Visit from HSE - how to get compressor tested?

[Tiggy_dorset]

Sooo.....Yesterday at work we had a random HSE guy walk to perform a random unannouced inspection. To cut the story short, he went away reasonably content with recommendations for guards on the bench grinders and a couple very minor points. One thing he requested though, was for our compressor to be safety checked.

My boss so far has a quote from a private company in the region of £450

Has anybody any experience of one of these compressor safety checks to make HSE happy? Can anybody recommend a method of having it officially checked, or know of someone who can do it for us (in the South) for a good rate?

Thanks for any help.

 

[Hitch]

I would guess a case of visual inspection and a hydrostatic test....?

 

[Seano]

We use Harrier Pneumatics in Saltash Tiggy, I realise they aren't on your doorstep, but they do give an excellent service.

Sean.

 

[ford34/2]

safety checks

going back a canny few year when I had my own Ingersol Rand at my employers, as I used his workshop to spray cars, Our check was the insurance company, the boss used them for I guess public and employee liability, any ways he clocks the compressor, asks for the inspection hole to be removed on the receiver- shone his torch in, said is was not rusted, wrote something or other out and gave it to my Boss. He wasnt HSE though.He Went through the wood shop machine shop and anywhere and everywhere.sorry not a lot of help, maybe a compressor supply company? can do a check and issue something.
Stan
Guards and rusty internals of the receiver would be my suspicions

 

[tigler]

Contact a local compressor dealer and they will be able to either do the test or provide contact details of a company that can. It can be done on site and shouldn't cost more than £100.

 

[FranV8]

Pressure systems regs. My guess is internal visual inspection within 14 months by insurance inspector.

 

[500e]

When we had garages the insurance Co sent a man to do the tests as ford34 said he wanted inspection cover off shone torch muttered & left form, I think the inspection Co was Vulcan (ask for Spock)

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

Appreciate all the input guys, some good suggestions there. I will chat to my boss today and let him take it from here. Will let you know how he gets on.

Cheers.

 

[RBDIVE]

Tiggy,
I would ask at one of the local dive shops as they will send cylinders for visual and hydro testing close by, no point me telling my local test house up here in nottingham as its to far

 

[Shox Dr]

I was under the impression if you had business insurance it was a condition of that insurance air cylinders, ramps, lifting gear etc etc, had to be tested.

The insurance Co doesn't pay for these test the business does.

No test certs = No insurance

No insurance = No trading

 

[madkayaker]

Any pressure reciver that excised 4Bar/L should be inspected by a compitant type person annually I think. At work we used to have Zurich come round but we now have royal sun alliance do it. Local compresser dealers will know a local person. They have a look inside, ultra sonic the thickness, check operation of relief valve and check accuracy of the pressure gauge they will also help write the written scheme detailing how you are complying with the regs

 

[Robotstar5]

As above, it's a condition of our insurance, same as lifting equipment.

 

[madkayaker]

Try having static hydraulics with nitrogen accumulators and safety valves at 200Bar if you want head ache!

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

I don't know how my Boss deals with the insurance regarding testing each year. I fancy asking him that one.

From the quotes he has been given so far, he is now toying with the idea of buying a brand spanka. Apparently new compressors don't need to be tested for 2 years, so he is thinking about the option of selling and replacing with a new one every 2 years.

We use a 200litre belt driven 3ph.

 

[madkayaker]

Not sure on that as we had to have a new one inspected before we powered it and that was a brand new with conformity to CE certificate. It is a 275L one. There would still need to be a written scheme etc.

 

[Dev]

It's possibly in the fine print and if it blew up the first thing the insurance company would ask for was the last test cert. When they discover it'd never been tested theyd refuse to pay out.

 

[madkayaker]

Have just checked the figure for inspection and it's 250Bar/L not the 7 I though it was

 

[rtbcomp]

To be pedantic , it's bar-litres, not bar/litre. You can have 250 litres at 1 bar, 1 litre at 250 bar, 25 litres at 10 bar and so on.

 

[Engineer1964]

Contact a local compressor dealer and they will be able to either do the test or provide contact details of a company that can. It can be done on site and shouldn't cost more than £100.

Spot on, I got a service done with a local compressor company and i asked them for a safety certificate which they gave me for free, after carrying out a service, so that may be the cheapest route and all for the sake of a few filters and a bit of oil, like you said, shouldn't cost much, £100 is pretty ballpark figure