The owner or user has the responsibility to prepare a pressure-retaining item for internal inspection. Requirements of occupational safety and health regulations (federal, state, local, or other), as well as the owner or user's own safety program and the safety program of the inspector's employer are applicable. In the absence of such rules, prudent and generally accepted engineering safety procedures satisfactory to the inspector shall be employed by the owner or user.

The owner or user shall prepare a boiler for internal inspection in the following manner or as required by the inspector:

(1) Water shall be drawn off and the boiler thoroughly washed (when a boiler is being prepared for internal inspection, the water should not be withdrawn until it has been sufficiently cooled).

(2) All manhole and handhole plates and wash-out plugs and water column connections shall be removed, the furnace and combustion chambers thoroughly cooled and cleaned.

(3) All grates of internally fired boilers shall be removed.

(4) At each annual inspection brickwork shall be removed as required by the inspector in order to determine the condition of the boiler headers, drums, furnace, supports, or other parts.

(5) The steam gauge shall be removed for testing or evidence of testing shown.

(6) Any leakage of steam or water into the boiler shall be prevented by either disconnecting the pipe or block valve at the most convenient point or installing isolation blinds. The owner or user must ensure that an effective energy isolation program (lock out and/or tag out) is in place and in effect that will prevent the unexpected energizing, start up, or release of stored energy.

The inspector shall determine that a safe atmosphere exists before entering the boiler or pressure-retaining item.

(7) The low water cutout shall be disassembled to such a degree as the inspector shall require.

(8) Pressure relief devices shall be removed and tested if required by the inspector.

Unfired pressure vessels shall be prepared for internal inspection to the extent deemed necessary by the inspector.