61. [ Pressure Plant. [Rule 61 substituted by Punjab Government Notification No. 1296-VII-DS-Lab. 59/2011, dated the 30th December, 1959/18th January, 1960.]
(1)Every plant or machinery other than the working cylinders of prime movers used in a factory and operated at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure shall be -(a)of good construction, sound material, adequate strength and free from any patent defect;(b)properly maintained in a safe condition;(c)fitted with -(i)a suitable safety valve or other effective device to ensure the maximum permissible working pressure of the vessel shall not be exceeded;(ii)a suitable pressure gauge easily visible and designed to show, at all times, the correct internal pressure in kilogram per square centimetre and marked with a prominent red mark at the safe working pressure of the vessel;(iii)a suitable stop valve or valves by which the vessel may be isolated from other vessels or source of supply of pressure; and(iv)a suitable drain cock or valve at the lowest Part of the vessel for the discharge of connected liquid;(d)thoroughly examined by a competent person -(i)externally, once in every period of six months, to ensure general condition of the vessel and the working of its fittings;(ii)internally, once in every period of twelve months, to ensure condition of the walls, seams and dies both inside and outside of the vessels, soundness of the Parts of the vessel, and the effects of corrosion. If by reason of construction of the vessel thorough internal examination is not possible, this examination may be replaced by a hydraulic test which shall be carried out once in every two years; provided that for the vessels in continuous processes which cannot be frequently opened, the period of internal examination may be extended to four years; and(iii)hydraulically tested at intervals of not more than four years; provided that in respect of pressure vessels with thin walls such as sizing cylinders made of copper or any other non-ferrous metal periodic hydraulic test may be dispensed with on the condition that the requirements laid down in clause (2) are fulfilled:Provided further that it shall be sufficient for the purposes of clause (c) if the safety valve, pressure gauge and stop valve mounted on a pipeline immediately adjacent to the vessel and where there is a range of two or more similar vessels in a place served by the same pressure load only one set of such mountings need be fitted provided they cannot be isolated.(2)(a)In respect of pressure vessels of thin walls such as sizing cylinders made of copper or any other non-ferrous metals, the safe working pressure shall be reduced at the rate of 5 per cent of the original working pressure for every year of its use after the first five years and no such cylinder shall be continued to be used for more than twenty years after it was first taken into use.(b)If no information as to the date of construction, thickness of walls and safe working pressure is available, the age of the sizing cylinder shall be determined by the competent person in consultation with the Chief Inspector from any other Particulars available with the manager.(c)Every new and second-hand cylinder of thin walls to which repairs, which may affect its safety have been carried out shall be tested before use at least one and a half times of its working pressure.(3)Every vessels other than a Part of a prime mover operated at a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, and not so constructed as to withstand with safety the maximum permissible working pressure at the source of supply or the maximum pressure which can be obtained in the pipe connecting the vessel with any other source of supply shall be fitted with a suitable reducing valve or other suitable automatic device to prevent the safe working pressure of the vessel being exceeded.(4)In case where owing to the nature of the process or the action of the contents of the vessels, a pressure gauge or safety valve or both cannot work reliably, a tested and reliable working thermometer with a sufficiently large scale, on which shall be clearly marked the maximum permissible temperature in the vessels or phydrometers or rupture disc in addition to the pressure gauge and safety valve, may be fitted as may be directed by the Chief Inspector.(5)If during thorough examination a doubt arises as to ability of vessel to work safely until the next examination provided for these rules when the competent person shall enter in the register prescribed a reasoned statement, to authorise the vessel for further work subject to a lowering of pressure or to more frequent inspection or subject to both of these requirements.(6)No vessel which has undergone alterations or repairs shall be taken into use unless it is thoroughly examined by a competent person.(7)A report of the result of every examination made shall be completed in Form No. 8 and signed by the persons making the examination, and shall be kept available for perusal by the Inspector at any time while the vessel is in service.(8)No vessel which has previously been used shall be taken into use in any factory for the first time until it has been examined and reported in accordance with the foregoing sub-rules and no new vessel shall be taken into use unless there has been obtained from the maker of the vessel, or from a competent person, a certificate specifying the maximum permissible working pressure thereof, and stating the nature of the tests to which the vessel and its fitting (if any) has been subjected, and the certificate is kept available for perusal by an Inspector, and the vessel is so marked as to enable it to be identified as the vessel to which the certificate relates.(9)Where the report of any examination under this rule specifies conditions for securing the safe working of a vessel, the vessel shall not be used except in accordance with these conditions.(10)The competent person making the report of any examination under this rule shall within seven days of the completion of the examination, send to the Inspector a copy of the report in every case where the maximum permissible working pressure is reduced, or the examination shows that the vessel cannot continue to be used with safety unless certain repairs are carried out immediately or within a specified time.(11)The requirements of this rule shall be in addition to and not in derogation of the requirements of any other Act, rules or regulations.(12)Nothing in this rule shall apply to -(a)any vessel which comes within the scope of the Indian Boilers Act,(b)metal bottles of cylinder used for the storage or transport of compressed gases or liquified or dissolved gases under pressure.(13)[ If the Chief Inspector of Factories has reason to believe that the construction or use of pressure vessels is such that inspection is not necessary or practicable he may, subject to such conditions, if any, exempt such pressure vessels from any or all of the provisions of this rule.]Explanation. - Competent person for the purpose of Sections 28 and 29 of the Act and Rules 60, 61 and 67-A shall mean a person who is a degree holder or a diploma-holder in Mechanical Engineering of recognised university or institution and has at least two years practical experience in examining, testing and safe working of hoists and lifts, lifting, machines and pressure vessels, and belts.]
