PSSR 2000 · Pressure systems

Steam boiler examination under PSSR

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

A steam boiler turns water into steam by burning fuel against the metal that holds the pressure, and if the water level is ever lost the furnace overheats and the boiler can fail with enormous force. PSSR puts it on a written scheme and a competent examination, cold and under steam, for exactly that reason.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
Written schemeExamined to a certified written scheme of examination
Cold and workingAn internal examination shut down, and one under steam
Certified reportA written report of examination, within 28 days
Low waterThe hazard the controls and gauge glasses guard against
Pressure equipment we examine

Why your steam boiler needs PSSR examination

A steam boiler, most often a shell-and-tube design where the burner fires down a furnace tube and the gases return through the smoke tubes, holds a large volume of water under pressure and the energy in it is considerable. The defining danger is low water: if the level falls and the heated surfaces are no longer covered, the furnace overheats, the metal weakens and the boiler can fail catastrophically, which is why the water level controls and the gauge glasses are treated as critical.

A boiler holds steam, so it is a pressure system under PSSR at any pressure, and Regulation 8 requires a written scheme of examination before it is operated. The examination is normally in two parts: a cold, out-of-service examination with the boiler shut down and opened so the internal surfaces, tubes and furnace can be seen, and a working examination under steam where the safety valves, controls and gauges are tested in operation. We carry out both to the scheme and report independently.

Shell and tube plates
Furnace and flame tubes
Smoke tubes
Water level controls
Gauge glasses
Safety valves
Pressure gauge
Blowdown valve
How it works

How we examine your steam boiler

A competent engineer surveyor examines the boiler cold and working. Shut down and opened, the shell, tube plates, furnace and smoke tubes are examined for scale, corrosion, cracking and weld defects and for any sign of overheating. Under steam, the safety valves are tested so they lift at the set pressure, the water level controls and gauge glasses are checked, and the gauge is checked for accuracy.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us the boiler, its type and pressure, and whether a written scheme is already in place.

  • 2

    On-site examination

    A competent engineer surveyor examines the boiler cold and under steam, testing the controls, gauges and safety valves, 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 supply or service it
  • Competent engineer surveyors used to steam boiler plant and PSSR
  • Cold internal and working examinations, the full picture, not a walk-round
  • Certified reports issued promptly, the next examination date flagged
What we examine

Steam boiler: what a thorough examination covers

Furnace, tube plates and overheating

The furnace tube, tube plates and smoke tubes examined for the bulging, cracking and distortion that low water and overheating leave, the damage that precedes a boiler failure.

Water level controls

The level controls and probes that protect against low water, checked for damage, function and the integrity of their switching, because they are the boiler's first defence against its worst hazard.

Gauge glasses

The water gauge glasses checked for damage, wear and packing, and that they blow down correctly, so the operator can always read the true water level.

Safety valves

The safety valves tested so they lift at the set pressure and reseat, the relief that has to work when nothing else has.

Scale and corrosion

The internal surfaces examined for scale that causes hot spots and for the corrosion and debris that collect in the bottom and shorten a boiler's life.

Blowdown valve and mountings

The blowdown valve and the boiler mountings checked for condition, security and correct fitment, so the boiler can be operated and maintained safely between examinations.

Scheme and certification

How it works, and what you receive

A steam boiler 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 operated. The scheme normally calls for a cold, out-of-service internal examination and a working examination under steam, and a steam boiler is commonly examined around every fourteen months, though the scheme sets the intervals on the duty and condition. After each examination you receive a written report on the condition of the boiler and its safety devices, 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

Steam 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 boiler examination: common questions

Does a steam boiler need a PSSR examination?
Yes. A steam boiler holds steam and is a pressure system under PSSR at any pressure, so it must not be operated 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 boiler is operated, and the examination against it produces a certified written report. Our guide to PSSR explains the scheme and what it must contain.
Why are there two examinations, cold and working?
Because the two find different things. The cold, out-of-service examination opens the boiler so the internal surfaces, tubes and furnace can be examined directly for corrosion, scale and overheating, while the working examination under steam tests the safety valves, controls and gauges as they actually operate. The scheme sets when each is due.
How often should a steam boiler be examined?
To the intervals the written scheme sets. In practice a steam boiler is commonly examined around every fourteen months, with the cold and working examinations timed to suit the plant, but the competent person sets and reviews those intervals on the duty and condition.
What is the biggest hazard a steam boiler examination guards against?
Low water. If the water level falls below the heated surfaces the furnace overheats and the boiler can fail with great force, so the level controls, the gauge glasses and the safety valves are at the centre of the examination.
Who is competent to examine a steam boiler?
A competent person with the training, skills, experience and knowledge for boiler plant, independent of its day-to-day operation. Our engineer surveyors examine steam boilers regularly and report to the written scheme.
Is the boiler covered by PSSR or PUWER?
PSSR. A steam boiler is a pressure system, so it is examined under PSSR to its written scheme. It is still work equipment to be maintained under PUWER, but a PUWER inspection does not replace the PSSR examination of the boiler.
Do you examine steam boilers across the UK?
Yes. Our engineer surveyors travel to boiler houses and plant rooms nationwide and work around your shutdown so the cold examination can be done with the boiler off. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit.

Is your steam 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