Pennsylvania Code
Title 34 - LABOR AND INDUSTRY
Part I - Department of Labor and Industry
Chapter 3a - BOILER AND UNFIRED PRESSURE VESSEL REGULATIONS
Subchapter A - GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 3a.1 - Definitions
Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 38, September 21, 2024
The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
AGA-American Gas Association, 400 North Capital Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 2001.
ANSI-American National Standards Institute, 1430 Broadway, New York, New York 10018.
ANSI/NB23-National Board Inspection Code, 2004 edition, issued by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors.
ASME-The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Three Park Avenue, New York, New York, 10016-5990.
ASME B 31.1-"The ASME Code for Pressure Piping," 2004 edition issued by ASME.
ASME Code-"The Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code," 2004 edition and its published cases and interpretations issued by ASME.
ASME/CSD1-"Controls and Safety Devices for Automatically Fired Boilers," 2002 edition issued by ASME.
Act-The Boiler and Unfired Pressure Vessel Law (35 P. S. §§ 1331.1-1331.19).
Alteration-
(i) A change in the item described on the original manufacturer's data report, which affects the pressure containing capability of the pressure retaining item.
(ii) The term also includes nonphysical changes such as an increase in maximum allowable working pressure or an increase in design temperature of a pressure-retaining item and a reduction in minimum temperature that requires additional mechanical tests.
American Welding Society-The American Welding Society, 550 N.W. Lejenuen Road, Miami, Florida 33126.
Btu-British thermal unit.
Boiler-
(i) A closed vessel in which water is heated, steam is generated, steam is superheated, or any combination of these actions, under pressure or vacuum, for use externally to itself, by the direct application of heat from the combustion of fuels, or from electricity.
(ii) The term includes fired vessels for heating of liquids other than water where these vessels are separate from processing systems and are complete within themselves.
Certificate of competency-A document issued by the Department to an individual who has passed a National Board Commission Examination conducted in this Commonwealth.
Code of construction-ASME Code in effect at the time the boiler or unfired pressure vessel was manufactured.
Condemned boiler or unfired pressure vessel-A boiler or unfired pressure vessel which was inspected and declared unsafe or disqualified for use by the Department.
Department-The Department of Labor and Industry of the Commonwealth.
External inspection-An inspection made when a boiler or an unfired pressure vessel is in operation or in condition to be operational.
Fusion welding-The process of welding metals in a molten, or molten and vaporous state, without the application of mechanical pressure of blows.
Heat exchanger-A device having a shell and head, and a method to exchange heat between steam, hot water or any other liquid. This device may be fired or unfired.
IBC-The "International Building Code 2003" issued by the ICC.
ICC-International Code Council, 5203 Leesburg Pike, suite 600, Fall Church, Virginia 22041-3401.
IMC-The "International Mechanical Code 2003" issued by the ICC.
Industrial Board-The Department's Industrial Board established under sections 445 and 2214 of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. §§ 155 and 574) which hears requests for variances, extensions of time and appeals of Department decisions under the act.
Instantaneous water heater-A vessel in which water is heated as it passes through the vessel. Water is not stored in the vessel.
Internal inspection-An inspection made when a boiler or unfired pressure vessel is shut down and handholes, manholes, or other inspection openings are opened for inspection of the interior of the boiler or unfired pressure vessel.
Inspector-An inspector commissioned by the Department to field-inspect boilers or unfired pressure vessels in this Commonwealth.
Lap seam crack-A crack found in a lap seam, extending parallel to the longitudinal joint and located between or adjacent to rivet holes.
Locomotive boiler-
(i) A boiler mounted on a self-propelled track locomotive and used to furnish motivating power for travel on rails.
(ii) The term does not include locomotive cranes, tractors or other self-propelled apparatus.
Low pressure heating boiler-A steam boiler operated at a pressure not exceeding 15 psig or a hot water heating or hot water supply boiler operating at a pressure not exceeding 160 psig and a temperature not exceeding 250° F.
Miniature boiler-A boiler which is not more than 16 inches inside diameter of the shell, 5 cubic feet gross volume, excluding casing and insulation; 100 psig maximum allowable working pressure; and, 20 square feet of heating surface.
NB-263-"Rules for Commissioned Inspectors," revision 13 issued by the National Board.
NEC-The "National Electric Code, National Fire Protection Association's Standard 70," 2002 edition, issued by the NFPA.
NFPA-The National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy Massachusetts 02269.
NFPA 85-The "Boiler and Combustion System Hazard Code," 2004 edition, issued by the NFPA.
National Board-The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, 1055 Crupper Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43229.
Nonstandard boiler-A boiler which does not bear ASME stamping.
Nonstandard unfired pressure vessel-An unfired pressure vessel which does not bear ASME stamping.
Owner or user-A person, firm, corporation or governmental body owning or operating any boiler or unfired pressure vessel within this Commonwealth.
Psig-Pounds per square inch gauge.
Psi-Pounds per square inch.
Pennsylvania special boiler-A boiler which does not bear standard stamping and bears special Pennsylvania stamping and a Department-approved number.
Pennsylvania special unfired pressure vessel-An unfired pressure vessel which bears special Pennsylvania stamping and a Department-approved number and does not bear standard stamping.
Portable boiler-A boiler which is designed to be moved from location to location and used on a temporary basis.
Power boiler-A closed vessel in which steam or other vapor is generated at a pressure of more than 15 psig by the direct application of heat.
Process boiler-Any vessel in which steam is generated or superheated under pressure or for use external to itself by direct or indirect application of heat. The source of heat must be in part from a process other than the boiler itself. To be classified as a process boiler, the boiler must be directly tied to another process other than the generation of steam.
R stamp-A National Board designation indicating that a company is authorized to repair boilers and vessels.
R-1 form-National Board report of repair form.
Reinstalled equipment-Equipment removed from its original setting and reinstalled in the same location or a new location without change of ownership.
Repair-The process of restoring a boiler or unfired pressure vessel component or system to a safe and satisfactory condition.
Secondhand boiler-A boiler whose location and ownership have been changed after primary use.
Secondhand unfired pressure vessel-An unfired pressure vessel whose location and ownership have been changed after primary use.
Secretary-The Secretary of the Department.
Standard boiler or unfired pressure vessel-A boiler or an unfired pressure vessel which bears stamping in accordance with this chapter.
Standard Qualification Procedures of the American Welding Society, D1.1- The "Structure Welding Code, Steel 2002" issued by the American Welding Society.
Steam coil vessel-A vessel that stores hot water that contains an internal steam coil with controls used to heat hot water.
Storage water heater-A fired or an electrically heated vessel for storing or furnishing hot water supply.
Unfired pressure vessel-A vessel in which pressure is obtained from an external source or from an indirect application of heat.
Unfired steam boiler-An unfired pressure vessel which generates steam for power or heat to be used externally to itself.
VR stamp-A National Board designation that a company is authorized to repair and set safety relief valves.
