Current through August, 2024
(a) The following
shall apply to the care of the boiler room:
(1) The boiler room shall be free from
accumulation of rubbish and materials that obstruct access to the boiler, its
setting, or firing equipment;
(2)
The storage of flammable material or gasoline powered equipment in the boiler
room is prohibited;
(3) The roof
over boilers designed for indoor installations, shall be free from leaks and
maintained in good condition;
(4)
Adequate drainage shall be provided;
(5) All exit doors shall open outward;
and
(6) It is recommended that the
ASME BPVC Section VII be used as a guide for proper and safe operating
practices.
(b) The
following shall apply to boiler supports, foundations, and settings:
(1) Each boiler and its associated piping
shall be safely supported. Design of supports, foundations, and settings shall
consider vibration, including seismic where necessary, movement including
thermal expansion and contraction, and loadings including the weight of the
fluid in the system during a pressure test in accordance with jurisdictional
requirements, manufacturers recommendations, and other industry standards as
applicable; and
(2) If the boiler
is supported by structural steel, the steel supporting members shall be so
located or insulated that the heat from the furnace will not affect their
strength. Structural steel shall be installed in accordance with jurisdictional
requirements, manufacturer's recommendations, and other industry standards, as
applicable.
(c) Exit. Two
means of exit shall be provided for equipment rooms exceeding 500 square feet
of floor area and containing one or more boilers having a combined fuel
capacity of 1,000,000 Btu/hr or more (or equivalent electrical heat input).
Each elevation shall be provided with at least two means of exit, each to be
remotely located from each other. A platform at the top of a single boiler is
not considered an elevation.
(d)
Ladders and runways. The following shall apply to ladders and runways:
(1) All walkways, runways, and platforms
shall be of metal construction or equivalent material;
(2) Provided between or over the top of
boilers that are more than eight (8) feet above the operating floor to afford
accessibility for normal operation, maintenance, and inspection;
(3) Constructed of safety treads, standard
grating, or similar material and have a minimum width of thirty (30) inches; of
bolted, welded, or riveted construction; and equipped with handrails forty-two
(42) inches high with an intermediate rail and four (4) inch
toe-board;
(4) Stairways that serve
as a means of access to walkways, runways, or platforms shall not exceed an
angle of forty-five (45) degrees from the horizontal and shall be equipped with
handrails forty-two (42) inches high with an intermediate rail;
(5) Ladders that serve as a means of access
to walkways, runways, or platforms shall:
(A)
Be made of metal construction and not less than eighteen (18) inches
wide;
(B) Have rungs that extend
through the side members and are permanently secured;
(C) Have a clearance of not less than thirty
(30) inches from the front of rungs to the nearest permanent object on the
climbing side of the ladder;
(D)
Have a clearance of not less than six and a half (6-1/2) inches from the back
of rungs to the nearest permanent object; and
(E) Have a clearance width of at least
fifteen (15) inches from the center of the ladder on either side across the
front of the ladder; and
(6) There shall be at least two permanently
installed means of exit from walkways, runways, or platforms that exceed six
(6) feet in length.
(e)
Fuel. Fuel systems, whether firing coal, oil, gas, or other substance, shall be
installed in accordance with departmental, environmental requirements,
manufacturer's recommendations, and industry standards, as
applicable.
(f) Ventilation and
combustion air. The following shall apply to ventilation and combustion air:
(1) The equipment room shall have an adequate
air to permit clean, safe combustion, minimize soot formation, and maintain a
minimum of nineteen and a half per cent (19.5%) oxygen in the air of the
equipment room and sufficient to maintain ambient temperatures as recommended
by the boiler manufacturer. The combustion and ventilation air should be
supplied by either an unobstructed air opening or by power ventilation or fans.
When combustion air is supplied to the boiler by an independent duct, with or
without the employment of power ventilators or fans, the duct shall be sized
and installed in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations;
(2) When combustion air is supplied to the
boiler, heater, or vessel by an independent duct, with or without the
employment of power ventilators or fans, the duct shall be sized and installed
in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations;
(3) Unobstructed air openings shall be sized
based on the manufacturer's recommendations, or as specified by the National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards for oil and gas burning
installations for the particular job conditions, or 1 square inch free area per
2000 Btu/hr maximum fuel input of the combined burners located in the equipment
room. The equipment room supply openings shall be kept clear at all times;
(4) Power ventilators or fans
shall be sized on the basis of 0.2 cfm for each 1000 Btu/hr of maximum fuel
input for the combined burners of all boilers and heaters located in the
equipment in the equipment room. Additional capacity may be required for other
fuel burninig equipment in the equipment room;
(5) When ventilators or fans are used to
supply combustion air, they shall be installed with interlock devices so that
burners will not operate without an adequate number of ventilators or fans in
operation;
(6) The size of openings
specified in subsection (c) may be reduced when special engineered air supply
systems approved by the jurisdiction are used; and
(7) Care shall be taken to ensure that steam,
water, and fluid lines are not routed across combustion air openings, where
freezing may occur.
(g)
Lighting. The equipment room shall be well lit and have an emergency light
source for use in case of power failure.
(h) Chimneys or stacks shall be installed in
accordance with jurisdictional, environmental requirements, manufacturer's
recommendations, and industry standards, as applicable.
(i) Ash removal systems shall be installed in
accordance with jurisdictional, environmental requirements, manufacturer's
recommendations, and industry standards, as applicable.
(j) Water (cleaning). A convenient water
supply shall be provided for flushing out the boiler and its appurtenances,
adding water to the boiler while it is not under pressure, and cleaning the
equipment room floor.
