Pressure Systems

Unintentional releases of gas or fluid from pressure systems kill or severely wound approximately six workers ever year.  The Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 deal with the risks created by a release of stored energy should the system fail, and detail the measures that should be taken to prevent failures and reduce risks.

Pressure Systems include all plant/systems that contain a relevant fluid, defined as steam or gas under pressure and liquids under pressure which become gases upon release to the atmosphere, at a pressure greater than 0.5 bar (about 7psi) above atmospheric (except for steam).  Certain small vessels are exempt from some parts of the Regulations.  Where the relevant fluid is steam, all the regulations apply, irrespective of the vessel pressure.

Around the BBC there are heating, fuel transfer, compressed gas and hydraulic systems used in program production, studios, office and maintenance facilities.