Minnesota Session Laws - 1987, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1987 

                        CHAPTER 70-S.F.No. 1015 
           An act relating to public safety; regulating boilers 
          and their operation; amending Minnesota Statutes 1986, 
          sections 183.375, subdivision 2; 183.411, subdivision 
          2, and by adding a subdivision; 183.42; 183.545, 
          subdivision 4; and 183.56; repealing Minnesota 
          Statutes 1986, section 183.545, subdivision 5. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 183.375, 
subdivision 2, is amended to read:  
    Subd. 2.  [CHIEF OF DIVISION.] Subject to the provisions of 
chapter 43A, the commissioner shall appoint a chief and may 
appoint a deputy chief of the division of boiler 
inspection.  They The appointee shall be a qualified steam 
engineers engineer with at least ten years of operation 
experience as such, five years of boiler inspection experience, 
and shall be licensed as a chief Grade A engineers engineer in 
this state and shall possess a current commission issued by the 
national board of boiler and pressure vessel inspectors.  
Inspectors employed in the division of boiler inspection may 
utilize up to five years of equivalent experience as inspectors, 
in satisfying the requirement of ten years of experience as 
steam engineers for the chief and deputy chief positions.  
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 183.411, 
subdivision 2, is amended to read:  
    Subd. 2.  [INSPECTION.] When used only for display and 
demonstration purposes, steam farm traction engines, portable 
and stationary show engines and portable and stationary show 
boilers shall be inspected every two years according to law. 
    (a) Boilers or show engines of lap seam construction not 
certified in Minnesota or previously certified in Minnesota but 
that have been repaired or altered after certification, may be 
certified in Minnesota if:  
    (1) all alterations have been done in accordance with 
American National Standard ANSI/NB23 R-404 or R-505; or 
    (2) form R-1, report of alteration, has been prepared by a 
registered professional engineer with verification by the 
authorized inspection agency responsible for the in-service 
inspection of the object in accordance with American National 
Standard ANSI/NB23 R-502; or 
    (3) the engine has received a certificate allowing 
operation, or repairs have been authorized under American 
National Standard ANSI/NB23 R-404.1, R-404.2, or R-404.3 in 
Minnesota or another jurisdiction that accepts the provisions of 
American National Standard ANSI/NB23 and an inspection has been 
completed by an inspector certified in Minnesota according to 
the standards set in paragraph (b). 
    (b) A hobby boiler or show engine, not certified in 
Minnesota or any other jurisdiction must successfully complete, 
at the owner's expense, inspection by:  
    (1) full radiographic examination of the long or 
longitudinal seam; and 
    (2) ultrasonic examination for metal thickness (for 
purposes of calculating the maximum allowable working pressure 
the thinnest reading shall be used - see also American National 
Standard ANSI/NB23 I-303.8); and 
    (3) magnetic particle or radiographic examination of areas 
where dye penetrant testing shows possible cracks; and 
    (4) hydrostatic testing at one and one-half maximum 
allowable working pressure.  
    (c) Further each such object shall successfully complete an 
inspection of:  
    (1) the fusible plug; 
    (2) the safety valve, which must be of American society of 
mechanical engineer's approved design and set at the maximum 
allowable working pressure and sealed in an appropriate manner 
not allowing tampering with the valve setting without destroying 
the seal; and 
    (3) the boiler power piping.  
    Any longitudinal cracks found in riveted longitudinal seams 
requires that the vessel be sealed and not approved for use in 
Minnesota.  If the boiler or show engine is jacketed, the jacket 
must be removed prior to inspection. 
    Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 183.411, is 
amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
    Subd. 2a.  [INSPECTION FEES.] The commissioner may set fees 
for inspecting traction engines, show boilers, and show engines 
pursuant to section 16A.128. 
    Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 183.42, is 
amended to read:  
    183.42 [INSPECTION EACH YEAR.] 
    Every owner, lessee, or other person having charge of 
boilers, pressure vessels or any boat subject to inspection 
under this chapter shall cause the same to be inspected by the 
division of boiler inspection.  Boilers and boats subject to 
inspection under this chapter shall be inspected at least 
annually and pressure vessels inspected at least every two 
years.  A person who fails to have the inspection required by 
this section shall pay to the commissioner a penalty in the 
amount of the cost of inspection up to a maximum of $1,000. 
    Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 183.545, 
subdivision 4, is amended to read:  
    Subd. 4.  [APPLICANTS FEES.] The commissioner shall, 
pursuant to section 16A.128, set the fee for an examination of 
an applicant for the following licenses: 
    (a) chief engineer's license;  
    (b) first class engineer's license;  
    (c) second class engineer's license; and 
    (d) special engineer's license;  
    (e) traction engineer's license; and 
    (f) pilot's license. 
    If an applicant, after an examination, is entitled to 
receive a license, it shall be issued without the payment of any 
additional charge.  Any license so issued expires one year after 
the date of its issuance.  An engineer's license may be renewed 
upon application therefor and the payment of an annual renewal 
fee as set by the commissioner pursuant to section 16A.128.  
    The fee is payable at the time of application, which shall 
be made not later than ten days after the date of expiration of 
such license.  If application is made more than ten days after 
the date of expiration of such license, an expired fee shall be 
paid instead of the renewal fee; the expired fees shall be set 
by the commissioner pursuant to section 16A.128.  
    Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 183.56, is 
amended to read:  
    183.56 [EXCEPTIONS.] 
    The provisions of sections 183.38 to 183.62, shall not 
apply to: 
    (1) Boilers in buildings occupied solely for residence 
purposes with accommodations for not more than five families;  
    (2) Railroad locomotives operated by railroad companies for 
transportation purposes;  
    (3) Air tanks installed on the right-of-way of railroads 
and used directly in the operation of trains;  
    (4) Boilers and pressure vessels under the direct 
jurisdiction of the United States;  
    (5) Unfired pressure vessels having an internal or external 
working pressure not exceeding 15 p.s.i.g. with no limit on size;
    (6) Pressure vessels used for storage of compressed air not 
exceeding five cubic feet in volume and equipped with an 
American Society of Mechanical Engineers code stamped safety 
valve set at a maximum of 100 p.s.i.g.;  
    (7) Pressure vessels having an inside diameter not 
exceeding six inches or a length not exceeding 36 inches;  
    (8) Pressure vessels with a nominal water containing 
capacity of 120 gallons or less for containing water under 
pressure including those containing air the compression of which 
serves only as a cushion;  
    (9) Boiler or pressure vessels located on farms used solely 
for agricultural or horticultural purposes;  
    (10) Tanks or cylinders used for storage or transfer of 
liquified petroleum gases;  
    (11) Unfired pressure vessels in petroleum refineries;  
    (12) An air tank or pressure vessel which is an integral 
part of a passenger motor bus, truck, or trailer;  
    (13) Hot water heating and other hot liquid boilers not 
exceeding a heat input of 750,000 BTU per hour;  
    (14) Hot water supply boilers (water heaters) not exceeding 
a heat input of 500,000 BTU per hour, a water temperature of 210 
degrees Fahrenheit, a nominal water capacity of 120 gallons, or 
a pressure of 160 p.s.i.g.; and 
    (15) A laundry and dry cleaning presser press not exceeding 
five cubic feet of steam volume; and 
    (16) Pressure vessels operated full of water or other 
liquid not materially more hazardous than water, if the vessel's 
contents' temperature does not exceed 140 degrees fahrenheit or 
a pressure of 200 p.s.i.g.  
    An engineers license is not required for hot water supply 
boilers.  
    An engineers license is not required for boilers, steam 
cookers, steam kettles, steam sterilizers or other steam 
generators not exceeding 100,000 BTU per hour input, 25 
kilowatt, 2-1/2 horsepower or a pressure of 15 p.s.i.g.  
    Electric boilers not exceeding a maximum working pressure 
of 50 p.s.i.g., maximum of 30 kilowatt input or three horsepower 
rating shall be inspected as pressure vessels and shall not 
require an engineer license to operate.  
    Sec. 7.  [REPEALER.] 
    Minnesota Statutes 1986, section 183.545, subdivision 5, is 
repealed. 
    Approved May 7, 1987