If your business operates, imports, or manufactures pressure equipment in South Africa, compliance with SANS 347 is a legal necessity.
SANS 347 is the South African National Standard for the Categorisation and Conformity Assessment of Pressure Equipment. It acts as the technical framework for the Pressure Equipment Regulations (PER) under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act 85 of 1993). Its primary purpose is to prevent catastrophic failures by ensuring all pressure vessels, boilers, piping, and medical devices are designed and maintained safely.
As a business operating air compressors, ensuring the safety and legal compliance of your air receivers (compressor tanks) is critical. Because air receivers store massive amounts of potential energy under pressure, they are legally classified as pressure vessels. Operating non-compliant tanks puts your workforce at risk and exposes your business to severe legal liabilities.
How SANS 347 Affects Your Air Compressors
- Design & Manufacturing Standards: Every new air receiver must be manufactured to an approved international design code (such as ASME VIII or EN 13445) and certified under SANS 347 regulations.
- Hazard Categorisation: Based on your tank’s volume (litres) and operating pressure (bar), SANS 347 determines its risk category. Higher-capacity industrial systems require stricter verification.
- Approved Inspection Authority (AIA) Sign-Off: Medium to high-risk compressor tanks require an independent, SANS-accredited AIA to inspect, test, and issue a certificate of compliance before they can be legally commissioned.
Our SANS 347 Compressor Services
We take the guesswork out of compliance so you can focus on your operations. Our expert team provides comprehensive care to keep your compressed air systems safe and legal:
- Statutory Pressure Testing: Hydrostatic testing and internal/external inspections to renew your tank’s legal compliance.
- Safety Valve Calibration: Testing, servicing, and replacing critical over-pressure protection valves.
- Thickness Testing: Ultrasonic wall-thickness testing to detect internal corrosion before a rupture happens.
- Compliance Audits: Evaluating your existing compressor setup to ensure valid data plates, certificates, and logbooks are in order.
Is Your Compressor Legally Compliant?
Don’t wait for an inspection failure or a costly breakdown. Contact our service team today to book your SANS 347 compliance check or schedule your routine pressure vessel inspection.
