Fail safe and alarm If the boilers can, and actually do, automatically shut down safely as a result of any malfunction or incident, a competent boiler operator shall be on site at all times whilst the boilers are operating; they shall be able to attend the boiler house within 5 minutes. The operator shall be able to hear or see if the boiler is in alarm at all times. Electronic call devices may be used if accepted by risk assessment. The boiler operator may have other duties at the site, but they will be present for warming through, starting and stopping the boiler, and shall have specific boiler operational duties such as testing alarms and water quality tests. The boilers shall be their first priority. Automatic shut down on limiters with alarms Where the boilers automatically shut down safely as a result of any limiting device activating (low water for instance), or a malfunction or an incident, a competent boiler operator shall attend the boilers at least on a daily basis – they might not be based on site. Speed of response to alarms might be a critical part of the risk assessment. Auto TDS and bottom blowdown shall be installed on any boiler left unattended for 24hrs. However, a trained person on site shall be able to respond to an alarm in the absence of a competent boiler operator to ensure that the boilers shut down, and be able to summon a competent boiler operator. The trained person may need do no more than respond to an alarm (which can be as simple as "If this red light comes on press this red button and contact the duty boiler operator ”) but they shall be on site at all times to carry out that action if it is required. Remotely monitored fail safe with alarms If the boilers are monitored from a remote monitoring location all the time they are operating then a competent boiler operator shall attend the boilers at least on a daily basis or once in every 24 hours; they might not be based on site. Also, a suitably trained and instructed person at the remote monitoring location shall have the ability to respond to an alarm and summon a competent boiler operator. The boilers must have advanced controls and monitoring, such as high integrity water level probes, flame detection units and pressure control and limiter. The boilers shall automatically shut down safely as a result of a limiting device activating (low water for instance), or a malfunction or an incident. Auto TDS and bottom blowdown shall be installed on any boiler left unattended for 24hrs. All the main boiler operational data and alarms shall be visible or audible at the remote monitor at all times. This could be a manned control room, either on site or off site, or a contracted monitoring centre where the suitably trained and instructed person has the ability to confirm the boiler has shut down and can summon a competent boiler operator. In the event that the system monitoring the boiler status fails or loses its capability to communicate, the system shall sound an alarm. This level of supervision will typically suit sites with multiple boiler houses where operations are centrally monitored, for example, or energy management contractors who operate many sites from one central location. Speed of response to alarms might be a critical part of the risk assessment.
BG01 Guidance on the safe Operation of Steam Boilers Edition 2 – © 2019
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