PSSR for coffee machines: the complete UK compliance guide
Under the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000, any workplace coffee machine with a steam boiler
must have a Written Scheme of Examination before it is used, and must be examined by a competent
person at the interval that scheme sets. This guide explains the scope, the paperwork, the costs and
the failure points — with sources.
PSSR is the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/128) —
UK law that exists to prevent serious injury from the hazard of stored energy when a pressure
system or one of its component parts fails. The regulations cover the whole system: the pressure
vessel, the pipework and the protective devices attached to them.
PSSR works through a small number of duties. Before a qualifying system is used, a Written Scheme
of Examination must be in place. The system must then be examined by a competent person at the
intervals that scheme specifies. Records must be kept, defects reported, and the scheme reviewed
when conditions of use change. The HSE publishes the regulations and the supporting Approved Code
of Practice L122, Safety of pressure systems.
The one-line answer: PSSR is the UK regulation that
requires a written examination scheme and periodic examination by a competent person for
pressure systems used at work — including the steam boiler inside a commercial coffee machine.
2. Are coffee machines in scope?
Yes — any coffee machine incorporating a steam boiler in a workplace
is in scope of PSSR 2000. Two definitions do the work. First, a pressure system includes
a rigid pressure vessel with its associated pipework and protective devices. Second, a relevant
fluid includes steam at any pressure.
That second point is the one operators most often get wrong. Steam systems are in scope at any
pressure and any volume, so there is no boiler-size exemption to argue. Thresholds that apply to
other categories of pressure equipment do not switch off the duty for a steam boiler. Under
PSSR, a coffee machine is classed as a minor system, which affects how it is examined
rather than whether it must be.
Which machines fall in scope of PSSR 2000
Machine type
In scope?
Why
Traditional 1–3 group espresso machine
Yes
Contains a steam boiler — steam is a relevant fluid at any pressure and volume.
Bean-to-cup / super-automatic with steam boiler or flash heater
Usually yes
Check the specification: if steam is generated under pressure, the system is in scope.
Filter coffee brewer or grinder only
Normally no
No steam pressure vessel in the system — but confirm against your insurance schedule.
Domestic machine used in a commercial setting
Yes, if it holds steam under pressure
The duty follows the workplace and the pressure system, not the badge on the machine.
What is actually inside a coffee machine boiler
Across 267 examinations in our own records the median steam
boiler is 10 litres, and the range runs from under a litre
on a sealed bean-to-cup unit to 25 litres on a four group traditional machine. The vessel itself
is rated at about 2 bar, and runs at roughly
1.2 bar in service.
That 2 bar figure is not our assumption. A manufacturer
publishes one: the Casadio UNDICI instruction manual carries the pressure vessel table for that
machine and gives the boiler a Pmax of 2 bar at 133 °C,
with an operating pressure of about 1.2 bar — the same 2 bar and the same 1.2 bar our
examiners record everywhere else. It is the only vessel rating published by any maker in this
market; the rest publish mains inlet pressure, which is a different thing entirely and is
sometimes quoted at you as though it were the boiler rating.
Because the duty attaches to steam as a relevant fluid, none of this governs whether you
need an examination. It governs what is examined and how long it takes.
Guidance only. Your Written Scheme of Examination defines what is examined on your specific
machine; if you are unsure, send the make and model to
request confirmation.
3. The Written Scheme of Examination
A Written Scheme of Examination (WSE) is the document that says what
will be examined, how, and how often. Regulation 8 is explicit: the user of an installed
system must not operate it, or allow it to be operated, unless a written scheme exists for the
periodic examination by a competent person of all protective devices, every pressure vessel and
every pipeline in which a defect may give rise to danger, and those parts of the pipework where a
defect may give rise to danger.
For a coffee machine the scheme therefore covers the boiler, the safety valve and other protective
devices, the fittings, and the pipework that could become dangerous. It must be drawn up, or
certified as suitable, by a competent person — and it must be reviewed at appropriate intervals
and modified in line with any recommendations that review produces.
Who can write the scheme?
PSSR does not license individuals, does not accredit companies and does not require a commercial
scheme provider. Regulation 8(2)(a) requires only that the scheme is drawn up, or certified as
suitable, by a competent person. Competence is a question of
knowledge and experience — not of which portal or membership scheme a contractor belongs to.
PSSR.uk's CoffeeSafe writes and certifies the
written scheme of examination. The
examination is carried out on site by a select engineer from
the own engineers, who reports on it in writing.
Regulation 8
The written scheme
The scheme must be drawn up, or certified as suitable, by a
competent person, and its content reviewed at appropriate intervals by a competent person. It sets
the nature and frequency of examination — regulation 8(2) and 8(3).
Regulation 9
The examination and report
The system is examined by a competent person in accordance
with the scheme, and that person must make a written report, sign it or add their name to it, and
date it — regulation 9(1) to 9(3).
There is a commercial consequence: your quote covers the examination, the scheme and the certificate, and
nothing depends on a scheme provider's pricing, availability or continued existence. If your insurer,
landlord or group requires submission to a particular third-party registry, we submit to the scheme
of your choice at no extra charge.
Identifies the pressure vessel, protective devices and relevant pipework
States the nature of the examination and any special safety measures
Sets the interval between examinations for that machine
Is drawn up or certified by a competent person before the machine is used
Is reviewed when the machine, its use or its condition changes
4. Who is the duty holder
The duty holder is the employer or the user of the pressure system —
for a café or restaurant, normally the business operating the machine, not the servicing company and not
necessarily the landlord. The user of hired or leased equipment must still make sure a Written
Scheme of Examination is in place and that the certificate of examination is current. Where a
machine is supplied under a scheme, the supplier can assume responsibility in writing for the
scheme, operation, maintenance and record keeping — but only in writing.
In practice this means an operator cannot outsource the duty itself; they can only appoint a
competent person to discharge the technical parts of it. If a broker, landlord or acquirer asks
for evidence, the documents they want are the scheme and the most recent report of examination.
5. Examination intervals
The Written Scheme of Examination sets the interval. For a
commercial espresso boiler it is commonly 12 to 14 months. There is no single statutory
number: the scheme writer chooses an interval that keeps the system safe given its condition, its
water quality, its usage and its history.
12–14 months
Typical interval for a well-maintained espresso boiler on treated water.
6–12 months
Where water is hard, the machine is heavily used, or earlier findings were advisory.
Immediate
After repair, modification, relocation or any event that could affect the system.
PSSR.uk records the next due date against your asset and reminds you before it expires. Late
examinations are the most common compliance gap found on site — usually discovered when an insurer
asks for the paperwork.
6. What happens on the day
A standalone examination takes roughly 60 to 90 minutes; a combined service and examination takes
two to three hours depending on group count. Most sites are booked before opening or after close,
so no trading time is lost.
1
Isolate and drain. The machine is isolated, depressurised and the boiler fully drained so the interior can be inspected safely.
2
Inspect internally. An endoscope examines the boiler walls, base and welds for scale, corrosion and pitting.
3
Check protective devices. Safety valve, vacuum valve, fittings, taps and the pressure gauge are checked — the gauge against a calibrated test gauge.
4
Pressure test. The system is brought to test pressure and held, with the result recorded.
5
Rebuild and certify. The machine is re-assembled, refilled, brought to temperature and function tested; the certificate and asset record follow within 48 hours.
7. What you receive
The evidence pack an insurer, landlord or acquirer will ask to see:
Written Scheme of Examination for the machine
Report of examination with findings and safe operating limits
Certificate of examination
Written Scheme of Examination written and backed by CoffeeSafe
compliance record reference for the asset
Photographic evidence retained on file
Next examination due date
Compliance sticker for the boiler plate
8. What it costs
A standalone PSSR examination in the UK typically costs
£265 to £295 + VAT; a combined service and examination bundle costs £405 to £500 + VAT.
Price is driven by group count and boiler configuration, not by the certificate itself.
PSSR.uk published prices for examinations and bundles
Work
Includes
Price + VAT
PSSR examination, 1–2 group
Drain, endoscope inspection, pressure test, CoffeeSafe-written WSE, certificate and asset record
£265
PSSR examination, 3 group
As above, larger boiler volume and longer heat-up
£295
Bundle: service + PSSR, 1 group
Front-end service parts and statutory examination in one visit
High-volume setup; full front-end rebuild plus examination
£500
Certified safety valve, if required
£35 traditional · £55 OEM · £135 Rex Royal · Eversys quoted. Only where a valve fails
£35
The reframe: an examination is 60 to 90 minutes every 12 to 14
months — under 0.05% of your annual opening hours. It costs less than one breakdown visit once parts
are added, yet it is the document that stops a boiler failure from becoming an insurance and liability
problem. You are already paying to run the boiler; this is what lets you prove it was safe.
Most failed examinations come down to the same five findings. All of them are cheaper to prevent than to repair.
1. Scale build-up
Hard water deposits insulate the element, raise running temperature and degrade boiler walls. Untreated water is the single biggest cause of premature failure.
2. Corrosion and pitting
Found on the boiler base and around fittings, often where a machine has been left wet or unused for long periods.
3. Seized or incorrect safety valves
A valve that cannot lift at the set pressure, or that has been replaced with a non-certified part, fails the examination.
4. Inaccurate pressure gauges
A gauge reading outside tolerance means the operator cannot verify safe operating limits — a compliance failure in its own right.
5. No Written Scheme of Examination
The most common gap: the machine has been serviced every year, but nobody ever drew up the scheme. A service record is not a substitute.
10. PSSR and insurance
Insurers and brokers increasingly ask for pressure system evidence during renewal, after a
property survey, or when a claim is notified. The documents that answer the question are the
Written Scheme of Examination and the most recent report of examination from a competent person.
Where a system has never been examined, an insurer may treat the risk differently, apply
conditions, or reduce cover after a loss — and a failure of the pressure system itself can lead to
a liability exposure that extends beyond the machine. Compliance is therefore less about the
certificate and more about being able to evidence that the system was safe and properly managed.
What to keep: the current WSE, the latest report of examination, repair records, water treatment records and the examination due date. PSSR.uk retains certificates, photographs and job sheets for a minimum of six years.
11. Service vs PSSR examination
Service compared with a statutory PSSR examination
Question
Routine service
PSSR examination
Purpose
Reliability, taste, wear parts
Statutory safety of the pressure system
Who does it
Any competent technician
A competent person under PSSR
Output
Job sheet and invoice
WSE plus report of examination
Satisfies the duty holder
No
Yes
Frequency
Typically 6–12 months
As set by the WSE, commonly 12–14 months
Because both jobs begin with the same strip-down, PSSR.uk carries them out in one visit — the combined bundle — which removes a second call-out and its labour charge.
12. Choosing a competent person
PSSR does not license individuals; it requires competence. Six questions separate a documented examination from a rubber stamp:
Will you draw up and issue a Written Scheme of Examination for this specific machine?
What pressure test do you perform, with what calibrated equipment?
Do you inspect the boiler interior — and can I see the photographs?
Where is the certificate recorded, and can I retrieve it later?
What happens, and what do I pay, if the machine fails?
Are you insured for this work, and for how much?
Good signs
A named engineer, calibrated test equipment, photographic evidence, a registry reference, published prices, and a written scope of what is excluded.
Warning signs
"Annual service includes the certificate", no written scheme, no pressure test, no photographs, and a price that only appears after the visit.
13. Glossary
PSSR
The Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/128), the UK regulations covering the design, installation, examination, maintenance and record keeping of pressure systems used at work.
Relevant fluid
A fluid that brings a pressure system within PSSR. Steam is a relevant fluid at any pressure; so are compressed or liquefied gases above 0.5 bar and pressurised hot water above 110 °C.
Written Scheme of Examination (WSE)
The document that identifies the parts of a pressure system to be examined, the nature of the examination and the interval between examinations. It must be drawn up or certified by a competent person before the system is used.
Competent person
Someone with the practical and theoretical knowledge and experience to detect defects or weaknesses in a pressure system and to assess how far they affect safety.
Duty holder
The employer or self-employed person who owns or uses the pressure system, and who carries the legal duties under PSSR.
Minor system
The PSSR classification that applies to small pressure systems such as coffee machine boilers, affecting the scope of the Written Scheme rather than whether one is needed.
Report of examination
The written report a competent person produces after each examination, recording findings, safe operating limits and any repairs or postponements.
Safety valve
A protective device that releases pressure to prevent a pressure vessel from being over-pressurised. It is one of the protective devices that must be covered by the Written Scheme.
PSSR.uk compliance register
The register in which PSSR.uk records every examined machine, the examination date, the findings and the next due date.
14. Frequently asked questions
What is a PSSR examination?
PSSR stands for the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000, UK law (SI 2000/128) that prevents serious injury from stored energy when a pressure system or one of its components fails. A PSSR examination is the periodic inspection of a pressure system — for a coffee machine, the steam boiler, its protective devices and the pipework that could give rise to danger — carried out by a competent person in line with a Written Scheme of Examination.
Who is allowed to write a Written Scheme of Examination?
PSSR does not license individuals and does not require a commercial scheme provider. Regulation 8 requires the scheme to be drawn up, or certified as suitable, by a competent person — someone with the practical and theoretical knowledge and experience to detect defects and assess their importance. PSSR.uk's Written Scheme of Examination is written and certified by its CoffeeSafe.
Is a PSSR inspection a legal requirement for a business?
Yes. If a workplace operates a commercial espresso machine with a steam boiler — a café, restaurant, hotel, office, bar or bakery — that system is in scope of PSSR 2000. The duty holder must have a Written Scheme of Examination in place before the system is used, and must have it examined at the intervals the scheme specifies.
Is my coffee machine in scope of PSSR 2000?
Any coffee machine incorporating a steam boiler in a workplace is in scope. The reason is the fluid, not the size: steam is a relevant fluid and steam systems are covered at any pressure and any volume, so boiler size thresholds do not create an exemption. Under PSSR the machine is classed as a minor system.
How often does a commercial coffee machine need a PSSR examination?
The Written Scheme of Examination written for your machine sets the interval. For a commercial espresso boiler that interval is commonly 12 to 14 months.
How much does a PSSR inspection cost?
PSSR.uk charges from £265 + VAT for a standalone examination on a 1 or 2 group machine and £295 + VAT for a 3 group machine. A combined service and PSSR bundle costs £405, £440 or £500 + VAT for 1, 2 or 3 group machines.
Who is allowed to carry out a PSSR examination?
PSSR requires a competent person: someone with the practical and theoretical knowledge and experience to detect defects and assess their importance. At PSSR.uk, the Written Scheme of Examination is backed by CoffeeSafe acting as the competent person, and the on-site inspection is carried out by a one of our own CoffeeSafe-certified engineers.
What happens if my machine fails the PSSR inspection?
The attending engineer explains in plain terms what additional work is needed to bring the machine into compliance. If the vessel cannot be certified, you are told why, and what the realistic options are. Findings come in writing with photographs and a fixed price to rectify; the published examination rate applies either way.
Do bean-to-cup and super-automatic machines need a PSSR examination?
If the machine contains a steam boiler or another pressure vessel holding a relevant fluid, it is in scope. Many bean-to-cup machines generate steam in a smaller boiler or flash heater; the deciding factor is whether steam is present under pressure, not the machine category.
What if I don't have a Written Scheme of Examination?
If no scheme exists, PSSR.uk prepares one for your machine as part of the first examination service. Without a scheme the duty holder cannot demonstrate compliance, cannot show the correct examination interval, and has no defensible record if the system later fails or a claim is made.
Is there a minimum boiler size for PSSR?
No. Steam is a relevant fluid under PSSR 2000 and steam systems are in scope at any pressure and any volume, so boiler size does not create an exemption. A coffee machine is classed as a minor system, which affects how the examination is carried out rather than whether one is required.
What happens if my machine fails the PSSR inspection?
The attending engineer explains in plain terms what additional work is needed to bring the machine into compliance. If the vessel cannot be certified, you are told why, and what the realistic options are. Findings come in writing with photographs and a fixed price to rectify; the published examination rate applies either way.
Do bean-to-cup and super-automatic machines need a PSSR examination?
If the machine contains a steam boiler or another pressure vessel holding a relevant fluid, it is in scope. Many bean-to-cup machines generate steam in a smaller boiler or flash heater; the deciding factor is whether steam is present under pressure, not the machine category.
What if I don't have a Written Scheme of Examination?
If no scheme exists, PSSR.uk prepares one for your machine as part of the first examination service. Without a scheme the duty holder cannot demonstrate compliance, cannot show the correct examination interval, and has no defensible record if the system later fails or a claim is made.
Is there a minimum boiler size for PSSR?
No. Steam is a relevant fluid under PSSR 2000 and steam systems are in scope at any pressure and any volume, so boiler size does not create an exemption. A coffee machine is classed as a minor system, which affects how the examination is carried out rather than whether one is required.
Is an annual service the same as a PSSR examination?
No. A service invoice is not a certificate. PSSR compliance documentation is a Written Scheme of Examination plus a report of examination from a competent person; a service may improve reliability but it does not discharge the statutory duty.
This guide is general information about UK pressure system safety for commercial coffee machines.
It is not legal advice. The duties that apply to a particular site depend on the system, how it is
used and the Written Scheme of Examination drawn up for it. Where a decision matters, take advice
from a competent person and check the current HSE guidance.
Get the scheme, the test and the certificate.
Examinations from £265 + VAT nationwide, with the Written Scheme of Examination and certificate issued within 48 hours.
