SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2000 SESSION


CHAPTER 879
An Act to amend and reenact § 40.1-51.19:3 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 40.1-51.19:4.1, relating to antique and model boilers.
[H 1372]
Approved April 9, 2000

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 40.1-51.19:3 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 40.1-51.19:4.1 as follows:

§ 40.1-51.19:3. Inspection and testing.

A. An antique or model boiler shall be inspected every two years. It shall be the duty of the owner of any antique or model boiler to obtain and display an inspection certificate.

B. The inspection of every antique or model boiler shall include an examination of or for the following:

1. The fusible plug, if provided in the original design.

2. The safety valve or valves. Such valve or valves shall be (i) rated by the marked with an American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) stamp, (ii) set at or below the maximum allowable working pressure, and (iii) sealed in a manner that does not allow tampering with the valve without destroying the seal. The requirement of clause (i) shall be waived for model boilers upon the passage of an accumulation test.

3. Internal corrosion.

4. Leakage.

5. The boiler power piping, up to and including the first valve.

C. An antique or model boiler shall be subjected to nondestructive testing, at the owner's expense, to determine the maximum allowable working pressure in accordance with Boiler and Pressure Vessel rules and regulations (16 VAC 25-50-10 et seq.).

D. All antique and model boilers shall pass a hydrostatic test. The pressure shall be at one and one-half one-quarter maximum allowable working pressure, conducted in the presence of an inspector, at the time of certification and as frequently as determined by the inspection certificate and as deemed necessary based on inspections or other evidence. An antique or model boiler that does not meet the requirements of the ASME code and is not certified registered in the Commonwealth, shall, at the owner's expense, be tested to twice one and one-half times the maximum allowable working pressure for antique boilers and twice the maximum allowable working pressure for model boilers and, to be operated, shall have a successful (i) for lap seam and nonstandard welded boilers only, complete radiographic or ultrasonic examination of the long or longitudinal seam; (ii) ultrasonic examination for metal thickness, and for the purpose of calculating the maximum allowable working pressure, the thinnest reading shall be used; and (iii) for antique boilers with lap seam construction, dye penetrant or magnetic particle examination for cracks with a magnetic particle, an ultrasonic, or radiographic examination of areas where dye penetrant testing shows possible cracks.

The requirements of this subsection for antique boilers only testing to one and one-half times the maximum allowable working pressure or full radiographic or ultrasonic examination may be waived after the initial inspection if the inspector finds that the general standards of subsection B are met and the safety valve or valves are set at the maximum allowable working pressure determined by the following: calculations from the ultrasonic results or 100 pounds per square inch, whichever is lower. If a variance is requested for butt strap antique boilers, the Commissioner shall not deny such variance request without a given, valid reason.

The requirements of this subsection for model boilers only for testing to twice the maximum allowable working pressure or full radiographic or ultrasonic examination may be waived after the initial inspection if the inspector finds that the general standards of subsection B are met and the safety valve or valves are set at the maximum allowable working pressure determined by calculations from the ultrasonic results, or 100 pounds per square inch, whichever is lower.

§ 40.1-51.19:4.1. Variances.

The Commissioner may, pursuant to subdivision 9 of § 40.1-6, allow a variance from the requirements of this article, upon application, provided the applicant proves by clear and convincing evidence that his antique or model boiler meets substantially equivalent construction and operating criteria and standards.