PSSR 2000 · Pressure systems

Coffee machine boiler examination under PSSR

Independent examination of your coffee machine boiler under a Written Scheme of Examination, by a competent person under PSSR.

The boiler inside a commercial espresso machine holds water at boiling point under pressure, and most cafes have no idea it is a pressure system the law treats like any other. PSSR puts it on a written scheme, and a competent examination is what keeps the steam where it belongs.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
Written schemeExamined to a certified written scheme of examination
Strip downThe machine opened so the boiler can be examined inside and out
Safety valve testedPressure-tested so it lifts at the set pressure
Certified reportA written report of examination, within 28 days
Pressure equipment we examine

Why your coffee machine boiler needs PSSR examination

A commercial coffee machine, traditional or bean-to-cup, heats water in an enclosed boiler to make steam for milk and hot water for the cup, typically at a little over one bar with the water at boiling point. That enclosed boiler is a pressure vessel, and a worn or seized excess-pressure valve is what stands between normal service and the boiler failing, which is why a well known supermarket cafe machine once injured several people.

Because the boiler generates steam it is a pressure system under PSSR, and a written scheme of examination is a statutory requirement, with the examination commonly due once a machine is older than around fourteen months. The duty falls on the owner or employer, and skipping it can also invalidate your insurance and warranty. We examine the boiler and its safety valve and report independently of whoever services the machine.

Boiler vessel
Internal surfaces
Excess-pressure valve
Heating element seal
Pressure gauge
Steam and water valves
Pipework connections
Safe working pressure
How it works

How we examine your coffee machine boiler

A competent engineer strips the machine down to reach the boiler, drains it and removes the heating element so the vessel can be examined inside and out for scale, corrosion and wear. The excess-pressure valve is pressure-tested so it lifts at the set pressure, the gauge is checked, the machine is reassembled with a new element seal, and a full-pressure functional test confirms it is safe.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us the machine make and model and where it is, and whether a written scheme is already in place.

  • 2

    On-site examination

    A competent engineer strips the machine down, examines the boiler inside and out and pressure-tests the safety valve, to the scheme.

  • 3

    Your report

    You receive a written report of examination, any defects and timescales set out, within the statutory window.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent and impartial: we examine the boiler, we do not sell you the machine
  • Engineers used to commercial coffee equipment and the PSSR duty on it
  • The machine stripped down so the boiler is examined inside and out, not guessed at
  • Certified reports issued promptly, the next examination date flagged
What we examine

Coffee machine boiler: what a thorough examination covers

Boiler vessel inside and out

The pressure boiler examined internally and externally for corrosion, scale and wear, the vessel that holds the steam and that no one sees while the machine is in service.

Excess-pressure valve

The excess-pressure or safety valve pressure-tested so it lifts at the set pressure, because a valve furred up or seized is exactly what let an espresso boiler fail and injure people.

Limescale and scale

The internal surfaces checked for the limescale that hard water leaves, which insulates the metal, drives hot spots and shortens the life of the boiler.

Heating element and seal

The heating element and its gasket, drained and checked, and the seal renewed on reassembly so the vessel is sound and leak-free.

Steam and hot-water valves

The steam and hot-water take-off valves and connections checked for condition and security, where the pressurised steam and water leave the boiler.

Safe working pressure

The set pressure and the machine's safe working pressure confirmed, so the boiler is run within the limits the examination is built around.

Scheme and certification

How it works, and what you receive

A commercial coffee machine boiler that generates steam is a pressure system under PSSR, so under Regulation 8 it must have a written scheme of examination, drawn up or certified by a competent person, before it is used. In practice it is commonly examined once the machine is older than around fourteen months and at the intervals the scheme then sets. After each examination you receive a written report on the condition of the boiler and its safety valve, with any actions and timescales, issued within twenty-eight days.

Step oneA Written Scheme of Examination, certified before use
To schemeExamined to the intervals the scheme sets
28 daysA written report, issued within the statutory window
IndependentWe examine it, we do not supply it

You receive a report on the condition of the system and its safety devices, with any actions and timescales set out clearly.

Full statutory cover

Part of our full PSSR inspection service

Coffee machine boiler is one of the many kinds of equipment we cover. We inspect the full range, across every sector, as an independent provider, one item or a whole site, anywhere in the UK.

See our full PSSR inspection service
Other services

Other statutory inspections we carry out

Many sites run more than one regime. We can examine all of it, under one independent provider.

LOLER inspectionThorough examination and certification of lifting equipment and accessories. PUWER inspectionInspection of work equipment against the five PUWER duties, with a written record. LEV testingLEV thorough examination and test of your extraction systems.
PSSR FAQs

Coffee machine boiler examination: common questions

Does a commercial coffee machine need a PSSR examination?
Yes, where it has an enclosed boiler that generates steam, which covers most traditional and bean-to-cup machines in commercial use. The boiler is a pressure system, so it must not be used without a written scheme of examination. You can read the duty in the HSE guidance on the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations.
Do I need a written scheme of examination, or a certificate?
A written scheme. Regulation 8 requires a written scheme of examination, drawn up or certified by a competent person, before the machine is used, and the examination produces a certified written report. Our guide to PSSR explains the scheme and what it must contain.
Does a small espresso machine really count?
If it has a boiler that makes steam, yes. Size is not the point: the boiler holds water at boiling point under pressure, and the stored energy is enough to injure people if the vessel or its safety valve fails. The duty is the same as for any pressure system in scope.
How often does the coffee machine boiler need examining?
To the intervals the written scheme sets, commonly once the machine is older than around fourteen months from new and then on a regular cycle. The competent person sets and reviews the interval on the machine and its use.
What does the examination involve?
The machine is stripped down to the boiler, which is drained and opened so the vessel can be examined inside and out, the excess-pressure valve is pressure-tested, the element seal is renewed on reassembly, and a full-pressure functional test confirms the machine is safe before it goes back into service.
Will skipping it affect my insurance?
It can. Operating a coffee machine boiler in scope without a written scheme and examination is a breach of the regulations, and insurers and manufacturers commonly treat a missing examination as grounds to decline a claim or void a warranty. Keeping the examination current protects both.
Who is competent to examine it?
A competent person with the training, skills, experience and knowledge for the equipment, independent of its day-to-day operation. Our engineers examine commercial coffee machine boilers and report to the written scheme.
Do you examine coffee machine boilers across the UK?
Yes. Our engineers travel to cafes, restaurants, offices and venues nationwide and work around your opening hours. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit for one machine or a fleet.

Is your coffee machine boiler due an examination?

Talk to an engineer surveyor, get a quote and book your inspection anywhere in the UK.

0330 043 8191 Request a quote