PSSR 2000 · Pressure systems

Steam Iron and Boiler Thorough Examination

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

The little boiler feeding a laundry's steam irons looks too small to be a pressure system, and the law disagrees the moment it makes steam. We carry out PSSR examination and certification of steam iron boilers and garment pressing systems, because steam brings PSSR in at any pressure at all.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
Any pressureSteam is a relevant fluid under PSSR whatever the gauge reads
Written schemeThe boiler and its steam side are examined under a Reg 8 scheme
Often missedSmall steam generators are routinely overlooked until an inspector asks
28 daysThe report of examination follows within the statutory period
Pressure equipment we examine

Why your steam iron boiler needs PSSR examination

Commercial laundries, dry cleaners, garment factories and hotels run steam generators feeding irons, finishing presses, tunnels and steam tables. The boilers are small, sometimes little more than a wall mounted unit, and that is exactly why they slip through compliance: they do not look like the industrial steam plant people associate with PSSR, so they never get scheduled for examination.

The Regulations do not care about size. Steam is a relevant fluid under PSSR at any pressure, so a bench top steam generator raising a few bar is a pressure system with a written scheme of examination just as a factory boiler is. The examination covers the boiler shell, the sight glass and gauges, the safety valve, the feed and blowdown arrangements and the steam distribution to the irons and presses, because a small vessel failing at low pressure still scalds badly.

Steam iron boilers
Garment finishing boilers
Ironing table generators
Steam presses and tunnels
Safety valves
Sight glasses and gauges
Feed and blowdown fittings
Steam distribution pipework
How it works

How we examine your steam iron boiler

Working to the written scheme, our competent person examines the boiler shell and its fittings, the sight glass and pressure gauge, the safety valve condition and setting, the feed and blowdown arrangements, the water level controls, and the steam distribution to the irons and presses, then certifies the system, treating a small steam boiler with the seriousness steam warrants.

  • 1

    Find the boiler nobody scheduled

    Small steam generators are the ones that fall off the list. We confirm what raises steam on site and bring it into scope.

  • 2

    Examine the steam side properly

    Shell, safety valve, gauges and controls are examined to the scheme, because low pressure steam still fails and still scalds.

  • 3

    Certify within 28 days

    The report of examination states condition, actions and the next date, issued inside the statutory period and filed in your SEIS portal.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • The small steam boilers other schedules miss, brought into compliance
  • Steam treated as the any pressure relevant fluid the law makes it
  • Boiler, safety valve and controls examined, not just ticked
  • Certificates and due dates managed through the SEIS client portal
What we examine

Steam iron boiler: what a thorough examination covers

Safety valve

On a small boiler the safety valve is the whole overpressure defence. Its condition, freedom and set pressure are examined as the priority of the visit.

Sight glass and level

Low water on a steam boiler risks overheating and worse. The sight glass, level controls and their isolation are examined for reliable indication.

Boiler shell and fittings

Scale, corrosion and thinning shorten a small shell's life quietly. The shell, welds and threaded fittings are examined for the wear low maintenance hides.

Feed and blowdown

Feedwater quality and blowdown discipline decide how fast a boiler scales and corrodes. The arrangements and their condition are part of the examination.

Steam distribution

The pipework and hoses to irons and presses carry hot steam past people all shift. Lines, joints and flexible connections are examined for integrity.

The unscheduled unit

The commonest defect is a boiler with no scheme and no history at all. Bringing it into a written scheme is the single most valuable outcome of the visit.

Scheme and certification

How it works, and what you receive

Every steam iron boiler and garment pressing system is certified with a report of examination under PSSR, drawn up against its written scheme and issued within 28 days. It records the condition of the boiler, safety valve, controls and steam distribution, any repairs or limits, and the next examination date. Where imminent danger is found the boiler is taken out of use at once. Certificates are held in your SEIS client portal, ready for the inspection that finds the boiler nobody had listed.

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

Steam iron 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

Steam iron boiler examination: common questions

Does a small steam iron boiler really need a PSSR examination?
Yes. Steam is a relevant fluid under PSSR 2000 at any pressure, so even a small steam generator feeding irons or a press is a pressure system requiring a written scheme of examination and certification.
Ours only runs at a couple of bar, surely that is too low?
Pressure alone does not decide it; the fluid does. Because the fluid is steam, PSSR applies whatever the gauge reads, and a low pressure steam boiler can still fail and scald severely.
Why do these boilers get missed so often?
Because they do not look like industrial steam plant. A wall mounted generator feeding a laundry's irons is easy to overlook, and the commonest thing we find is a unit with no written scheme and no examination history at all.
What does the examination cover?
The boiler shell and fittings, the safety valve and its setting, the sight glass and level controls, the feed and blowdown arrangements, and the steam distribution to the irons and presses, all against the written scheme.
Do we need a written scheme for something this small?
Yes, a written scheme is required regardless of size, and we can help put one in place if the boiler has never had one. The scheme sets out what is examined and how often.
Is this the same as servicing the ironing equipment?
No. Servicing keeps the irons working. The PSSR examination is a statutory judgement of the boiler's integrity ending in a certificate, and it is a separate legal duty from maintenance.
Where are the requirements set out?
In the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000, with the written scheme duty in Regulation 8. HSE guidance on pressure systems covers the framework, and our PSSR regulations guide explains the scheme, examination and report.
How do I book a steam iron boiler examination?
Call 0330 043 8191 or use the contact form. Laundries and factories often run larger steam plant too, and our steam boiler thorough examination covers those in the same visit.

Is your steam iron 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