Boiler & Pressure Vessel Safety Inspection Unit |
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Questions?
Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code of State Regulations 11
CSR 40-2.010 through 40-2.060 |
To help insure the safety of the citizens of Missouri, the Division of Fire Safety issues approximately 20,000 certificates of inspections each year for boilers and pressure vessels in service throughout the state. Of these, about 50 percent are located in public schools and another 25 percent are in public locations such as hospitals and nursing homes. An estimated 350 of these units are found to be in a dangerous condition each year. Division inspectors conduct inspections on uninsured boilers and pressure vessels and provide consultation for the owners and operators of uninsured units. Effective November 12, 1986, all boilers, most hot water heaters and many pressure vessels were required to have a certificate of inspection, if operated in the state of Missouri. St. Louis city and some areas of St. Louis county, plus the city of St. Joseph have exercised their authority to perform their own inspections based on city ordinance. They still reference the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code for construction, through building ordinances. Effective November 12, 1986, boilers, hot water heaters and pressure vessels are required to be ASME constructed and National Board registered. There are exemptions due to size and type of facility (e.g. residences with less than six families are exempted but the common buildings used by them such as recreation centers or pool heaters, are not exempted). Boilers and pressure vessels installed prior to November 12, 1986, are exempted from ASME construction but not from the requirements for the controls and safety devices. Used objects may not be reinstalled unless they are ASME constructed and National Board registered. Variances may be obtained but require approval of the Boiler Board which meets once per quarter. Certificate inspections are the responsibility of the owner, regardless of contractual agreements. It is a class A misdemeanor to operate an object without a valid inspection certificate and fines can vary up to $5,000 per day of violation. Boiler and machinery insurance companies may do inspections at locations they insure. The certificate inspection frequency varies from one to two years, depending on the use of an object. In general, every object has a two year inspection frequency except boilers that generate steam over 15 psi. These latter objects require a biennial internal inspection of the water side. The majority of the objects inspected by the Division of Fire Safety Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspection Unit are air receivers and water storage tanks (greater than 120 gallons). Fired objects include firing by electricity, liquid, gaseous or solid fuel. Some other types of objects are as follows:
For questions contact, Boiler and Pressure Vessel
Unit
Comments or suggestions? Contact firesafe@dfs.dps.mo.gov
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