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Department of Safety and Professional Services
Department of Safety and Professional Services
Programs

Boiler and Pressure Vessel Permit/Inspection Guidelines

Inspection Timing

  1. Every effort shall be made by the inspector and owner to have inspections performed prior to the current permit to operate (PTO) expiration date.

  2. The certified inspector, prior to an inspection, shall contact the owner or owner's rep who shall be given an opportunity to accompany the inspector during the physical inspection of any workplace.

  3. The eSLA database is programmed to accept inspection reports performed up to 120 days prior to PTO expiration.

  4. Earlier submittals may be accepted in extraordinary circumstances such as customer requests and/or synchronization of expiration dates (see #4).

  5. Inspections performed more than 120 days early are required to include comments explaining the specific reason for early inspection.

Inspection Entry

  1. Please review inspection report for completeness. Incorrect, incomplete, or illegible reports will be returned to sender. Should include:

    1. Operating conditions. 

    2. Operating conditions. 

    3. Date of last inspection. 

    4. Current Permit to Operate (PTO) (paper document). 

    5. ASME Code Symbol stamping or mark of Code of Construction. 

    6. National Board number and Jurisdictional registration number.

    7. Records, including repairs alterations, and welding certificates.

    8. Working pressure.

    9. Any violations cited need to include reference to the specific code section.

  2. Inspections shall be entered into inspection database within 5 days of completion for integration into eSLA.

Inspection Types

  1. Do not submit “external” inspection reports for power boilers.

  2. Do not submit inspection reports for objects with periodic exemptions per SPS 341.18. 

  3. Internal or external inspection reports may be submitted for heating boilers.

  4. The status of previously permitted objects that are removed from service shall be reported via inspection report submittal.

  5. Boilers and UPVs shall be inspected by a certified inspector before they are placed in operation.

Expiration Dates

  1. The initial PTO expiration date is issued from the initial inspection of a newly installed boiler or UPV. The month and day become the PTO anniversary date.

  2. Power boilers are issued a PTO for a term of one year from the PTO anniversary date.

  3. All other boilers and UPVs are issued a PTO for a term of 3 years.

  4. The initial month and day remain the PTO expiration date for the life of the object unless a change in date is approved and updated by Department staff for the following reasons:

    1. Object fully disconnected from service and reactivated later.

      • The reinstall inspection date would then create a new PTO date. 

    2. Owner/Owner rep requests synchronization of PTO dates across multiple units in facility:

      • Request must be made via email to DSPSSBBoilerTech@wisconsin.gov

      • The Department will make the final determination of the eventual synchronization date by updating anniversary dates to the earliest PTO expiration date if feasible.

    3. Extension requested by owner/operator per SPS 341.17(6) to include the following: 

      • PTO # and /or WI ID Tag # of the object.

      • Current PTO expiration date and requested PTO extension date (please note if the month/day is to remain the exp date going forward or you would like it to revert to the original month/day).

      • Outline the conditions that necessitate the extension.

      • The certified inspector must provide concurrence with the request via letter or email.

      • Request must be made via email to DSPSSBBoilerTech@wisconsin.gov

Inspection Status

  1. The licensed inspector is fully responsible for making the inspection status determination.

  2. If there are no violations and operating conditions are satisfactory the inspection status should be Approved. 

  3. If conditions warrant and object is not in compliance, mark the inspection status Denied or In Violation, and include order/code citations.

  4. The inspector may determine that minor violations do not require holding of the PTO and can thereby write orders on an Approved inspection. 

  5. Previously permitted objects that are removed from service are to be reported via inspection updating the PTO status to Inactive or Non-existent.

Violations

  1. Violations and corrective work orders shall be issued using the inspection report.

  2. All violations/orders noted need to include the associated code reference.

  3. All violations need to have a compliance date determined at the inspector’s discretion.

  4. The following are major deficiencies and shall require immediate stop order(s) inspection reports submitted via eSLA and reported via email to DSPSSBBoilerTech@wisconsin.gov

    1. Items posing a direct threat to life-safety.

    2. Boiler, pressure vessel, power piping, gas systems, mechanical refrigeration, and refrigeration piping systems which are operating without required safety components as required by the applicable code per SPS 340, 341, 343, 345 and all adopted codes.

Follow-Up / Reinspection

  1. Serious life safety issues should be allowed no more than 15 days for compliance.

  2. Normally a 30-day compliance date for operating violations is acceptable. 

  3. 60-90 days may be allowed for minor violations.

Integration / Entry Into eSLA

  1. Jurisdiction Online and HSB’s software are set up to send and receive data electronically through integration with eSLA. All insurance company inspections should be submitted via integration.

Audits

  1. Department staff will perform routine audits of credentialed Wisconsin Boiler Inspectors to ensure the safety of the users/operators, assist in the education of inspectors, and to create consistency among the companies and inspectors performing inspections in Wisconsin.

  2. Audits may consist of the following types:

    1. Ride Along – auditor schedules to meet the inspector at the object site and observe inspection processes following the department inspection checklist.

    2. Follow Up – auditor randomly selects an inspection completed in the preceding 3 months and performs a solo audit of the inspection performed utilizing the Department audit checklist.

    3. Customer Request – requested by owner/operator of the regulated object auditor performs a solo audit of the inspection performed utilizing audit checklist.

    4. Supervisor Request – requested by program Section Chief, auditor and Section Chief perform a joint audit of the inspection performed utilizing audit checklist.

Permit To Operate

  1. The owner or user of the boiler or pressure vessel shall be responsible for obtaining and maintaining a valid PTO.

  2. The PTO shall be posted near the boiler or pressure vessel by the owner or user of the boiler or pressure vessel.

  3. The PTO shall be issued by the Department to the owner or user of the boiler or pressure vessel.

  4. The PTO shall give the maximum allowable working pressure, the certified inspector's name, and the expiration date.

  5. The PTO shall be valid until the next required periodic inspection or until rescinded due to code violations.

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