The owner or holder of pressure equipment shall compile the main documentation of the pressure equipment in a pressure equipment book

Finspection | syys 16, 2024 | Articles

The Pressure Equipment Act 1144/2016 obliges the owner to maintain, use and inspect pressure equipment subject to registration so that it does not endanger anyone’s health, safety and property. The owner or holder is obliged to order the first periodic inspection of the pressure equipment  when the registration limit is exceeded. At the first periodic inspection,  the operation supervisor and deputy supervisor of the pressure equipment are appointed.

The owner or holder of pressure equipment shall compile the main documentation of the pressure equipment in a pressure equipment book.

“The owner or holder shall keep the pressure equipment records of registered pressure equipment until the pressure equipment is notified to the surveillance authority as deleted from the register. When pressure equipment is handed over, the pressure equipment file shall be handed over to the new owner or holder.” The pressure equipment book is normally compiled during the first periodic inspection of the pressure equipment, unless it has been compiled by the pressure equipment manufacturer.

Nowadays, pressure equipment is often delivered only with electronic material, and the material may not be printed in its entirety in the contents of a pressure equipment book or folder due to the large number of pages. Pressure equipment manuals are no longer compiled in the literal sense of a book. For new devices, documents are physically compiled in a folder because there are so many of them in quantity. However, the pressure equipment folder fulfils the legal requirement for a pressure equipment book.

In connection with the first periodic inspection of pressure equipment, Finspection may deliver a pressure equipment binder that fulfils the legal requirement to the owner or holder of the pressure equipment. If desired, we can also deliver the binders to pressure equipment manufacturers in connection with the conformity assessment. For example, key documents can be printed clearly in their own tabs in the binder, and they can be found quickly when needed. Documents during production and in-service are clearly on their own tabs. In the future, all pressure equipment inspections, i.e. periodic inspections and their certificates, must be documented in the pressure equipment folder. The pressure equipment inspector shall record a separate sequence number for each periodic inspection in the catalogue of the pressure equipment book. The order number of the inspection must also be found on the inspection certificate.

Finspection also offers electronic archiving through the Finspection App. In connection with the pressure equipment inspection, the inspector may be asked to open customer IDs for the operation supervisor or contact person. This gives the customer access to our system and makes it easy to find all inspection certificates related to pressure equipment. Older inspection certificates and material during manufacture can also be saved in the Finspection App. In this way, it can be ensured that the documents and material are not lost, even if for some reason the owner or holder cannot find the physical pressure equipment book or digital material itself.

This also speeds up the performance of the periodic inspection of the pressure equipment itself, as the inspector has direct access to the inspection documents of the equipment without the need for a physical pressure equipment book. Preparatory measures can be carried out more efficiently in cooperation with the client when both have up-to-date documents available.

Finspection App is a comprehensive real-time reporting system for conducting and managing inspections. At the same time, we offer the customer many features that make work easier, such as electronic archiving and reminders of due dates for inspections. Once all of the customer’s pressure equipment has been entered into the App, its inspections and maturities can be managed comprehensively and efficiently.

Order pressure equipment inspections and welding qualifications from a Finnish inspection body!

Is a digital pressure equipment book enough? – Yes, it is!

This was discussed at the Cooperation Meeting of Approved Inspection Bodies in September 2024. At the meeting, it was noted that the policy already made earlier in the Pressure Equipment Division is functional and will continue to apply:

The owner or holder shall compile the main documents relating to the approval and verification of pressure equipment in a uniform format in a pressure equipment book. The owner or holder must keep and maintain the pressure equipment book until the pressure equipment is notified to Tukes for removal from the pressure equipment register (see Pressure Equipment Act 1144/2016, Section 69).

The pressure equipment book may be compiled and maintained in a digital form provided that the owner or holder has the IT capability and capacity to do so. In doing so, the following information technology requirements shall be taken into account, among others, bearing in mind the planned period of use for pressure equipment is normally at least 20 years:

• Stability and usability of digital documents in the Pressure Equipment Book
• availability of IT equipment for reading or printing digital documents
• the need for backups and their maintenance
• security-related protections and their maintenance.

Note! Recommendation regarding the documents to be acquired with the registered pressure equipment. See the Pressure Equipment Guide on Tukes’ website: Painelaitteiden suunnittelu, valmistus ja vaatimustenmukaisuuden arviointi, section 5.10.

Other equipment related to the pressure equipment must also be considered (e.g., piping, accessories).

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