Use of pressurised devices

Pressurised devices refer to a broad category of pressure vessels, vacuum vessels, piping and tanks. Pressurised devices can be found in many workplaces, even though you may not have noticed them.

What is a pressurised device?

Pressurised devices comprise pressure vessels, vacuum vessels, piping and tanks. What they have in common is that they are exposed to pressure. If a pressure device with an internal overpressure or underpressure ruptures, people in the vicinity may be injured.

Examples of common pressurised devices:

  • air tanks for compressed air compressors
  • boiling pans in restaurants and catering establishments
  • gas systems in hospitals and workshops
  • hydraulic accumulators
  • boilers
  • pipelines for steam
  • process vessels in industry
  • industrial evaporation plants
  • refrigeration machines
  • tanks for storing chemicals or district heating water

What are the risks with pressurised devices?

A pressurised device that is used incorrectly, or is in poor condition, can fail, causing serious consequences. Therefore, as an employer, you need to prevent breakdowns that could lead to injuries by ensuring that pressurised equipment is in good condition.

Staff who work with pressurised devices, or work in their vicinity, should be aware of the risks involved. Only use a pressurised device for its intended use. This applies, among other things, to what it may contain and to what pressure and temperature it is exposed.

Assess the risks with pressurised devices

Risk assessments should be a natural part of your systematic work environment management as an employer. Perform risk assessments for all pressurised devices in the workplace, both existing ones and those newly acquired, before putting them into use.

A risk assessment can cover individual objects, or several if this is more appropriate. How extensive a risk assessment needs to be varies considerably. For instance, a risk assessment for a small air tank in a workshop is very different from a risk assessment at a larger facility with large tanks.

How to address the risks

Create a good basis for safe work by using your risk assessment when determining the inspection and maintenance of pressurised equipment. Well-functioning, continuous monitoring makes it easy to detect small discrepancies as early as possible, because even small discrepancies can eventually lead to failure.

Ongoing supervision

All pressurised devices must have continuous monitoring. Investigating the function of a pressurised device is important for discovering any change that could lead to failure as early as possible. The changes could be anything from abnormal noises or odours to small leaks.

Adjust your continuous monitoring according to the risk assessment

It is important that the frequency of monitoring is adjusted to the results of the risk assessment. For example, this means that if release of the contents could cause great damage, then inspection must be done more often than if the contents were a small quantity of water. The same applies if people working nearby could be injured in the event of a leak.

Locate the device correctly and safely

It is important to place pressurised devices so that risks are minimised. For example, it should be easy to perform maintenance, but the device must be placed where it cannot be struck forcefully. The ambient temperature is also important. If your compressed air tank is to be located outdoors, it must be designed to withstand the temperatures it could experience during different seasons.

Prevent risks when filling or emptying a pressurised device

Filling or emptying a pressurised device can be dangerous. The hose must be securely fastened so it cannot come loose and cause damage or injuries. Close off the working area so that only those who are filling or emptying the pressurised device can access the area. They must be able to halt the work quickly if needed.

Get a better work environment through systematic work

As an employer, you must manage the work environment in a systematic way in order to improve it. Our provisions on systematic work environment management apply to all employers – regardless of the type of activities conducted or the risks that you and your employees may be exposed to.

The employer is responsible for any risks with pressurised devices.

As an employer, you are responsible for minimising risks with pressurised devices. You must be familiar with the Work Environment Act and other work environment regulations. The regulations regarding pressurised devices also apply to those who run a business without employees, alone or together with family members.

When several employers are working at the same permanent workplace, the employer in charge of the workplace must coordinate measures to protect against accidents and ill health. For certain work involving class A or B pressurised equipment, the employer must assign the task of planning and coordinating the work to a physical person.

Employees and safety representatives are important for a good work environment

Employees and safety representatives have an important role in work environment management. As an employer, you must give all employees the opportunity to participate in work environment management. For example, you can let employees suggest measures or provide feedback on measures you have implemented.

Employees' participation in work environment management

As an employee, you must participate in work environment management and participate in implementing the measures needed to achieve a good work environment. You must follow the employer's instructions. You must also report to your employer or your safety representative if the work involves immediate and serious danger to life or health.

Safety representatives contribute to safer work involving pressurised devices

As a safety representative, you represent your colleagues in work environment matters. You must therefore be given the opportunity to contribute to matters that concern the work environment and safety with pressurised devices. For example, it is important that you are given the opportunity to take part in risk assessments and in creating procedures and instructions for different working tasks.

If, as a safety representative, you discover deficiencies in work involving pressurised devices, you must take this up with your immediate superior in the first instance. If this is insufficient to correct the deficiencies, you can request that the Swedish Work Environment Authority take action. You are also entitled to stop dangerous work immediately if you believe that the work represents an immediate danger to life or health.

Safety representative and work environment representative

Stationary or mobile pressurised device

A stationary pressurised device means a device that has been permanently installed so that it cannot be moved by hand. In other words, tools would be necessary to release the device from its installation.

A mobile pressurised device is a device that can be easily moved, on wheels or similarly. It is not permanently installed; the installation is simple and no tools are needed to put the device into operation. Examples of such an installation include electrical connection via a plug or three-phase socket and a compressed air hose with quick coupling.

Last updated 2025-12-01