Regulations on labor safety for boilers and pressure vessels

Operating space of a steam boiler

Boilers and pressure vessels play a crucial role in various industries but also pose potential risks of serious workplace accidents. Therefore, the management, use, inspection, maintenance, and repair of boilers and pressure vessels must comply with the occupational safety regulations issued by the state.

1. National Technical Standards for Occupational Safety of Boilers and Pressure Vessels

In this article, Naan will introduce QCVN: 012008/MOLISA – National Technical Standards for Occupational Safety of Boilers and Pressure Vessels compiled by the Directorate of Occupational Safety, Ministry of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, issued under Decision No. 64/2008/QD-MOLISA on November 27, 2008, after the evaluation of the Ministry of Science and Technology. This standard specifies safety technical requirements in the design, manufacturing, import-export, buying, selling, installation, repair, use, inspection, examination, incident investigation, training, and certification of pressure vessels with a working pressure exceeding 0.7 bar, excluding static pressure.

QCVN: 012008/MOLISA – National Technical Standards for Occupational Safety of Boilers and Pressure Vessels

Download: QCVN-01-2008. An toan lao dong noi hoi va binh chiu ap luc

This standard does not apply to boilers and pressure vessels on ships, boilers using nuclear or solar energy, those with a capacity of less than 25 liters and a product of capacity (in liters) and pressure (in bar) not exceeding 200, non-metallic tanks, tube-constructed tanks with a maximum inner diameter of 150mm, air reservoirs of braking devices for moving parts in railway transportation, automobiles, and other means of transport, water containers with a pressure not exceeding 0.7 bar at a temperature not exceeding 115°C or containing liquids with a boiling point at 0.7 bar.

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These regulations consist of 9 articles and 3 appendices, including:

• Article 1: General provisions on terms, definitions, scope, and responsibilities of related parties.
• Article 2: Design and manufacture of boilers and pressure vessels.
• Article 3: Import-export, buying, selling, and transfer of boilers and pressure vessels.
• Article 4: Installation and repair of boilers and pressure vessels.
• Article 5: Management and use of boilers and pressure vessels.
• Article 6: Safety inspection and registration of boilers and pressure vessels.
• Article 7: Inspection, testing, and incident investigation.
• Article 8: Responsibilities of managers, operators, and pressure welders.
• Article 9: Enforcement provisions.
• Appendix 1: Incident investigation report template.
• Appendix 2: Boiler and pressure vessel inspection report template.
• Appendix 3: Boiler and pressure vessel biography template.

2. Regulations on the Management and Use of Boilers and Pressure Vessels

Guide to Starting a Steam Boiler

Next, Naan will present the content of Article 5, which regulates the management and use of boilers and pressure vessels. This includes general provisions, operation procedures, maintenance regulations, troubleshooting procedures, and handling of incidents.

a. General provisions:

• Users of boilers and pressure vessels must prepare a management record for boilers and pressure vessels, which must include management contents such as: Maintenance schedule, repair, operation check, and inspection. ... Organize and carry out operational checks and inspections on time.
• Users of boilers and pressure vessels are prohibited from operating boilers and pressure vessels that have passed the inspection period. Do not allow the use of pressure gauges that have not been inspected or have passed the inspection period; Safety valves are not guaranteed, have lost seals, have not been calibrated, or have passed the inspection period (for safety valves of pressure vessels, tanks, working cylinders, or containing toxic substances). , are flammable and explosive without allowing their operation to be checked regularly).
• Users of boilers and pressure vessels must rely on the manufacturer's instructions for use, current Vietnamese standards on safety techniques, and the actual condition and working mode of the boiler and pressure vessels. effort to develop a maintenance and repair schedule that clearly states the time and details that must be checked for maintenance, repair, and replacement.
• Users of boilers and pressure vessels must base on the manufacturer's instructions for use, current Vietnamese standards on safety techniques and specific characteristics of the equipment, to develop and promulgate regulations, Safe operating procedures for each boiler and pressure vessel and this is one of the mandatory documents used in initial and annual safety training for operators and operations managers (if applicable). Have).
• At the place where boilers and pressure vessels are located, there must be a table summarizing operating procedures and troubleshooting hanging in a suitable position so that the operator can easily see and read it but does not affect the operation.
• Users of boilers and pressure vessels must have lightning protection measures to safely protect boilers and fixed pressure vessels; Equipped with necessary fire-fighting equipment according to regulations of the fire prevention and fighting agency. Develop fire and explosion prevention plans and incident response plans for boilers and pressure vessels.

b. Operation regulations:

• Boiler and pressure vessel operators must have a boiler and pressure vessel operating certificate issued by a competent authority.
• Boiler and pressure vessel operators must operate boilers and pressure vessels in accordance with the facility's operating procedures; promptly detect and calmly handle incidents according to procedures, immediately notify the person in charge and record them in the operating logbook.
• While the boiler or pressure vessel is operating, do not work alone or leave the position. It is forbidden to assign female workers to directly operate boilers.
• Allows boilers and pressure vessels working with non-toxic, non-flammable and explosive media to operate without direct operators if the boilers and pressure vessels are equipped with automatic systems. Signals and protection ensure normal working mode or automatically stop working when the working mode of the boiler or pressure vessel malfunctions, which can lead to incidents.
• The user must develop procedures and regulations to check the perfect working of the above-mentioned automatic and protective systems of boilers and pressure vessels. Inspection results are recorded in the boiler and pressure vessel monitoring book.
• The quality of water supplied to the boiler must comply with the regulations of the designer and manufacturer but must not be lower than current Vietnamese standards on safety techniques for that type of boiler.

c. Maintenance and repair regulations:

• Users of boilers and pressure vessels must periodically maintain and repair boilers and pressure vessels according to the established and issued schedule.
• Maintenance and repair of boilers and pressure vessels must be performed by people with expertise, qualifications, experience and valid certificates.
• Results of maintenance and repair must be recorded in the boiler and pressure vessel monitoring book.
• If there are changes in structure, capacity, pressure, temperature, medium, location of boiler or pressure vessel, procedures for re-inspection and re-registration must be carried out according to regulations.

d. Regulations on loading substances:

• Filling gas (compressed air, liquefied gas, dissolved gas, etc.) into bottles, tanks, and barrels must be done by a person with the gas filling function.
• People who fill, store, and transport gas filled bottles, tanks, and barrels must comply with the provisions of current Vietnamese standards on safety techniques for related work.
• Users of gas filled in bottles, tanks, and barrels, in addition to implementing the provisions of current Vietnamese standards on safety techniques, must also comply with the instructions for use of gas refillers or sellers.

e. Incident handling regulations:

• When an incident occurs with a boiler or pressure vessel, the operator must immediately stop operating the boiler or pressure vessel, cut off the power source, close the safety valves, cut-off valves, and control valves. , immediately notify the person in charge and the competent authority.
• The person in charge must organize incident handling, remedy consequences, protect the scene, collect documents and evidence, prepare incident investigation records according to the prescribed form, and report to competent authorities and agencies. Labor safety technical inspection agency.
• The occupational safety technical inspection agency must participate in investigating the incident, determine the cause, propose remedial and preventive measures and handle responsibilities according to the provisions of law.

3. Conclusion

Boilers and pressure vessels play a crucial role in various industries but also pose potential risks of serious workplace accidents. Therefore, the management, use, inspection, maintenance, and repair of boilers and pressure vessels must comply with the occupational safety regulations issued by the state. QCVN: 012008/MOLISA – National Technical Standards for Occupational Safety of Boilers and Pressure Vessels is one of the important documents that regulate technical safety requirements in the design, manufacturing, import-export, buying, selling, installation, repair, use, inspection, examination, incident investigation, training, and certification of pressure vessels with a working pressure exceeding 0.7 bar, excluding static pressure. Compliance with this standard is not only a legal obligation but also brings many benefits and significance to workers, users, managers, operators, repairers, inspectors, and authorized agencies, as well as to society and the environment.

Naan hopes that this article has provided you with useful information about the regulations on occupational safety for boilers and pressure vessels. If you have any questions or need further advice, please feel free to contact us.