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Federal Law on Product Safety
The Federal Law on Product Safety PrSG (SR 930.11) aims to ensure the safety of products placed on the market if not governed by other federal provisions.
It replaced the Federal Law concerning the Safety of Technical Installations and Equipment (STEG, SR 819.1) on 1 July 2010. PrSG also contains provisions concerning responsibilities after placement on the market and covers non-technical products as well.
Details regarding enforcement are set forth in the accompanying Product Safety Ordinance PrSV (SR 930.111).
Pressure Equipment Ordinance
The Pressure Equipment Ordinance (SR 819.121, german version) sets forth the requirements regarding placement on the market of pressure equipment with a pressure exceeding 0.5 bar.
This concerns
- a wide range of different pressure vessels
- steam boilers and other pressure equipment with a risk of overheating
- piping
- safety accessories
- pressurised accessories
Among other things, the Ordinance governs
- basic safety requirements
- conformity assessment procedures
- markings and documentation
- market surveillance
To facilitate free movement, the Swiss Confederation and the European Community have concluded an agreement governing the mutual recognition of conformity assessments (SR 0.946.526.81).
Thus the Pressure Equipment Ordinance is equivalent to the European Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) 97/23/EG.
Pressure Vessel Ordinance
From a content perspective, the Pressure Vessel Ordinance (SR 819.122) governs the same manufacturing, equipment and market placement aspects as the Pressure Equipment Ordinance. The rules, however, are simpler in many regards because it only concerns "simple pressure vessels" which must meet certain criteria, including the following:
- only intended for air or nitrogen
- operating pressure of between 0.5 and 30 bar
- made of steel or aluminium
- simple construction without fittings
- product of pressure and volume no higher than 10,000 bar litres
The Pressure Vessel Ordinance corresponds to the European Directive on simple pressure vessels (SPVD)2009/105/EC (formerly 87/404/EEC).
FDEA ordinance concerning the enforcement of market surveillance
The Federal Department of Economic Affairs (FDEA) has designated the Swiss Association for Technical Inspections (SVTI) as the regulatory body (specialist organisation) responsible for the market surveillance of pressure equipment. (Ordinance SR 930.111.5 dated 18 June 2010, formerly the STEG regulation on competencies).
Supervision of enforcement is the responsibility of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
Authority issuing the order:
Market Surveillance of Pressure Equipment is performed by order of the Swiss Federal Council and under the supervision of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
SECO is responsible for the legislation of product safety:
Stauffacherstrasse 101
8004 Zurich
Tel. 043 322 21 40
Legal basis
Market surveillance takes place within the scope of enforcement of the Swiss Federal Statute on Product Safety (PrSG).
Market surveillance of pressure vessels and pressure equipment is based on the Product Safety Ordinance (PrSV) and the Pressure Vessel Ordinance or Pressure Equipment Ordinance, which reflect the corresponding European guidelines.
Reporting suspected non-compliance
Reports about (potentially) non-compliant pressure equipment can be submitted to SECO or directly to Market Surveillance of Pressure Equipment using this form.
Market Surveillance will then perform the necessary investigations.