Free associate membership offer extended

17 June, 2015

The offer is part of the Society’s ‘Insist on BCAS – Be Compliant And Safe’ scheme, which aims to make processes that use compressed air compliant, safe, more efficient and ultimately more profitable.

The free associate membership will provide UK companies with a whole host of benefits including discounts on training and publications, as well as access to compressed air codes of practice and the society’s social events.

The free membership will commence when the signed and dated paperwork is actioned by BCAS and will last for 12 months in total from that date. It is open to end-user customers of current BCAS members only. A company’s BCAS membership must be active on the date of application and acceptance for its customers to be entitled to this offer.

To take advantage of this offer contact Chris Dee, BCAS executive director, stating your company name and full contact details, along with the name of the supplier of your compressed air products and/or services. Email: chris@bcas.org.uk, or visit www.bcasairsafe.co.uk.

[head] Regulating compressor safety

Every compressor needs to be installed and maintained correctly to ensure it performs safely and efficiently. If not, it may end up posing a danger.

That’s why every compressed air system, virtually without exception, should have a Written Scheme of Examination in place, which the system should be regularly inspected in accordance with.

Written Schemes of Examination are legal requirements under the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000. The document contains a wide range of information, including the parts of the system that need to be examined, the nature of the examination required, the preparatory work needed and the maximum interval allowed between examinations.

The Written Scheme of Examination has been in place for over 14 years and carries a potential fine if you are caught without one. However, the worry is that many businesses running compressed air systems either ignore this or are simply not aware of it, as there is no thorough policing.

It is advisable for end-users to check that they have a Written Scheme of Examination in place and that the companies they use to design, supply, install and maintain their compressed air systems can prove they are reputable and professional, and that they have the necessary competencies.

BCAS continues to state the need to introduce recognised training programmes and an official accreditation scheme for service engineers working on compressed air systems, as well as for designers and installers, which can work in support of the Written Scheme of Examination.