PSSR Inspections

The Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR) cover any installed or mobile system that contains a "relevant fluid" — steam, compressed gas above 0.5 bar, or a fluid at a pressure above 0.5 bar that contains a dissolved gas. That definition catches a much wider range of everyday equipment than people expect: workshop air receivers, garage compressors, café and restaurant boilers, hospital and laboratory autoclaves, pressurised process vessels, steam systems, and heat exchangers.

The regulations require duty holders — typically the employer, building owner, or operator of the equipment — to ensure each pressure system has a Written Scheme of Examination drafted by a competent person, that the system is examined in accordance with that scheme, and that any defects identified are properly resolved. The competent person carrying out the examination must be independent of the people responsible for routine maintenance, which is what we are.

We provide PSSR inspections and Written Scheme of Examination services across Kent, London, Essex and nationwide via our network of qualified Engineer Surveyors.

What the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 require

PSSR sets out a small number of regulations that, together, place a continuous duty of care on whoever operates a pressure system. The three regulations that drive most of the day-to-day inspection workload are:

• Regulation 5 — assessment. Before a pressure system is put into service the duty holder must establish the safe operating limits of the system. This forms the basis of the Written Scheme of Examination.
• Regulation 8 — Written Scheme of Examination (WSE). A WSE must be drawn up by a competent person, covering every part of the system whose failure could cause danger. The WSE defines which parts are examined, how often, and under what conditions. See our WSE service for detail.
• Regulation 9 — examination in accordance with the WSE. The system must be examined by a competent person at the intervals specified in the WSE. The competent person issues a report that the duty holder must retain.

HSE guidance L122 (the Approved Code of Practice supporting PSSR) and INDG178 (the duty holder summary) are the practical starting points if you're new to the regulations. Both are referenced throughout this page.

What systems and equipment fall under PSSR

PSSR applies to a "pressure system" — defined in the regulations as a system comprising one or more pressure vessels of rigid construction, any associated pipework and protective devices, the contents of which contain (or are liable to contain) a relevant fluid. In practice that brings the following into scope:

• Air receivers on compressed air systems — typically workshop compressors above 250 bar-litres (volume in litres × pressure in bar). See our air receiver inspection service.
• Steam boilers and hot water boilers operated above 0.5 bar.
• Autoclaves and sterilisers used in hospitals, dental practices, veterinary clinics, and laboratories.
• Café, restaurant, and espresso machine boilers — the small commercial boilers that quietly fall under PSSR in food service environments.
• Pressure vessels and process equipment in chemical, food, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing operations.
• Heat exchangers and pressurised pipework forming part of a larger pressure system.
• Air brake reservoirs on commercial vehicles and rolling stock (where covered by PSSR rather than a parallel regulatory regime).

The 250 bar-litre threshold is the most-cited exemption — a small compressor under that level may not require a full Written Scheme of Examination, but it still requires a documented assessment under Regulation 5. If you're unsure whether a specific system is in scope, send us the equipment details and we'll confirm in writing before any work is quoted.

What a PSSR examination involves

A compliant PSSR engagement follows the structure set out in the Regulations and HSE L122:

1. System identification and Regulation 5 assessment. Every pressure system in scope is identified — vessel data plates noted, system layouts mapped, operating conditions recorded. This is the basis for any new or revised WSE.
2. Written Scheme of Examination drafting or review under Regulation 8. The WSE must be drawn up by a competent person, covering every part of the system whose failure could cause danger. Where a WSE already exists it is reviewed for accuracy and completeness; where it doesn't, it is drafted from the system survey.
3. Thorough examination under Regulation 9. A competent person carries out the examination in accordance with the WSE — both internal and external examination as the scheme requires, including safety valves, gauges, pipework, and any safeguards.
4. Report and certification. The competent person issues a written report covering the condition of the parts examined, any defects found, the remedial action required, and the date of the next examination. The report is the legally retained record under Regulation 9.
5. Follow-up and re-examination. Where defects require remedial work the system is re-examined after repair to confirm safe return to service. If the work materially changes the system, the WSE is updated under Regulation 8.

For the examination to satisfy PSSR, the competent person carrying out the WSE and the examination must be independent of the routine maintenance of the equipment. We provide that independence — we don't sell maintenance contracts and don't have a commercial reason to overlook defects in equipment a sister company services. That independence is the structural reason an independent inspection body exists at all.

Who needs a PSSR examination?

Pressure systems requiring PSSR examination appear across a wide range of industries. If your site uses compressed air, steam, hot water above 0.5 bar, sterilisation, or any pressurised process equipment, PSSR Regulation 8 likely applies. Common environments include:

• Manufacturing and engineering workshops — compressed air systems feeding pneumatic tooling, paint booths, or test rigs.
• Garages, MOT centres, and HGV workshops — air receivers feeding tyre guns, impact wrenches, and pneumatic equipment.
• Hospitality venues — commercial coffee machines, espresso boilers, and catering steam ovens are commonly-overlooked pressure systems that fall under PSSR.
• Food and beverage production — bottling-line air receivers, steam plant, and process vessels.
• Healthcare and laboratory settings — autoclaves and sterilisers used for instrument processing.
• Pharmaceutical, chemical, and process operations — pressurised reactors, process vessels, and heat exchangers.
• Care homes, schools, and large public buildings — steam and hot water plant for catering and laundry.

The list isn't exhaustive — any system above 250 bar-litres (volume × pressure) operating in a workplace is likely in scope. If your equipment fits the description and either doesn't have a WSE or hasn't been examined inside the interval its WSE specifies, you're likely already in breach. Get in touch if you'd like a site visit to scope what PSSR applies to.

Why an independent competent person matters

PSSR Regulation 8(1) requires the WSE to be drawn up "by a competent person." Regulation 9(1) requires the examination to be carried out "by a competent person." HSE L122 makes clear that the same competent person should not be carrying out routine maintenance on the equipment they're examining. The reason is structural: a contractor who services your compressor every quarter has a commercial incentive to sign off the equipment they service. An independent surveyor doesn't.

Many sites only realise this after an HSE inspection notices that the "inspection" was signed by the maintenance company itself. The result is usually an Improvement Notice and an order to commission an independent examination. We see that pattern often — the easier route is to use an independent competent person from the outset.

Our Engineer Surveyors are independent of any maintenance company. We don't supply replacement valves, gauges, or compressor parts. Our only commercial outcome is the report itself — which means our incentive is to identify defects accurately, not to overlook them.

How much does a PSSR inspection cost?

PSSR inspection cost depends on the same factors that drive LOLER pricing — equipment type and complexity, item count, site access, travel, scheduling, and whether the visit bundles with LOLER, PUWER, or LEV examinations. Our LOLER inspection cost guide covers PSSR factors alongside the LOLER ones in detail — particularly relevant if you're bundling. For site-specific quotes, the form at the bottom of this page goes straight to us.

Examination frequency

Unlike LOLER, PSSR does not specify a fixed examination interval in the regulations themselves. The interval is set by the Written Scheme of Examination, based on the risk and operating conditions of each part of the system. Typical intervals fall into three brackets:

The WSE is the authoritative document — the intervals above are typical, not legal defaults. If a current WSE specifies a different interval, that is the legally binding period. If a WSE is missing or out of date, the safest position is to assume the shortest of the typical intervals until a competent person has drafted or reviewed the scheme.

PSSR by sector

Pressure systems show up across most sectors but the compliance pattern varies by industry. Sector-specific considerations:

• Hotels & hospitality — café and espresso machine boilers (the gotcha most operators miss), steam ovens, laundry plant.
• Hospitals & healthcare — pathology autoclaves, sterilisers, pharmacy and anaesthesia compressed air systems.
• Warehousing & logistics — compressed air systems serving pneumatic tooling and packaging lines.
• Construction — site air compressors and pneumatic-tool air receivers.
• Facilities management — multi-site PSSR coordination alongside LOLER and PUWER.