SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5040

               As Passed Senate, March 12, 1999

Title:  An act relating to boilers and unfired pressure vessels.

Brief Description:  Modifying standards and requirements for the operation and inspection of boilers and other pressure vessels.

Sponsors:  Senators Fairley and Horn; by request of Department of Labor & Industries.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Labor & Workforce Development:  1/14/99, 1/26/99 [DP].

Passed Senate, 3/12/99, 49-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Fairley, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Hochstatter, Kline, Oke, Wojahn.

Staff:David Pringle (786-7448)

Background:  Boilers and unfired pressure vessels are widely used in Washington industries such as pulp and paper refineries.  The Board of Boiler Rules is appointed by the Governor to represent specific categories of stakeholders and formulate rules for the safe construction, installation, repair, use, and operation of boilers and unfired pressure vessels.  The board may adopt the rules of AThe Boiler Construction Code of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers@ to make up a part or the whole set of rules.

Current law provides for boiler and unfired pressure vessel inspections either by the Department of Labor and Industries or special inspectors commissioned by the department.

Some boilers and unfired pressure vessels are exempt from all or some of the controlling laws, including some specified small or low pressure tanks, some boilers and unfired pressure vessels controlled by federal interstate commerce regulation, and some specified tanks used in residences.

The current Washington regulation was originally enacted in 1951 and generally has not been updated since 1974.  Changing industry practices and terminology are no longer accurately reflected in statute.

Summary of Bill:  The membership of the Board of Boiler Rules is modified.

Rules formulated by the board are to be based upon nationally or internationally accepted engineering standards.  Reference to the Boiler Construction Code of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers is deleted.

Unfired pressure vessels and hot water heaters that meet specified size and pressure restrictions and do not contain steam, lethal substances, or liquids with low flash points are exempt from regulation.  Special inspectors may inspect boilers in addition to unfired pressure vessels.

Technical changes eliminate references to a form that no longer exists, substitute a specific definition for the term Aambient temperature,@ raise the maximum permitted temperature of one type of exempt vessel from 200 to 210 degrees, and clarify the application of one section to unfired pressure vessels in addition to boilers.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after the adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  There is broad industry consensus for these changes.  It eases back on some regulations and will keep the rules in line with industry standards.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Steve Bacon, Tosco Refining Co.; Frank Sanchez, Board of Boiler Rules; Charlie Butros, Board of Boiler Rules; Patrick Woods, Dept. of Labor and Industries.

House Amendment(s):  Companies operating either a boiler or an unfired pressure vessel may commission inspectors, rather than only those companies operating both types of devices.