BS EN 1012-3:2013

Compressors and vacuum pumps. Safety requirements. Process compressors | Status: Current, Under review

1 Scope This European Standard is applicable to process gas compressors and process gas compressor units having an operating pressure greater than 0,5 bar (gauge), an input shaft power greater than 0,5 kW and designed to compress all gases other than air, nitrogen or inert gases which are covered in Part 1. This document deals with all significant hazards, hazardous situations and events relevant to the design, installation, operation, maintenance, dismantling and disposal of process gas compressors and process gas compressor units, when they are used as intended and under conditions of misuse which are reasonably foreseeable by the manufacturer (see Clause 4). This part of EN 1012 includes under the general term compressor units those machines which comprise:

• — the compressor;
• — a drive system including the prime mover;
• — any component or device supplied which is necessary for operation.

This part of EN 1012 is not applicable to compressors which are manufactured before the date of publication of this document by CEN. The requirements of this European Standard do not take into account the interaction between the compressor/compressor unit and other processes carried out on site. Excluded are:

• — refrigerant compressors used in refrigerating systems or heat pumps for which the safety requirements are given in EN 60335‑2‑34 or EN 12693;
• — the specification of performance levels and/or safety integrity levels for safety related parts of control systems.

Performance levels and/or safety integrity levels are an important aspect of compressor design and should be determined by the manufacturer and the user based on a risk assessment (see Introduction). This European Standard does not cover those safety aspects of road transport dealt with by EC legislation for trailers.