Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspections

Inspections required to ensure ongoing safety of plant

Owners of boilers and pressure vessels (pressure equipment) have an ongoing obligation (duty of care) to ensure that their plant is maintained in a safe operational condition for its service life and that they have in place a safe system of work associated with that plant. Regular checks, relevant tests and maintenance inspections are to be conducted at intervals as required by the manufacturer or a code of practice (where one exists) or, if there is conflict or other advice is not available, the Director of Industry Safety (Workplace Standards Tasmania). These checks, relevant tests and maintenance inspection should be recorded for the service life of the item of plant.

Inspections to meet plant (plant item) registration requirements

In addition to the above mentioned inspection requirements for boilers, pressure vessels and other plant classified as Hazardous Plant there are specific requirements in the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 1998 for registration and record keeping.

Boilers and pressure vessels referenced in Schedule 7 of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 1998 are required to be inspected by a  Registered Plant Inspector:

• before being placed in service in the workplace for the first time,
• after being returned to service after major structural repairs,
• after being relocated, if it is normally fixed plant,
• when significant alteration or addition are made to pressure retaining parts,
• at intervals specified by a code of practice (where one exists) or as determined by the manufacturer, or the Director of Industry Safety, if there is conflict or other advice is not available.

Operation of pressure equipment

Any person operating pressure equipment referenced in Schedule 5 of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations 1998 must hold an appropriately endorsed statutory certificate of competency (Pressure Equipment Certificate of Competency) or a suitably endorsed Licence to Perform High Risk Work

Additional information

Further resource information, which may further assist in compliance, is included under Pressure Systems.