DOSH Design Verification for Imported Pressure Vessels

DOSH design verification (Verifikasi Reka Bentuk) is a mandatory approval required before any new, unused pressure vessel can enter Malaysia. It’s required under the Occupational Safety and Health (Plant Requiring Certificate of Fitness) Regulation 2024, effective 1 June 2024. Applications go through DOSH’s MySKUD system. Vessels fall into two categories based on internal diameter (inch) × design pressure (psig) — 3,000 psig.in and above, or below — which determines whether Authorized Inspection Body (AIB) certification is required. DOSH’s stated processing time is 15 working days with a complete application.

What is DOSH design verification?

Which pressure vessels need this?

• Scope: new, never used, no deterioration
• “Pressure vessel” (bejana tekanan) — any closed vessel operating above or below atmospheric pressure. Examples: air receiver tanks, shell-and-tube heat exchangers, retorts
• “Fired pressure vessel” (bejana tekanan berapi / BTB) — has a heating element that doesn’t generate steam. Examples: thermal oil heater, hot water boiler, fired heater, electrical heater

• Two categories, based on internal diameter (inch) × design pressure (psig):
  • ID × Design Pressure ≥ 3,000 psig.in — design drawings and calculations must be verified by an AIB, with a signed AIB certificate submitted
  • ID × Design Pressure < 3,000 psig.in — AIB confirmation required only where the design standard or the vessel owner requires it
• Some vessel types are excluded under the Regulation’s Second Schedule

What design standards does DOSH accept?

• DOSH only recognizes design codes listed in the Regulation’s Forth Schedule current edition or amendment
• Most common: ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, Division 1
• China’s national GB standard is not recognized by DOSH for pressure vessel design verification
• A Chinese-manufactured vessel is not the issue — but it must be designed and built to a DOSH-recognized standard (typically ASME VIII Division 1), not GB

What documents does DOSH require?

• Design drawings — legible, landscape orientation, includes the nameplate drawing, in Bahasa Malaysia or English, sized so details aren’t cramped
• Design calculations / analysis — prepared to the recognized code’s current edition
• Supporting documents — AIB certificate (≥ 3,000 psig.in) or AIB confirmation as required by the standard/owner (< 3,000 psig.in)

• Design data on the drawings: design and operating pressure/temperature, test pressure and test type, MDMT, MAWP, PWHT, radiography degree, joint efficiency, corrosion allowance, flange rating
• Bill of materials, nozzle and flange schedules, detailed drawings of major components (nozzle, flange, tubesheet), weld details, support/skirt/lug dimensions

How long does it take?

• DOSH’s stated customer charter: 15 working days from a complete application
• In MESH’s experience: 15–30 working days, sometimes longer
• Main drivers of delay: equipment complexity, how closely the design already complies with a recognized standard, and document quality
• Incomplete documentation is the single biggest cause of delay

MESH’s professional service — advising on requirements, reviewing supplier documentation, submitting to DOSH, and following up through to approval — is quoted case by case, based on the vessel’s complexity and scope of work involved.

When should you apply?

• Apply while the vessel design is still on paper — before fabrication, and before the vessel is shipped to Malaysia
• Common mistake: suppliers and end-users only start the process after the vessel is already manufactured, shipped, and installed on-site
• Consequence: the vessel generally can’t be legally operated until verification is complete, and standards gaps are far harder to fix once the vessel is a physical, installed asset
• Applying early gives room to correct compliance gaps cheaply, before they become a site problem

What should end-users specify when purchasing?

• State the required design standard (typically ASME VIII Division 1) in the purchase terms
• Require full design drawings, calculations, and AIB certification (where applicable) as part of the purchase agreement — not requested after the fact
• Without this, suppliers are often never told DOSH’s requirements exist, and the right documentation is never prepared

Why do most overseas suppliers and end-users use a local consultant?

• Foreign-based manufacturers and suppliers typically have no Malaysian entity and aren’t familiar with DOSH’s requirements or the MySKUD system
• MESH’s role:
  • Advise on requirements, realistic timeline, and what the application involves
  • Advise on acceptable design standards and when AIB certification is required
  • Review supplier documentation against DOSH’s requirements before submission, to reduce rejection risk
  • Submit via MySKUD and coordinate with DOSH through to approval
  • Liaise directly with manufacturers, suppliers, and end-users throughout
• Note: MESH does not coordinate directly with the AIB — that relationship sits between the client/manufacturer and the AIB itself

MESH has worked with suppliers and manufacturers from the USA, UK, Europe, China, Japan, Korea, and Thailand — handling design verification for equipment ranging from simple air receiver tanks to complex petrochemical process vessels.

Which industries does this affect most?

• Oil & gas
• Petrochemical
• Manufacturing — food and general industrial
• Industrial servicing and maintenance

FAQ