Pressure equipment is in use worldwide in a variety of applications in the private field and in industry. Due to the difference between the internal pressure of the container and the ambient pressure and the very nature of the stored media as well as its quantity, it poses a great danger and risk. The literature review briefly summarizes the history of pressure equipment, pressure equipment accidents, and major milestones that have contributed to the development of safety standards, laws, and consequently safer engineering practices. Current European legislation, its implementation in the Slovenian legal order and standards covering the design, manufacture and control of pressure equipment are summarized. The prescribed periodical controls of pressure equipment and their importance are presented in more detail, as well as the work of the accredited control bodies in performing controls of pressure equipment. Different types of pressure vessels, division of pressure vessels into classes and properties of materials suitable for the production of pressure vessels are presented. An overview of the mechanisms and methods of failure of pressure equipment is presented. Corrosion is described in more detail as one of the most important mechanisms of pressure equipment failure. Based on a number of studies and other available statistics on accidents when working with pressure equipment, the main causes of failure and the dangers posed by the release of a substance from a pressurized system are given. The second part of the paper presents concrete cases of non-compliance in pressure equipment, the anticipated causes and possible consequences if individual non-compliances were not detected.
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