UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG LIBRARY

UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG LIBRARY

A GUIDE TO THE BOILERS AND PRESSURE RECEIVERS ORDINANCE CHAPTER 56 AND THE BOILERS AND PRESSURE RECEIVERS REGULATIONS LABOUR DEPARTMENT HONG KONG APRIL 1974 PRINTED BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER HONG KONG

41866 80K 6/74

CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 APPLICATION O F T H E ORDINANCE....... 1 APPOINTED EXAMINERS 1 APPLIANCES TO BE REGISTERED 2 ACTION REQUIRED FOR FIRST REGISTRATION OF APPLIANCES.. 2 NEW FUEL BURNING INSTALLATION 3 PORTABLE GAS GENERATORS 3 COMPETENT PERSONS 3 MAINTENANCE AND PERIODIC EXAMINATION OF BOILERS, ETC. 3 CERTIFICATE OF FITNESS 4 SALE, HIRE OR REMOVAL OF APPLIANCES 4 EXAMINATION AFTER EXTENSIVE REPAIRS 4 PROCEDURE IN THR CASE OF ACCIDENTS OR DEFECTS... 4 OFFENCES AND PENALTIES 5 PRESSURE VESSELS 5 Appendix APPENDICES I. Definitions of the principal technical terms in the ordinance 6 II. List of offices of the divisional factory inspectors of the Labour Department........ 8 iii

BOILERS AND PRESSURE RECEIVERS ORDINANCE, CHAPTER 56 BOILERS AND PRESSURE RECEIVERS REGULATIONS INTRODUCTION THIS guide is intended to help the owner of a boiler, air receiver, pressure receiver or pressure vessel to know what he has to do to comply with the ordinance. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this guide, reference should be made to the Boilers and Pressure Receivers Ordinance in case of doubt. It is impracticable to cover all provisions of the ordinance and regulations in a short guide. Among provisions that have been omitted are the procedure and method for examining apparatus, provision for exemptions and the method of appeal from the decision of an appointed examiner. Legal definitions of the principal technical terms used in this guide will be found at Appendix I. Enquiries concerning the provisions of the ordinance and the regulations may be made to the Pressure Equipment Unit of the Labour Department at the following address: Labour Department Kowloon Regional Office Canton Road Government Offices 4th floor Kowloon Telephone number 3-688646 APPLICATION OF THE ORDINANCE 2. The Boilers and Pressure Receivers Ordinance and Regulations deal with the installation, maintenance and inspection of boilers, pressure receivers, air receivers, pressure vessels, steam containers and portable gas generators, and apply to all such appliances except appliances used for domestic purposes and certain other categories which are specifically exempted (see paragraph 5 below). APPOINTED EXAMINERS 3. Several provisions of the ordinance require appliances to be inspected by "appointed examiners". The following classes of person may be appointed examiners for the types of appliance stated: 1

(a) a boiler inspector for any equipment (b) an air receiver inspector for air receivers or pressure vessels (c) a pressure vessel inspector for pressure vessels only Names of persons qualified to be appointed examiners will be published from time to time in the Gazette and are obtainable from the Labour Department. APPLIANCES TO BE REGISTERED 4. No boiler, pressure receiver, air receiver or pressure vessel unless exempted may be operated unless it is registered by the Registrar who is the Commissioner of Labour. 5. Exempted classes are listed in Section 3(1) of the ordinance and include equipment belonging to the Crown or used for domestic purposes or in a vessel or vehicle or (in the case of pressure vessels) with a capacity limited to one gallon of liquid fuel or 277 cubic inches of fuel vapour. 6. On completion of the necessary formalities described in paragraphs 8-10 below the Registrar will register an appliance and allot a registration number wliich must be engraved in a conspicuous position on the appliance. 7. Forms of application for registration will be provided free on request at offices of the divisional factory inspectors of the Labour Department. ACTION REQUIRED FOR FIRST REGISTRATION OF APPLIANCES 8. The following action is required to register boilers, pressure receivers, air receivers, and steam containers: (a) A boiler or steam receiver including its auxiliary equipment or an air receiver and its fillings and attachments must be examined by an appointed examiner before it is put into use. (b) A steam container must be examined when the boiler that provides steam to it is examined. 9. Before the first examination for a new installation under the ordinance the owner must deliver to the Registrar, at least thirty days before the installation is to be put into use, the following:

(a) (b) (a) (b) Boiler I Air Receiver j Steam Receiver 2 copies of a certificate of inspection during construction if constructed in Hong Kong; or 2 copies of the maker's certificate and 2 copies of a certificate by a recognised inspecting authority in the country of construction. Steam Container 2 copies of the maker's certificate; or 2 copies of a plan of the steam container prepared by a boiler inspector to the satisfaction of the Principal Surveyor. 10. All such documents must be endorsed by an appoin'ed examiner to the effect that they relate to the appliance in question. If these documents are not produced or do not give the Principal Surveyor sufficient information to enable him to assess the maximum permissible working pressure, he may require the owner to have the boiler or receiver to be surveyed by an appointed examiner at the owner's expense. NEW FUEL BURNING INSTALLATION 11. Every new fuel burning installation attached to a boiler must be examined by an appointed examiner before it is put into use. PORTABLE GAS GENERATORS 12. Any person requiring to use a portable gas generator must apply in writing to the Principal Surveyor who may grant permission subject to such conditions as to the operation, maintenance, and inspection of the equipment as he sees fit. COMPETENT PERSONS 13. The Principal Surveyor may issue certificates of competency to persons who satisfy him of their suitability to operate boilers or steam receivers. The ordinance contains provision that no boiler or steam receiver may be operated except under the direct supervision of a competent person. MAINTENANCE AND PERIODIC EXAMINATION OF BOILERS, ETC. 14. All boilers and pressure receivers must be properly maintained in accordance with provisions laid down in the ordinance and regulations and must be examined by an appointed examiner at regular

intervals. The maximum interval between examinations for a boiler and its auxiliary equipment is 14 months and for steam receivers and air receivers 26 months. CERTIFICATE OF FITNESS 15. The ordinance prescribes the conditions for issue by a boiler inspector of a certificate of fitness for a boiler or pressure receiver, and makes provision for appeal against refusal to issue a certificate. The certificate must be kept on the premises where the boiler or pressure receiver is installed. SALE, HIRE OR REMOVAL OF APPLIANCES 16. If a boiler or pressure vessel or steam container is hired or sold the owner must notify the Registrar within 7 days of the name and address of the person to whom it has been hired or sold and (unless it is transportable) must report whether the sale or hiring involves removal. 17. Any boiler or steam receiver which has been removed either to new premises or to another part of the same premises must be examined by an appointed examiner before it is put into use again. 18. The owner of a registered boiler, steam container or pressure receiver must notify the Registrar within 7 days if he changes his address. EXAMINATION AFTER EXTENSIVE REPAIRS 19. If extensive repairs have been carried out on a boiler, steam receiver or air receiver, it and its auxiliary equipment, fittings and attachments must be examined by an appointed examiner before being put back into use. PROCEDURE IN THE CASE OF ACCIDENTS OR DEFECTS 20. If an accident occurs in or to a boiler or pressure receiver or to its auxiliary equipment or if the owner becomes aware of any defect that is likely to endanger life or damage property he must at once take the equipment out of use and notify the Principal Surveyor of the accident or defect within 24 hours or earlier if possible. The latest certificate of fitness must be sent to the Principal Surveyor at the same time together with detailed information about the equipment and the accident or defect as laid down in Section 63 of the ordinance.

OFFENCES AND PENALTIES 21. The ordinance sets forth in Sections 50-56 penalties for various breaches. Fines up to $2,000 may be imposed for such offences as failure to furnish information to or notify the Registrar of installations, removals, etc., and up to $10,000 for operating an installation at a pressure greater than approved by the Principal Surveyor or for operating a boiler or steam receiver other than under the direct supervision of a competent person. A fine and imprisonment for up to 12 months may be imposed for various forms of forgery, false certification, etc. PRESSURE. VESSELS 22. The ordinance includes certain provisions in Sections 19, 20, 21, 31 and 49(3) relating to pressure vessels. A pressure vessel for the purposes of the ordinance is a vessel in which liquid fuel is stored and from which it is forced by compressed air. These sections have not yet been brought into force, but when they are brought into force their effect will be as follows: (a) the owner of a pressure vessel already in use must within 6 months notify the Registrar of its location and of his own address and every such pressure vessel must be examined by an appointed examiner within 12 months and every 12 months thereafter. (b) the owner of a new pressure vessel brought into use after Section 19 comes into effect must notify the Registrar within 30 days after it is put into use and must supply its location and his own address, and the pressure vessel must be examined by an appointed examiner within 12 months and every 12 months thereafter. (c) The Registrar will register all pressure vessels so notified and allot a registration number which must be conspicuously marked on the pressure vessel. (d) no pressure vessel may be operated unless it is individually approved or is of a type of brand approved by the Principal Surveyor. (e) if a registered pressure vessel is sold the owner must notify the Registrar wi'hin 7 days of the name and address of the new owner. The owner of a registered pressure vessel must notify the Registrar within 7 days of any change of address of the vessel or himself.

APPENDIX I DEFINITIONS OF THE PRINCIPAL TECHNICAL TERMS IN THE ORDINANCE "air receiver" means (a) any vessel (other than a pipe or coil, or an accessory fitting or part of a compressor) for containing compressed air and which is connected with an air compressing plant; (b) any fixed vessel for containing compressed air or compressed exhaust gases that is used for the purpose of starting an internal combustion engine; (c) any fixed or portable vessel (not being part of a spraying pistol) used for the purpose of spraying, by means of compressed air, any paint, varnish, lacquer or similar material; (d) any pressure vessel; (Note: In this guide air receiver is not used to denote a pressure vessel. Where reference.to a pressure vessel is intended the words "pressure vessel*' are used.) "boiler" means any closed vessel in which for any purpose steam is generated under pressure greater than atmospheric pressure and also means any economizer used to heat water being fed into any such vessel, any superheater used for heating steam and any fitting directly attached to such vessel that is wholly or partly under pressure when steam is shut off; "fuel burning installation" means any oil, or other liquid, or gas fuel burning installation by means of which heat is applied to a boiler for the purpose of generating steam therein; "pressure receiver" means a steam receiver, an air receiver and a portable gas generator; "pressure vessel" means a vessel intended or adapted for 'the expulsion by compressed air of liquid fuel or fuel vapour stored therein; "steam container" means any vessel or apparatus (other than a steam pipe or coil) constructed with a permanent outlet into the atmosphere or into a space where the pressure does not exceed atmospheric pressure, and through which steam is passed at atmospheric pressure or at approximately that pressure for the purpose of heating, boiling, drying, evaporating or other similar purpose; "steam receiver" means any vessel or apparatus (other than a boiler, a steam pipe or coil, or a part of a prime mover) used for containing steam under pressure greater than atmospheric pressure; "accident" means an explosion of a boiler or pressure receiver and also means any damage or other occurrence to or in a boiler or pressure receiver or any part of a boiler or pressure receiver that weakens the boiler or pressure receiver and renders it liable to explode or collapse or is calculated to weaken it and render it liable to explode or collapse;

"auxiliary equipment" means every pipe, fitting and attachment connected to or with a boiler or pressure receiver, as the case may be, and, in the case of a boiler, also< means any fuel burning installation connected therewith; "maker's certificate" means a certificate issued by the manufacturer of a boiler, pressure receiver or steam container certifying that he has constructed the boiler, pressure receiver or steam container, as the case may be, and that the particulars stated in the certificate relate to such boiler, pressure receiver or steam container; "portable gas generator" means a vessel, not being part of a fixed installation, within which acetylene gas is generated by the admixture of calcium carbide and water.