Relating to boiler inspections

This bill relates to boiler inspections. The bill modifies one of the criteria necessary for a boiler or pressure vessel to be inspected at least once each year externally while under pressure and at least once every four years internally while not under pressure, unless the labor commissioner determines an earlier inspection is warranted. Under current law, one of the criteria for an unfired steam pressure vessel to be eligible for such an inspection schedule is that the vessel is part of or integral to the continuous operation of a process covered by and compliant with a specified occupational safety and health administration process safety management standard, and the owner demonstrates such compliance to a special inspector or the commissioner. Additionally, the vessel must also be included as process safety management process equipment in the owner of the unfired steam pressure vessel’s process safety management program. The bill provides that this criterion is not limited to unfired steam pressure vessels, but includes any boiler or pressure vessel. The bill also strikes the reference to a special inspector. The bill also authorizes the owner of a boiler or pressure vessel meeting certain criteria as specified in the bill to request from the commissioner an internal inspection time period of longer than four years, but not to exceed seven years, if the boiler or vessel is an integral part of a continuous operation of a process that is covered by and compliant with a specified occupational safety and health administration process safety management standard and has a planned outage schedule that is longer than four years. The commissioner may grant the longer inspection interval if the owner is able to demonstrate to the commissioner that the object is in compliance with the process safety management standard and that the object is included as process safety management process equipment in the owner’s process safety management program. If the commissioner intends to deny the request, the bill requires the commissioner to contact the owner prior to the denial and provide an opportunity for the owner to address the reasons for the intended denial. The bill requires the owner of the object that is granted the longer inspection interval to comply with additional inspections and recordkeeping requirements as specified in the bill.