What is the scope of Directive 2014/68/EU?

The Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU is a European Union directive governing the design, manufacturing, and conformity assessment processes for pressure equipment. The directive aims to minimize human error, particularly regarding safety-critical equipment.

Under this directive, the competence of personnel involved in the manufacturing of products such as;

• Pressure vessels

• Piping systems

• Boilers

• Industrial pressure equipment

is subject to control.

How is the approval of personnel establishing fixed connections handled?

The process of approving personnel performing permanent joints involves testing their ability to carry out welding or joining operations in accordance with international standards.

The process generally consists of the following steps:

• Application and preliminary assessment of the personnel

• Practical (performance) examination

• Welding operation in accordance with WPS/pWPS

• Non-destructive testing (NDT) inspections

• Execution of required mechanical tests

• Assessment of conformity to standards

• Certification and registration procedures

Upon completion of the assessment, the personnel's eligibility to work within the relevant scope is officially approved.

Why Is Fixed Connection Personnel Approved?

The primary objective of this process is to ensure the safety of permanent joints in pressure equipment, as even the slightest error in welded joints can pose serious safety risks.

Reasons for implementing the approval process:

• Ensuring the safety of pressure equipment

• Reducing defects in welded fabrication

• Standardizing personnel competence

• Ensuring compliance with international regulations

• Improving production quality

• Strengthening traceability

What are the application areas?

Qualification of personnel performing permanent joints becomes mandatory, particularly in high-risk manufacturing processes.

Key application areas:

• Pressure vessel manufacturing

• Pipeline welding operations

• Industrial boiler production

• Power plants

• Chemical and petrochemical plants

• Steel structure welding

• Shipbuilding and heavy industry manufacturing

Standards and Techniques Used Within the Scope

During this qualification process, personnel competence is assessed against international standards.

Key standards and techniques employed:

• EN ISO 9606 (welder qualifications)

• EN ISO 14732 (welding operators)

• EN ISO 15614 (welding procedure approvals)

• EN ISO 3834 (welding quality systems)

• Non-destructive testing methods (UT, RT, PT, MT)

• Mechanical tests

• Visual inspection techniques

These methods verify whether personnel perform permanent joining operations safely and in compliance with standards.

Advantages

• Officially verifies personnel competence

• Enhances the safety of pressure equipment

• Reduces manufacturing defects

• Gains acceptance in international projects

• Raises quality standards

• Ensures traceable production

Disadvantages

• Requires regular renewal and monitoring

• Examination and testing processes can be time-consuming

• Entails a requirement for high technical proficiency

• Involves a significant documentation burden

Contact us

You may contact us for detailed information regarding the certification and conformity assessment processes carried out under the scope of the Approval of Permanent Joining Personnel (Directive 2014/68/EU, Annex I, Section 3.1.2).

The assessment activities conducted by our organization are carried out in accordance with international standards for verifying personnel competence within the scope of the Pressure Equipment Regulation.