If you own or use a coffee machine that falls in scope of the Pressure System Safety Regulations 2000 you have a legal duty to ensure the coffee machine is compliant. The regulations state that the primary duty holders for compliance are the users and owners of the pressure system (coffee machine).
User - The term User refers to the employer or self-employed person who has control of the operation of the coffee machine.
Owner - This is normally the person who owns the coffee machine, this could be the user, leaser, person or organisation who hires the coffee machine.
Primary duty holders (Users and/or Owners) of coffee machines have a legal duty to ensure the machines are operated safely, serviced and maintained and examined at set frequencies in accordance with a Written Scheme of Examination which begins prior to first use. Records of all activites must be kept.
The aim of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 is to prevent serious injury from the hazard of stored energy (pressure) as a result of the failure of a pressure system or one of its component parts.
The Primary Duty Holders Responsibilities
The primary duty holder is responsible for ensuring the safety of their coffee machine at all times and should be aware of the dangers if the equipment is not installed, operated, maintained and examined appropriately. Any failings could cause:
- serious or fatal injury
- non-compliance
- damage to property
The primary duty holder must ensure that all persons carrying out all work activities on the coffee machine like the tasks listed below are competent to do so:
- designers
- installers
- maintenance and repair
- examinations and testing
The primary duty holder must also provide adequate training and instruction to:
- operators of the coffee machine
- others who may use, clean or work within the area of the coffee machines operation
Records must be kept of documents relating to the purchase, installation, maintenance, repair, operations and examinations.
These documents must be retrievable for inspection by the relevant enforcing authority, where the coffee machine is sited and must include:
- installation/commissioning documentation
- maintenance reports and manuals
- test certificates and certificates of Conformity for CE or UKCA marking
- a current scheme of examination
- examination reports
- record of the safe operating limit
- service documents
- operators training log
If the coffee machine is leased or hired, we suggest that a written agreement is in place so that areas of responsibility are clearly established from the onset.
The requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSW Act) and the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (the Regulations) combined with the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) provide a package aimed to ensure the safety of a pressure system.
The primary duty holder should follow the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) guidance in the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP Safety of Pressure Systems L122).