PSSR (regulatory pressure testing)
The lowdown:
If you own or operate an espresso machine you are likely to fall under the PSSR regulations which require you to have your machine’s boiler safety checked before first use and then at least annually by a competent person in accordance with a Written Scheme of Examination (WSE). This isn’t optional; it’s the law. Even a brand new machine needs to have a WSE in place.
The details:
Your espresso machine has within it a boiler made of copper or stainless steel which heats water to between 110 and 125 degrees centigrade to produce steam. The steam is contained, under pressure, in the boiler until it is released for frothing milk or as boiling water from your machine’s water tap.
What this all means is that your espresso machine is a “pressure system” and so falls within the Pressure System Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR). The aim of PSSR is “to prevent serious injury from the hazard of stored energy as a result of the failure of a pressure system or one of its component parts”. The regulations aim to ensure that a coffee machine’s boiler can’t explode as a result of damage or a flaw in in the boiler itself or its related components. Do coffee machines really explode? Yep. An Elektra machine installed in a branch of Sainsbury’s, did in 2010, injuring several people, and we’ve recently seen pretty crazy pictures of a recent explosion that mercifully didn't injure anyone, that shot crockery across the room it was in. The thing is, it’s so easy to avoid problems like this, and regular inspection can prevent a lot of problems down the line.
It is the responsibility of Local Authorities and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to enforce the PSSR regulations. Local Authority officers can pay you a visit to check that you hold a current Inspection Certificate. Currently, they charge £154 per hour for any intervention and enforcement they need to make, including writing letters. Failure to hold a PSSR Certificate of Inspection is also likely to invalidate your insurance. It is the legal responsibility of the machine’s owner/operator to ensure that an inspection is carried out and documentation kept. You are breaking the law if this isn’t done, so it’s definitely worth getting it all sorted out!
We can inspect your boiler and provide you with a certificate in conjunction with Coffee Safe that demonstrates you are complying with the law, and keeping everyone safe. Please don’t think we’re trying to find fault- we want to help keep the coffee flowing! We’ve been in your shoes as coffee shop owners, and are very aware that these things can seem like a massive pain- so we’ll do our absolute best to work around your busy times, to minimise disruption as much as we possibly can. In the event of any issue that might be found, we’ll work with you to fix the problems & keep you serving the good stuff!