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Written by Bryan Haywood

Parent Category: Safety Info Posts

Category: Chemical Process Safety (PSM/RMP)

Published: 20 January 2015

A question I am asked nearly each month is... do I have to have a person dedicated to operating the boiler and is this person restricted from performing any other functions while acting as the "boiler operator"? While I am not a "boiler expert", most of my clients have industrial size boilers associated with their chemical process(s) so I deal with boiler compliance, as it relates to PSM/RMP impacts on a regular basis. All states have "Boiler Codes" and most are similar, but not exactly the same.  Using Ohio's State Boiler Code,  which was REVISED in 2014 and became effective on 1/1/2015,  there are some methods in which an employer can implement sort of a PSM program for their boiler(s) and this would get them out of the boiler(s) having continuous, manned attendance during all times of operation for certain size and type boilers.  But if the employer does NOT like the idea of Process Safety Management (PSM) being applied to their boiler(s), they will in FACT need to maintain continuously, manned attendance during all times of operation of certain size and type steam boiler(s).  In fact, in many ways, this newly revised section of the code is written so tightly that it is actually MORE demanding for operating a boiler without continuous, manned attendance than OSHA's PSM standard is for chemical processes!  Here are the REQUIREMENTS in the state of Ohio, for those types and sized boilers, to operate without continuous, manned attendance...

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