

 

[IdanPV]

Thanks,

I am looking for Manufacturers which already did that process (approvals which are based on previous CE\PED approvals)
I would like to know if there is precedent for this kind of process. '

Thanks again,

 

[XL83NL]

You’ll probably find none. As UKCA marking isn’t obligated yet. Manufacturers that are currently exploring the requirements for the future are typically pioneers.

Huub
- You never get what you expect, you only get what you inspect.

 

[CuMo]

We manufacture to both PED 2014/68/EU and PESR 2016 and as mentioned above both are pretty similar.
You could even say that the UK PESR 2016 is pretty much a copy/paste of the European directive.
The Essential Safety Requirements, Hazard analysis, PMA's are identical with minor modifications so nothing drastic to worry about.

In terms of NDE and WPS/WPQR (I don't dwell in these) - I doubt there's major difference either.

When it comes to nameplates - you'd have to assign the relevant UKCA marking and UK NoBo identification number which would be different than their EU identification number.

No problem certifying ASME, EN 13445, PD 5500, etc... under UKCA.
You could contact TUV UK or Lloyds UK for more help, they should give you the best advice.