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Engineering Safety Frequently Asked Questions

Q12. What is the relevant legislation, and where can it be found, for the NZ certification of small refillable pressure vessels for sale and use in NZ?
A12.

If these vessels conform to the definition 'compressed gas container' in the Hazardous Substances (Compressed Gases) Regulations 2004 then these regulations are the applicable legislation and vessels must be certified by test certifiers. Test certifiers and detailed information on the regulations and NZ certification requirements can be found on the following website:

Environmental Protection Authority - Hazardous Substances

If these vessels fall outside the scope of the above regulations but conform to the definition of a pressure vessel in the Health and Safety in Employment (Pressure Equipment, Cranes, and Passenger Ropeways) Regulations 1999 then they must be certified by an inspection body recognised under these latter regulations.

A list of inspection bodies and detailed information on the NZ certification of vessels covered by this legislation may be found on this Engineering Safety website by selecting 'Inspection Bodies' or 'Documentation' from the menu at the left.
Q11. Is CE marked pressure equipment of overseas manufacture acceptable in New Zealand?
A11. Please refer to the article entitled CE Marking of Pressure Equipment.
Q10. What should be included in the scope of an inspection for a certificate of inspection under the PECPR Regulations, and must the whole surrounding installation be finished before inspection?
A10. Please refer to the article entitled Scope of Inspection.
Q9. Does a lifting beam need design verification and inspection under the PECPR Regulations?
A9. According to Schedule 1 of the PECPR Regulations a crane includes all parts down to and including the hook or other load-handling device, but it does not include lifting gear that is not an integral part of the crane.
If a lifting beam is attached to the crane in place of the hook it requires design verification and inspection as an integral part of the crane.
If a lifting beam is suspended from the hook it does not require design verification or inspection under the PECPR Regulations. In such a case, the Approved Code of Practice for Load-Lifting Rigging (clause 5.6) should be consulted.
Q8. What is a competent person?
A8. AS/NZS 1200:2000 Pressure equipment defines a competent person as "a person who has acquired through training, qualification, or experience, or a combination of these, the knowledge and skills enabling that person to perform the task required." Engineering Safety accepts this definition.
Q7. Are recognised inspection bodies able to perform inspection duties in other countries?
A7.

Yes. An inspection body can send personnel to another country, or engage suitable persons in another country, to perform work under its PECPR Regulations recognition. The person or persons so employed or engaged must work fully under the body's accreditation, following the approved procedures of the recognised body, and all documents must clearly relate to the inspection body.

If an inspection body opens a satellite office in another country intending that it issue its own documentation and operate autonomously or semi-autonomously, the satellite office must independently seek recognition as if it were a separate organisation with its headquarters in that country.
Q6. Who are the approved inspection bodies?
A6. You can see the full list of inspection bodies on this web site, at any time, directly from the 'Inspection' button on the left.
Q5. What equipment is not covered by the PECPR Regulations?
A5.

The following three classes of equipment are not subject, either fully or partly as the case may be, to the regulations:

a) Equipment which does not come within the scope of the term 'equipment' as specified in regulation 4 (fully not subject); and

b) Equipment excluded from the regulations by schedule 2 of the regulations (fully not subject); and

c) Equipment which has been specially exempted from the regulations by the Secretary (fully or partially not subject, and possibly subject to conditions). Either consult Engineering Safety to determine if particular equipment may be affected by such an exemption, or look under Gazetted Exemptions (under the Documentation button on the left).

Also controllers, designers, manufacturers, or suppliers of certain kinds of equipment may be specially exempted by the Secretary from a duty imposed by the regulations (possibly subject to conditions). The situation with respect to any controller, designer, manufacturer, or supplier can be ascertained by consulting Engineering Safety.
Q4. What is a boiler exemption?
A4. Boiler exemptions are no longer required. Despite the introduction of the PECPR Regulations in 1999, certain parts of the Boilers, Lifts and Cranes Act 1950 remained effective. Because of this, it was necessary in order to operate a boiler in unattended or limited-attendance mode to be issued with an exemption from section 37(3) of the Act. The Boilers, Lifts, and Cranes Act was repealed on 16 January 2006, and as a consequence these exemptions are no longer issued.
Q3. What standards should be used for pressure equipment?
A3. AS/NZS 1200 Pressure equipment provides a starting point for the selection of principal standards, and this should be supplemented by reference to the appropriate Approved Code of Practice. Design and manufacture can be carried out to one of a number of standards - see figure G1 in Appendix G of AS/NZS 1200. Operation and maintenance, and in-service inspection should mainly follow AS 3873 Pressure equipment - Operation and maintenance and AS/NZS 3788 Pressure equipment - In-service inspection respectively. Hazard levels are assessed from AS 4343 Pressure equipment - Hazard levels.
Q2. What constitutes a crane from the PECPR Regulations perspective?
A2. Any device which is capable of mechanically moving a load vertically and in at least one horizontal direction under power (not manual or animal power) is considered a crane. This includes mobile plant such as excavators and telehandlers configured for use as a crane (lifting and/or carrying a suspended load) where this operation is not directly associated with the primary function of the machine. For example, an excavator placing pipes in a trench it is excavating is not considered to be a crane. The same excavator being used to transfer pipes from a truck to a stockpile may be considered to be a crane if this work could alternatively be performed by a crane. The code of practice allows a reduced inspection regime for monorails, pillar and jib cranes with a SWL of 1 tonne or less.
Q1. Are Approved Codes of Practice mandatory?
A1. Approved Codes of Practice are not mandatory but adherence to such a code may be taken into consideration by a court in determining compliance with a provision of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 [or the Health and Safety in Employment (Pressure Equipment, Cranes, and Passenger Ropeways) Regulations 1999]. In other words, following a code can demonstrate adherence to best practice.