Ala. Admin. Code r. 480-7-5-.07 - Preparation For Certificate Inspection

(1) The owner or user shall prepare each boiler or pressure vessel for inspection and shall prepare for and apply a hydrostatic or pressure test, whenever necessary, on the date arranged by the inspector.

(2) The owner or user shall prepare a boiler for internal inspection in the following manner:

(a) The fuel supply and ignition system shall be locked out and/or tagged out in accordance with the owner/user's procedures.

(b) Water shall be drained off and the boiler washed thoroughly;

(c) Manhole and handhole plates, washout plugs, and inspection plugs in water column connections shall be removed as required by the inspector, and the furnace and combustion chambers shall be cooled and thoroughly cleaned;

(d) All grates of internally fired boilers shall be removed;

(e) Insulation or brickwork shall be removed as required by the inspector in order to determine the condition of the boiler, headers, furnace, supports, or other parts;

(f) The pressure gage shall be removed for testing, as required by the inspector;

(g) Any leakage of steam or hot water into the boiler shall be prevented by disconnecting the pipe or valve at the most convenient point or by any appropriate means approved by the inspector; and

(h) Before opening the manhole or handhole covers and entering any parts of the steam generating unit connected to a common header with other boilers, the non-return and steam stop valves shall be closed, tagged, and padlocked, and drain valves or cocks between the two valves opened. The feed valves shall be closed, tagged, and padlocked. Blowoff lines, where practicable, shall be disconnected between pressure parts and valves. All drains and vent lines shall be opened.

(3) Pressure vessels shall be prepared for inspection to the extent deemed necessary by the inspector as outlined herein.

(4) If a boiler or pressure vessel has not been properly prepared for an internal inspection, or if the owner or user failed to comply with the requirements for a pressure test as set forth in these rules, the inspector may decline to make the inspection or test, and the inspection certificate shall be withheld or suspended until the owner or user complies with the requirements.

(5) If the boiler or pressure vessel is jacketed so that the longitudinal seams of shells, drums, or domes cannot be seen, sufficient jacketing, setting wall, or other form of casing or housing shall be removed to permit reasonable inspection of the seams and other areas necessary to determine the condition and safety of the boiler or pressure vessel, provided such information cannot be determined by other means.

(6) The shell or drum of a boiler or pressure vessel in which a lap seam crack is discovered along a longitudinal riveted joint shall be immediately discontinued from use. Patching shall be prohibited.

(7) Pressure Tests

(a) A hydrostatic pressure test, when applied to boilers, shall not exceed 1-1/2 times the maximum allowable working pressure. The pressure shall be under proper control so that in no case shall the required test pressure be exceeded by more than six (6) percent.

(b) A hydrostatic pressure test, when applied to pressure vessels, shall not exceed 1-1/2 times the maximum allowable working pressure, except as permitted by the applicable ASME Code.

(c) During a hydrostatic test, the safety valve or valves shall be removed or gagged; if gagged, each valve disk shall be held to its seat by means of a testing clamp and not by screwing down the compression screw upon the spring. A plug device designed for this purpose may also be used.

(d) The minimum temperature of the water used to apply a hydrostatic test shall be not less than 70°F, and the maximum metal temperature during inspection shall not exceed 120°F.

(e) When a hydrostatic test is applied to determine tightness, the pressure shall be equal to the normal operating pressure but need not exceed the release pressure of the safety valve having the lowest release setting.

(f) When the contents of the vessel prohibit contamination by any other medium or when a hydrostatic test is not possible, other testing media may be used, providing the precautionary requirements or the applicable sections of the ASME Code are followed.

(8) No employer (owner or user) shall permit entry to, nor shall an employee or inspector enter, a boiler furnace, drum, or header or pressure vessel until all requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Department of Labor, 29 CFR 1910.146 Permit-Required Confined Space Standard, have been met and until the inspector or supervisor and the person entering the boiler or pressure vessel have confirmed that all stop valves on inlet and outlet piping not vented to the atmosphere have been closed and tagged. Where not valved, the piping shall be disconnected or blanked. In addition, plant personnel shall make appropriate tests to ensure that there are no oxygen deficiencies or hazardous or toxic gases in the boiler furnace, drum, or header or pressure vessel to be entered by the inspector. Prior to and during entry, an approved person must be outside the boiler or pressure vessel to ensure compliance with all confined space procedures.

Notes

Ala. Admin. Code r. 480-7-5-.07

New Rule: Filed February 20, 2004; effective March 23, 2004.

Author: Board of Boilers & Pressure Vessels, Dr. David Dyer, Chairman

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 25-12-4, -6, -14.