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NR-13 BOILERS, PRESSURE VESSELS AND PIPING
Publication D.O.U.
Order GM No. 3,124 of June 08, 1978 07/06/78
Amendments / Updates
Order SSMT No. 12 of June 06, 1983
D.O.U. 06/14/83
Order SSMT No. 02 of May 08, 1984 06/07/84 Order SSST No. 23 of
December 27, 1994 Rep.: 04/26/95
Order SIT No. 57 of June 19, 2008 06/24/08 Order MTE No. 594 of
April 28, 2014 04/30/14
(List provided in Order MTE No. 594 of April 28, 2014)
SUMMARY
13.1.
Introduction
13.2. Coverage
13.3. General Provisions 13.4. Boilers
13.5. Pressure Vessels
13.6. Piping
13.6. Glossary Annex I – Training of Personnel.
Annex II – Requirements for Certification of In-house Equipment
Inspection Service.
13.1
Introduction
13.1.1 This Regulatory Standard - NR establishes minimum
requirements for managing the structural integrity of
steam boilers, pressure vessels and the piping interconnecting
them in aspects related to installation, inspection,
operation and maintenance, aimed at workers’ health and
safety.
13.1.2 The employer is responsible for adopting the measures
stipulated in this NR.
13.2 Coverage
13.2.1 This NR must be applied to the following equipment:
a) all the equipment classified as boilers under item
13.4.1.1;
b) pressure vessels whose PV [pressão de volume: volume
pressure] product is higher than 8 (eight), where P is the
maximum
operating pressure in kPa and V its internal volume in m3;
c) pressure vessels containing a class A fluid specified in
item 13.5.1.2, line “a),” regardless of the dimensions and the
P.V. [pressão de volume: volume pressure] product;
d) movable containers with a P.V. greater than 8 (eight) or
class A fluid specified in item 13.5.1.2, line "a)";
e) piping or piping systems interconnected to boilers or
pressure vessels, containing class A
or B fluids as per item 13.5.1.2, line “a)” of this NR.
13.2.2 Equipment listed below must undergo the inspections
prescribed in pertinent national or international codes or
standards, being excused from fulfilment of other requirements
of this NR;
a) transportable containers. pressure vessels intended for the
transportation of products, portable compressed fluid
reservoirs and fire extinguishers;
b) pressure vessels intended to be occupied by humans;
c) pressure vessels that are an integral part of the rotary or
reciprocating fluid machinery package;
d) pipelines;
e) furnaces and coils for heat exchange;
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f) tanks and containers for the storing and stocking fluids not
classified in design standards and codes related to pressure
vessels;
g) pressure vessels with inside diameter less than 150 mm (one
hundred and fifty millimeters) for Class B, C and D
fluids, as specified in item 13.5.1.2, line “a)”;
h) heat exchangers with gasketed corrugated plates;
i) steam generators not included in the pressure vessel
codes;
j) pipes of instrumentation with nominal diameter ≤ 12.7 mm
(twelve point seven millimeters);
k) piping of public networks for water and gas treatment and
distribution and for sewage collection.
13.3 General Provisions
13.3.1 Noncompliance with any item provided in this NR that can
cause a work related accident or illness, with severe
injury to the life and limb of the worker shall constitute a
serious and imminent risk [RGI risco grave e iminente] - RGI,
particularly
a) operation of equipment covered by this NR, without safety
devices adjusted to an opening pressure equal to or less
than the maximum permissible working pressure - MAWP, installed
directly in the vessel or in the system
including it, considering the requirements of the design code
relative to the selected openings and calibration
tolerances,
b) delay in the periodic boiler safety inspection;
c) inadvertent blocking of boiler and pressure vessel safety
devices, or their intentional blockage without proper technical
justification based on codes, standards or formal equipment
operating procedures;
d) lack of operational boiler water level control device;
e) operation of equipment covered in this NR with a
deterioration certified by a recommendation for its withdrawal from
operation consisting of a conclusive opinion in a safety inspection
report, according to its respective design code or
adaptation for use;
f) operation of boiler by a worker not meeting the requirements
established in Attachment I of this NR, or who is not under
supervision, monitoring or specific assistance of a qualified
operator.
13.3.1.1 Due to reason of force majeure and with an employer’s
formal justification, accompanied by a technical analysis
and respective contingency measures for mitigating the risks
prepared by a Qualified Specialist [Profissional Habilitado] –
PH or by a multidisciplinary group coordinated by him, the term
provided for the periodic boiler safety inspection can be
extended up to 6 (six) months.
13.3.1.1.1 The employer must communicate the formal
justification for deferment of the periodic boiler safety
inspection
to the labor union of the predominant professional category in
the establishment
13.3.2 For purposes of this NR, Qualified Specialist – PH is
deemed a person who is legally competent to exercise the
profession
of engineer in activities relating to construction design,
monitoring, operation and maintenance, inspection and supervision
of
inspection of boilers, pressure vessels and piping, pursuant to
current legal regulations in the Country.
13.3.3 All the repairs or modifications to equipment covered by
this NR must observe the respective design and post-construction
codes, and
the manufacturer’s instructions with regard to:
a) materials;
b) execution procedures;
c) quality control procedures;
d) personnel qualification and certification.
13.3.4 When the design code is not known, the original concept
of the pressure vessel, boiler or piping must be respected,
using the control procedures prescribed under the relevant
codes.
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13.3.5 At a PH’s discretion, more advanced calculation
technology or procedures may be used, replacing those provided by
the design codes.
13.3.6 Change or repair designs [projetos de alteração ou
reparo] - PAR must be devised in advance in the
following situations:
a) whenever the project conditions are modified;
b) whenever repairs are made that may compromise safety.
13.3.7 The PAR must:
a) be devised or approved by a PH;
b) determine materials, execution procedures, quality control
and personnel qualification;
c) be disseminated to the employees of the establishment who are
involved with the equipment.
13.3.8 All tasks that require boring or welding on parts
operating under pressure must be examined or tested for quality
control with
parameters defined by the PH, in accordance with applicable
standards or codes.
13.3.9 Control and safety systems of boilers and pressure
vessels must undergo preventive or predictive maintenance.
13.3.10 The employer must ensure that the examinations and tests
on boilers, pressure vessels and piping are executed in
safe conditions for those performing them and other workers
involved.
13.3.11 Employer must the communicate to the regional agency of
the Ministry of Labor and Employment and to the
union of the predominant professional category in the
establishment the occurrence of a leak, fire or explosion
involving
equipment covered in this NR that has as a result one of the
following situations below:
a) death of worker(s);
b) accidents involving a need to admit a worker(s) to a
hospital;
c) large scale events.
13.3.11.1 The communication must be sent by the second business
day following the occurrence and
must contain:
a) the employer’s company name, address, place, date and time of
occurrence;
b) description of the occurrence;
c) name and job title of the victim(s);
d) investigation procedures adopted;
e) copy of the last safety inspection report of the equipment
involved;
f) copy of the notification of the work accident [comunicação de
acidente de trabalho] (CAT).
13.3.11.2 Upon the occurrence of the accidents stipulated in
13.3.11, the employer must notify the representative(s) of the
predominant workers’ union of the establishment to form an
investigation commission.
13.3.11.3 Workers, based on their skills and experience, must
stop doing their tasks, exercising the right of refusal,
whenever there is evidence of serious and imminent risks for
their safety and health or that of other persons, immediately
reporting this fact to their ranking superior.
13.3.11.3.1 The employer is obligated:
a) to ensure for the workers the right to suspend their
activities, exercising the right of refusal in the situations
provided in item 13.3.11.3, and in accordance with item 9.6.3 of
Regulatory Standard 9;
b) immediately take the necessary measures to control the
risks.
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13.3.11.4 When required by the appropriate authority of the
regional agency of the Ministry of Labor and Employment, employer
shall submit the documentation mentioned in items 13.4.1.6,
13.5.1.6 and 13.6.1.4.
13.4 Boilers
13.4.1 Steam Boilers – General Provisions
13.4.1.1 Steam boilers are equipment for producing and
accumulating steam under higher than atmospheric pressure,
using any source of energy, designed under the relevant codes,
except reboilers or the like.
13.4.1.2 For the purposes of this NR, boilers are classified
into 3 (three) categories as follows:
a) Category A boilers are those whose pressure is equal to or
higher than 1960 kPa (19.98 kgf/cm2);
b) Category C boilers are those whose pressure is equal to or
lower than 588 kPa (5,99 kgf/cm2) and whose internal volume is
equal to or less than 100 l (one hundred liters);
c) Category B boilers are all the boilers that are not
classified in the previous categories
13.4.1.3 The boilers must be equipped with the following
items:
a) safety valve with opening pressure set to a value equal to or
lower than the MAWP, considering the requirements of
the design code relative to stepped openings and calibration
tolerances;
b) instrument that indicates the accumulated steam pressure;
c) injector or water supply system independent of the main one
preventing overheating above the design temperatures due to
deficient supply, , for non-spray solid fuel boilers or boilers
with suspended burning;
d) dedicated quick water drainage system in alkali recovery
boilers , with automatic operation after activation by the
operator;
e) automatic water level control system with interlock
preventing overheating due to deficient supply.
13.4.1.4 Every boiler must have affixed onto its body, in an
easily accessible and highly visible place, an indelible nameplate
with, at least,
the following information:
a) manufacturer’s name;
b) order number given by the boiler manufacturer;
c) year of manufacture;
d) maximum permissible working pressure;
e) manufacturing hydrostatic test pressure;
f) steam production capacity;
g) heating surface area; design code and year of issue.
13.4.1.6 Apart from the nameplate, it must contain at a visible
level, the category of the boiler, as stipulated in item
13.4.1.2 of this NR, and its identification or code number.
13.4.1.6 Every boiler must have, in the establishment where it
is installed, the following documentation, duly updated:
a) Boiler records, provided by its manufacturer containing the
following information:
- design code and year of issue;
- specification of materials; - procedures used in the
manufacture, assembly and final inspection;
- methodology for the establishing the MAWP;
- records of the performed manufacturing hydrostatic test.
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- set of drawings and other data necessary for monitoring the
service life of the boiler; - functional characteristics;
- data on safety devices;
- year built;
- boiler category;
b) Safety Log, in conformity with item 13.4.1.9;
c) Installation Design in conformity with item 13.4.2.1;
d) PAR in conformity with the items 13.3.6 and 13.3.7;
e) Inspection reports, in conformity with item 13.4.4.14;
f) Calibration certificates of the safety devices.
13.4.1.7 If there is no boiler record or if lost, it must be
recreated by employer, under the manufacturer’s or PH’s
technical
responsibility; being mandatory to recreate the functional
characteristics, data on safety devices and MAWP calculation
sheet.
13.4.1.8 When the boiler is sold or transferred from the
establishment, the documents mentioned in letters “a,” “d,” and
“e” of item 13.4.1.6 must accompany it.
13.4.1.9 The Safety Log must consist of a book with numbered
pages, folders or a computerized system with equivalent
reliability, where the following will be recorded:
a) all important events capable of affecting the boiler safety
conditions;
b) the initial, periodic and special safety inspection events,
and must record the boiler operating condition, the legible name
and
the signature of the PH and of the boiler operator present at
the time of the inspection.
13.4.1.10 If the boiler is deemed inadequate for use, the Safety
Log must contain such information and be formally closed.
13.4.1.11 The documentation referred to in item 13.4.1.6 must
always be available for consultation of operators,
maintenance and inspection personnel and representatives of
workers and employer in the Internal Commission for
Accident Prevention – CIPA, and the employer must ensure full
access to this documentation.
13.4.2 Steam boiler installation
13.4.2.1 The responsibility for the steam boiler installation,
as it concerns compliance with this NR, belongs to the PH
and must conform to the safety, health and environment aspects
prescribed in the Regulatory Standards, conventions and applicable
legal provisions.
13.4.2.2 Boilers of any establishment must be installed in a
boiler room or in a specific place for such purpose, designated
the boiler area.
13.4.2.3 When the boiler is installed in an open space, the
boiler area must meet the following requirements:
a) it must be, at least 3.0 m (three meters) away
- from other facilities of the establishment;
- from fuel storage tanks, with the exception of startup
reservoirs with up to 2,000 L (two thousand liters) capacity;
- the property limit of third parties;
- the boundary with public roads;
b) have at least 2 (two) wide, permanently unobstructed outlets
marked with signs and laid out in different directions;
c) have easy and safe access, necessary for the operation and
maintenance of the boiler, wherein, for open railings, the gaps
must be sized to prevent people from falling;
d) have a system for capturing and jettisoning of gases and
particulate matter from combustion to the outside of the
operating area in compliance with current environmental
standards;
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e) have lighting as per current official standards;
f) have an emergency lighting system, if operating at night.
13.4.2.4 If the boiler is installed in a closed space, the
boiler room must meet the following requirements:
a) constitute a separate building, constructed of fire-resistant
material, and it may have only one wall adjacent to other
facilities of the establishment, however with the other walls at
least 3.00 m (three meters) away from other
facilities, the third party property boundary, boundary with
public roads and fuel storage tanks, except reservoirs
for startup with up to 2000 L (two thousand liters) capacity; b)
have at least 2 (two) wide outlets, permanently unobstructed,
marked with signs and laid out in different
directions;
c) have permanent ventilation with air inlets that cannot be
blocked;
d) have a sensor for detecting gas leakage if it involves a gas
fuel boiler;
e) not be used for any other purpose;
f) have easy and safe access, necessary for boiler operation and
maintenance, wherein, for open railings, the gaps must be sized
to prevent people from falling;
g) it is to have a system for capturing and jettisoning of gases
and particulate matter from combustion to the outside of
the operation area in compliance with current environmental
standards;
h) have lighting as per current official standards and have an
emergency lighting system.
13.4.2.5 When the establishment cannot meet the provisions in
items 13.4.2.3 and 13.4.2.4, an alternate installation design must
be prepared with additional safety measures that permit the
mitigation of the risks, notifying in advance the
representatives of the predominant labor union in the
establishment.
13.4.2.6 Boilers classified in Category A must have an
instrument panel installed in the control room, built as set forth
in
applicable Regulatory Standards.
13.4.3 Safety in boiler operation
13.4.3.1 Every boiler must have an updated operation manual in
Portuguese, in a place easily accessible to the operators,
containing at least:
a) start and stop procedures;
b) routine operating procedures and parameters;
c) procedures for emergency situations;
d) general health, safety and environmental preservation
procedures.
13.4.3.2 Boiler instruments and controls must be kept calibrated
and in good operating condition.
13.4.3.2.1 Instruments and controls can be temporarily
neutralized, provided that operating safety is not reduced, and it
is
prescribed in the formal operating and maintenance procedures or
with formally supported with documents, with prior
technical analysis and the respective contingency measures for
mitigating the risks prepared by the technical supervisor of
the process with the consent of the PH.
13.4.3.3 Water quality must be monitored and treated, when
necessary, in order to harmonize its physical-chemical
properties with the boiler operating parameters; these
treatments are compulsory in boilers classified as Category A,
in
accordance with 13.4.1.2 of this NR.
13.4.3.4 Every steam boiler must compulsorily be under the
boiler operator’s operation and control.
13.4.3.5 The boiler operator shall be considered someone who
meets the provision in item A of Attachment I of
this NR.
13.4.4 Boiler safety inspection.
13.4.4.1 The boilers must undergo initial, periodic and special
safety inspections.
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13.4.4.2 An initial safety inspection must be performed on new
boilers before they go into operation at the operating site, which
must include an internal examination, followed by a tightness test
and external examination.
13.4.4.3 The boilers must compulsorily undergo a Hydrostatic
Test [Teste Hidrostático] – TH in their manufacturing phase
with a verification certificate signed by a PH, and have their
test pressure value affixed on the nameplate.
13.4.4.3.1 In the absence of documentary corroboration that the
Hydrostatic Test – TH has been performed in the
manufacturing phase, the following provision will apply:
a) for equipment manufactured or imported after the effective
date of this NR, the TH must be performed during the initial safety
inspection;
b) for equipment in operation before this NR took effect, the TH
must be performed in the next periodic safety inspection at the
discretion of PH.
13.4.4.4 The periodic safety inspection, consisting of internal
and external examinations, must be performed in the
following maximum time intervals:
a) 12 (twelve) months for Category A, B and C boilers;
b) 15 (fifteen) months for alkali recovery boilers of any
category;
c) 24 (twenty-four) months for Category A boilers, provided that
that the opening pressures of the safety valves are tested at
12 (twelve) months.
13.4.4.5 Establishments that have their own In-house Equipment
Inspection Service [Serviço Próprio de Inspeção de
Equipamentos] – SPIE, as established in
Annex II can extend the periods between the safety inspections,
respecting the following maximum intervals.
a) 24 (twenty-four) months for alkali recovery boilers;
b) 24 (twenty-four) months for Category B and C boilers;
c) 30 (thirty) months for Category A boilers;
d) 40 (forty) months for special boilers as defined in item
13.4.4.6.
13.4.4.6 Boilers operating continuously and using gases or
residues from process units as the main fuel for heat
development or for environmental control purposes may be
considered special when all the following conditions are met:
a) they are installed in establishments that have the SPIE
mentioned in Annex II;
b) the interlocking system and the opening pressure of each
safety valve have been tested every 12 (twelve) months;
c) no unexpected variations appear in the outlet gas and steam
temperature during operation;
d) there is a periodic water quality analysis and
monitoring;
e) there is a monitoring of deterioration of materials
comprising the main parts of the boiler;
f) there is a PH technical opinion report that supports the
decision.
13.4.4.6.1 The employer must, in advance, notify the Regional
Body of the Ministry of Labor and Employment and the predominant
labor union in the establishment of the classification of the
boiler as special.
13.4.4.7 At most, upon completing 25 (twenty-five) years of use,
in their subsequent inspection, boilers must undergo an integrity
evaluation of major scope to determine their remaining service life
and new maximum time intervals for inspection, if they are still in
working order.
13.4.4.8 Safety valves installed in boilers must be inspected
periodically as follows:
a) at least 1 (one) time per month, with the manual override
lever, in operation, for category B and C boilers,
excluding boilers that vaporize thermal fluid and those working
with treated water as set forth in item 13.4.3.3;
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b) the flanged or threaded valves must be disassembled,
inspected and bench tested and, in the case of welded valves, the
same done in the field, with a frequency compatible with their
operating history, the inspection intervals stipulated in items
13.4.4.4 and 13.4.4.5, if applicable, being established as the
maximum time limits for these activities for the category A and
B boilers.
13.4.4.9 In addition to the tests prescribed in item 13.4.4.8,
safety valves installed in boilers may undergo accumulation tests,
at the PH’s discretion.
13.4.4.10 The special safety inspection must be performed at the
following times:
a) whenever the boiler is damaged due to an accident or another
event capable of compromising its safety;
b) when the boiler undergoes a major alteration or repair
capable of altering its safety conditions;
c) prior to returning the boiler to operation, when it has been
idle for more than 6 (six) months;
d) when the boiler installation site has changed.
13.4.4.11 The safety inspection must be conducted under the PH’s
technical responsibility.
13.4.4.12 Immediately following the boiler inspection, its
operational condition must be recorded in its Safety Log and
the report must be issued within 60 (sixty) days, which will
become part of its documentation; this time limit can be
extended to 90 (ninety) days, in case of a general shutdown for
maintenance.
13.4.4.13 The employer must notify the labor union of the
predominant professional category in the establishment, within a
maximum time limit of 30 (thirty) days following the conclusion of
the safety inspection, as to the boiler’s operational
condition.
13.4.4.13.1 Upon receipt of a formal request, the employer must
send a copy of the inspection report to the representatives
of the predominant union in the establishment, within the
maximum time limit of 10 (ten) days following its preparation.
13.4.4.13.2 Representatives of the labor union of the
predominant professional category in the establishment may ask
the
employer to send a copy of the boiler safety inspection report
in a regular manner within 30 (thirty) days following its
preparation, the employer being exempt from complying with items
13.4.4.13 and 13.4.4.13.1.
13.4.4.14 The inspection report mentioned in item 13.4.1.6, line
“e,” must be prepared on numbered pages containing at
least:
a) information contained on the boiler nameplate;
b) boiler category;
c) type of boiler;
d) type of inspection performed;
e) inspection starting and ending date;
f) description of the inspections, examinations and tests
performed;
g) photographic records of internal examination of boiler;
h) result of the inspections and measures;
i) list of items of this NR that are not being met;
j) necessary recommendations and measures;
k) conclusive opinion with regard to the integrity of the boiler
until the next inspection;
l) date stipulated for the new boiler safety inspection;
m) legible name, signature and registration number of the PH in
the Professional Council and legible name and
signature of the technicians participating in the
inspection.
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13.4.4.15 The recommendations deriving from the inspection must
be recorded and implemented by the employer, establishing the
periods and persons responsible for the performing it.
13.4.4.16 Whenever the inspection results call for changes to
the design data, the nameplate and the record documentation
must be updated.
13.5 Pressure Vessels
13.5.1 Pressure vessels - general provisions.
13.5.1.1 Pressure vessels are equipment containing fluids under
internal or external pressure different from the atmospheric
pressure.
13.5.1.2 For the purposes of this NR, pressure vessels are
classified into categories according to the fluid class and risk
potential.
a) Fluids contained in the pressure vessels are classified as
described below: Class A:
- flammable fluids;
- fluids combustible at a temperature greater than or equal to
200 ºC (two hundred degrees Celsius);
- toxic fluids with a tolerance limit equal to or less than 20
(twenty) parts per million (ppm);
- hydrogen;
- acetylene.
Class B:
- fluids combustible at a temperature lower than 200ºC (two
degrees Celsius );
- toxic fluids with a tolerance limit greater than 20 (twenty)
parts per million (ppm);
Class C:
- steam, simple asphyxiating gases, or compressed air.
Class D:
- other fluid not classified above.
b) When it involves a mixture, the fluid posing the greater risk
to the workers and facilities, considering its toxicity,
flammability and concentration, must be considered for purposes
of classification.
c) Pressure vessels are classified into potential risk groups
based on the P.V. product, where P is the maximum operating
pressure in MPa and V its volume in m3, as follows:
Group 1 - P.V ≥ 100 Group 2 - P.V < 100 and P.V ≥ 30 Group 3
- P.V < 30 and P.V ≥ 2.5 Group 4 - P.V < 2.5 and P.V ≥ 1
Group 5 - P.V < 1
d) Pressure vessels operating in a vacuum shall be classified
into the following categories:
- category I: for flammable or combustible fluids;
- category V: for other fluids.
e) The table below classifies pressure vessels into categories
according to risk potential groups and class of fluid
contained.
CATEGORIES OF PRESSURE VESSELS
Fluid
Class
Risk Potential Group
1
P.V ≥ 100 2
P.V < 100
P.V ≥ 30
3 P.V < 30
P.V ≥ 2.5
4 P.V < 2.5
P.V ≥ 1
5 P.V < 1
Categories
A - Flammable fluids and
fluids combustible at a
temperature equal to or
-
greater than 200ºC - Toxic with tolerance
limit ≤ 20 ppm - Hydrogen - Acetylene
I I II III III
B - Fluids combustible at a
temperature lower than 200
ºC
- Toxic fluids with a tolerance limit > 20 ppm
I
II
III
IV
IV
C
- Steam - Simple asphyxiating gases
- Compressed air
I
II
III
IV
V
D - Other fluid
II
III
IV
V
V
Notes: a) Consider volume in m³ and pressure in MPa; b) Consider
1 MPa corresponding to 10.197 kgf/cm².
13.5.1.3 The pressure vessels must be equipped with the
following items:
a) valve or other safety device with an opening pressure set at
a value equal to or lower than the MAWP, installed
directly into the vessel or into the system that includes it,
considering the design code requirements relative to stepped
openings and calibration tolerances;
b) means used against inadvertent blocking of a safety device
when it is installed directly onto the vessel;
c) instrument indicating the operating pressure, installed
directly onto the vessel or system containing it.
13.5.1.4 Every pressure vessel must have attached to its body,
in an easily accessible and readily visible place, an indelible
nameplate with, at
least, the following information:
a) manufacturer
b) identification number
c) year of manufacture;
d) maximum permissible working pressure;
e) manufacturing hydrostatic test pressure;
f) design code and year of issuance.
13.5.1.5 In addition to the nameplate, it must have, in a
visible place, the vessel category, according to item 13.5.1.2, and
its
identification number or code.
13.5.1.6 Every pressure vessel must have the following duly
updated documentation, in the establishment where it is
installed:
a) Records of the pressure vessel to be supplied by the
manufacturer, containing the following information:
- design code and year of issue;
- specification of the materials;
- procedures used in the manufacture, assembly and final
inspection;
- methodology for the establishing the MAWP;
- set of drawings and other data necessary for monitoring its
service life;
- maximum operating pressure;
- documented records of the hydrostatic test;
- operating characteristics, updated by the employer whenever
the originals change;
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- data on the safety devices, updated by the employer whenever
the originals change; - year built;
- vessel category, updated by the employer whenever the original
changes;
b) Safety Log pursuant to item 13.5.1.8;
c) Installation design pursuant to items 13.5.2.4 and
13.5.2.5;
d) Change or repair design in conformity with items 13.3.6 and
13.3.7;
e) Inspection reports in conformity with item 13.5.4.13;
f) Calibration certificates of the safety devices, where
applicable.
13.5.1.7 When lacking or missing, the pressure vessel records
must be recreated by the employer, with the technical
responsibility of the manufacturer or PH, which is indispensable
for reestablishing the design permits, the data of the
safety devices and the MAWP calculation sheet.
13.5.1.8 The Safety Log must consist of a book with numbered
pages, folders or computerized system with equivalent
reliability in which the following are recorded:
a) all the important events capable of affecting the safety
condition of the pressure vessels;
b) the periodic or special safety inspections performed, which
must indicate the operational condition of the vessel.
13.5.1.9 The documentation referred to in item 13.5.1.6 must
always be available for consultation by operators, maintenance and
inspection personnel, and representatives of the workers and the
employer in the Internal Commission
for Accident Prevention – CIPA, and the employer must ensure
full access to this documentation, including to the representatives
of the labor union of the predominant professional category in the
establishment, when formally
requested.
13.5.2 Installation of Pressure Vessels.
13.5.2.1 Every pressure vessel must be installed so that all the
drains, vents, manholes and level, pressure and temperature gauges,
if any, are easily accessible
13.5.2.2 When pressure vessels are installed in closed spaces,
installation must meet the following requirements:
a) have at least 2 (two) wide outlets, permanently unobstructed
and arranged in different directions;
b) have easy and safe access for maintenance, operation and
inspection activities, where open railings, [and] gaps must
have
dimensions that prevent people from falling off;
c) have permanent ventilation with air inlets that cannot be
blocked;
d) have lighting as per current official standards
e) have an emergency lighting system.
13.5.2.3 If the pressure vessel is installed in an open space,
the installation must conform to lines “a”, “b”, “d”
and “e” of the item
13.5.2.2.
13.5.2.4 Responsibility for the installation plan of pressure
vessels classified in Categories I, II and III, as per item
13.5.1.2, as it concerns compliance with this NR, belongs to the
PH and must adhere to health, safety and environmental aspects
presribed in Regulatory Standards, conventions and applicable legal
provisions
13.5.2.5 The installation plan must contain at least the floor
plan of the establishment, with positioning and category of
each vessel and the safety facilities
13.5.2.6 When the establishment cannot meet the provisions in
item 13.5.2.2, an alternative installation plan must be
prepared with complementary safety measures enabling the
mitigation of the risks.
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13.5.3 Safety in the operation of the pressure vessels.
13.5.3.1 Every pressure vessel classified in categories I or II
must have its own operation manual or operation instructions
contained in the
operation manual of the unit where it is installed, in
Portuguese and easily accessible to operators, containing at
least:
a) start and stop procedures;
b) routine operating procedures and parameters;
c) procedures for emergency situations;
d) general health, safety and environmental preservation
procedures.
13.5.3.2 Instruments and controls of pressure vessels must be
kept calibrated and in good working condition.
13.5.3.2.1 Instruments and controls may be temporarily disabled,
as long as this does not have an impact on operational
safety, and that it is prescribed in the formal operating or
maintenance procedures or formally supported with documents,
with prior technical analysis and respective contingency
measures prepared by the PH.
13.5.3.3 The operation of units that have category I or II
pressure vessels must be performed by a trained specialist
according to item “B” of Annex I of this NR.
13.5.4 Safety inspection of pressure vessels
13.5.4.1 Pressure vessels must undergo initial, periodic and
special safety inspections
.
13.5.4.2 The initial safety inspection must be performed on new
vessels, before they go into operation, at the final
installation site, and must include external and internal
examinations
13.5.4.3 Pressure vessels must necessarily be subjected to
Hydrostatic Testing in their manufacturing phase with proof via
a certificate signed by a PH, and have the test pressure valve
affixed onto their nameplate.
13.5.4.3.1 In the absence of documentary proof that the
Hydrostatic – TH was performed in the manufacturing phase, the
following provision will apply:
a) for equipment manufactured or imported after the effective
date of this NR, the TH must be performed during the
initial safety inspection;
b) for equipment in operation before this NR took effect, at the
discretion of PH, the TH must be performed in the next periodic
safety inspection.
13.5.4.4 Category IV or V pressure vessels from mass production,
certified by INMETRO (National Institute of
Measurement, Quality and Technology), that have a
factory-calibrated safety valve are exempt from initial inspection
and
the documentation referred to in item 13.5.1.6 “c,” as long as
they are installed according to the manufacturer’s
recommendation.
13.5.4.4.1 The pressure vessel installation date from which the
counting of the period for the periodic safety inspection
begins must be noted in the Safety Log.
13.5.4.5 The periodic safety inspection, consisting of external
and internal examinations, must conform to the following
maximum periods established as follows:
a) for establishments that do not have an SPIE, as mentioned in
Annex II
Vessel Category External Examination Internal Examination
I 1 year 3 years
II 2 years 4 years
III 3 years 6 years
-
IV 4 years 8 years
V 5 years 10 years
b) for establishments that do not have their SPIE as stated in
Attachment II, considering the tolerances stipulated therein:
Vessel Category External Examination Internal Examination
I 3 years 6 years
II 4 years 8 years
III 5 years 10 years
IV 6 years 12 years
V 7 years at discretion
13.5.4.6 Pressure vessels that do not allow visual access for
internal or external examination due to physical impossibility must
alternatively undergo other nondestructive testing and integrity
evaluation methodologies, at the PH’s discretion, based on
standards and
codes applicable to identification of deterioration
mechanisms.
13.5.4.7 For pressure vessels with internal filling or with a
catalyst the frequency of internal examination can be extended so
as to coincide with time of the filling or catalyst
replacement, as long as this extension is preceded by studies
conducted by a PH, based on applicable standards and codes, where
alternative technologies are implemented for
evaluation of their structural integrity.
13.5.4.8 Pressure vessels with an operating temperature of less
than 0ºC (zero degrees Celsius) that operate under conditions where
experience shows that there is no
deterioration, must undergo an internal examination every 20
(twenty) years and an external examination every 2 (two) years.
13.5.4.9 Safety valves of pressure vessels must be disassembled,
inspected and calibrated with an appropriate time interval for
their maintenance, however, not greater than that provided for the
periodic internal safety inspection of the pressure
vessels protected by them.
13.5.4.10 The special safety inspection must be performed at the
following times:
a) whenever the vessel is damaged by an accident or other
occurrence that compromises its safety;
b) when the pressure vessel undergoes repair or significant
changes, capable of changing its safety condition;
c) before the pressure vessel is put back in operation, when it
remains idle for more than 12 (twelve) months;
d) when there is a change in installation site of the vessel,
except for mobile vessels.
13.5.4.11 The safety inspection must be conducted under the PH’s
technical responsibility.
13.5.4.12 Immediately after the boiler inspection, its
operational condition must be recorded in the Safety Log and
the
report must be issued within 60 (sixty) days, which now becomes
part of its documentation; this time interval can be
extended to 90 (ninety) days in case of a general stop for
maintenance.
13.5.4.13 The inspection report mentioned in item 13.5.1.6 line
“e,” must be prepared on numbered pages, containing at least:
a) identification of the pressure vessel;
b) service fluids and category of the pressure vessel;
c) type of pressure vessel;
d) inspection start and ending date;
e) type of inspection performed;
f) description of examinations and tests performed;
g) result of inspections and interventions performed;
h) conclusive opinion with regard to the integrity of the
pressure vessel until the next inspection;
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i) necessary recommendations and measures;
j) expected date for next inspection;
k) legible name of PH, signature and registration number in the
Professional Council and legible name and signature of
technicians who participated in the inspection.
13.5.4.14 Whenever the inspection results determine changes to
design conditions, the nameplate and the record documentation must
be updated.
13.5.4.15 Recommendations derived from the inspection must be
implemented by the employer, with determination of deadlines and
those responsible for its execution.
13.6 Piping
13.6.1 Piping - General Provisions
13.6.1.1 The companies that have piping and piping systems
contained in this NR must have an inspection program and
plan that takes into account, at a minimum, the variables,
conditions and premises described below:
a) the conveyed fluids;
b) working pressure;
c) working temperature;
d) the mechanisms of foreseeable damages;
e) consequences for workers, facilities and environment brought
about by potential piping failures.
13.6.1.2 Piping or piping systems must have safety devices,
according to criteria of the design code used, or following the
study recommendations of failure scenario analyses.
13.6.1.3 Piping or piping systems must have an operating
pressure gauge, as defined in the process and instrumentation
design.
13.6.1.4 Every establishment that contains piping, piping
systems or lines must have the following documentation duly
updated:
a) specifications applicable to piping or systems, necessary for
the planning and execution of their inspection;
b) engineering flow chart with identification of the line and
its accessories;
c) PAR pursuant to items 13.3.6 and 13.3.7;
d) inspection reports pursuant to item 13.6.3.8.
13.6.1.5 Documents referred to in item 13.6.1.4 when nonexistent
or lost, must be recreated by the employer, under the
technical responsibility of a PH.
13.6.1.6 Documentation referred to in item 13.6.1.4 must always
be available for supervision by the appropriate authority
of the Regional Agency of the Ministry of Labor and Employment,
and for consulting by operators, maintenance and
inspection personnel and representatives of workers and employer
in the Internal Commission for Accident Prevention - CIPA, and the
employer must ensure access to this documentation by labor union
representatives of the predominant
professional category in the establishment, when formally
requested.
13.6.2 Safety in Pipe Operation
13.6.2.1 Pipe pressure gauging devices must be kept in good
operating condition.
13.6.2.2 Steam piping and its accessories must be kept in good
operating condition, according to a maintenance plan
prepared by the establishment
-
13.6.2.3 Piping and pipe systems must be traceable according to
standards formally instituted by the establishment and marked with
signs according to NR-26.
13.6.3 Periodic Pipe Inspection
13.6.3.1 An initial safety inspection must be performed on the
piping.
13.6.3.2 Piping must undergo periodic safety inspections.
13.6.3.3 Pipe inspection intervals must meet the maximum terms
for internal inspection of the most critical vessel or boiler
connected to them and they may be extended through the
inspection program prepared by the PH, technically supported
based on a damage mechanism and on the critical nature of the
system, containing the intervals between these inspections
and the examinations comprising them, as long as this extension
does not exceed the maximum 100% (one hundred percent) interval on
the internal inspection period, limited to 10 (ten) years.
13.6.3.4 The periodic inspection intervals for pipes may not
exceed the terms established in their inspection program,
considering the tolerances allowed for companies with SPIE.
13.6.3.5 The inspection program may be prepared per pipe, line
or system, at the PH’s discretion and in case of
programming per system, the interval to be adopted must be that
of its most critical line.
13.6.3.6 Periodic pipe inspections must consist of examinations
and analyses defined by the PH, which allow an evaluation
of the pipe structural integrity according to applicable
standards and codes.
13.6.3.6.1 In case of risk to the health and physical integrity
of workers involved in the execution of the inspection, the
line must be taken out of operation.
13.6.3.7 A special inspection must be performed in the following
situations:
a) whenever the pipe is damaged due to an accident or other
event that compromises workers’ safety;
b) when the pipe undergoes temporary repair or significant
changes, capable of changing its fluid containment capacity;
c) before the pipe is put back into operation, when it remains
idle for more than 24 (twenty-four)
months.
13.6.3.8 The periodic pipe inspection must be performed under
the PH’s technical responsibility.
13.6.3.9 After inspection of each pipe, pipe system or line, an
inspection report must be issued with numbered pages that
becomes
a part of its documentation, which must contain at least:
a) identification of pipe line(s) or system;
b) pipe service fluids, and respective operating temperature and
pressure;
c) start and ending date of the inspection
d) type of inspection performed;
e) description of examinations performed;
f) result of the inspections;
g) conclusive opinion on the pipe integrity, pipe system, or the
line until the next inspection;
h) necessary recommendations and provisions;
i) expected date for the next inspection;
j) legible name, signature and registration number of the PH in
the Professional Council and legible name and signature of
the technicians participating in the inspection;
-
13.6.3.9.1 Deadline for issuance of this report is up to 30
(thirty) days for individual lines and up to 90 (ninety) days for
pipe systems.
13.6.3.10 Recommendations derived from the inspection must be
implemented by the employer, with determination of
deadlines and those responsible for their execution.
Glossary
Stepped opening of safety valves – calibration condition
differentiated from the opening pressure of one or multiple safety
valves, provided in the design code of the equipment protected by
them, where opening values above MAWP can be
established, having considered the necessary flow rates for
overpressure relief in different scenarios.
Adaptation to use – multidisciplinary conceptual engineering
study, based on codes or standards, such as API 579-
1/ASME FFS-1 - Fitness - for - Service, used to determine
whether a piece of equipment with known wear will be fit for
safely operating for a certain time
Alteration – change to manufacturer’s original design, which
promotes changes to structural or significant operational
parameters defined by the PH, or affects the capacity to hold
pressure or may compromise the safety of boilers, pressure
vessels and pipe.
Integrity evaluation or inspection – set of strategies or
techniques used in detailed evaluation of the physical condition of
a piece of equipment.
Thermal Fluid Boiler – boiler used for heating a fluid in liquid
state, called thermal fluid, without vaporizing it.
Alkali Recovery Boilers – steam boilers that use as main fuel
the black liquor derived from the cellulose manufacturing
process, performing recovery of chemicals and power
generation.
Design Code – set of standards and rules that establishes
requirements for equipment design, construction and inspection,
assembly, quality control of the equipment manufacture and
inspection.
Post-construction codes – consists of standards or practical
recommendations for evaluating the structural integrity of
equipment during its service life.
Construction – process that includes material design,
specification, manufacture, inspection, examination, testing
and
evaluation in conformity with boilers, pressure vessels and
pipes.
Quality Control – set of actions intended to verify and certify
the conformity of boilers, pressure vessels and their
interconnection pipes in the manufacture, assembly or
maintenance stages. The actions cover monitoring of welding work,
materials used and performance of examinations and tests, such as
penetrating liquid, magnetic particle,
ultrasound, visual, pressure tests, radiography, acoustic
emission and eddy currents.
Device Against Inadvertent Blocking - DCBI – means used to
prevent that inadvertent blocking prevents the activation of
safety devices.
Safety Devices – devices or components that protect a piece of
equipment against gauge overpressure, independent of the
operator’s action and driven by an external energy source.
Pipeline – piping designed by specific codes, intended for
transfer of fluids between industrial units of different
industrial
establishments or not, occupying third party areas.
Employer - individual or collective enterprise, which, assuming
the risks of the economic activity, hires, pays and
directs the personal provision of services; the employer is
comparable to independent professionals, charitable
institutions, recreational associations, or other nonprofit
institutions that hire workers as employees.
Internal fill - materials inserted in the inside of pressure
vessels with specific purposes and determined service life
period,
catalyst type, fill, molecular screen and activated charcoal.
Trays and internal accessories do not constitute internal fill.
Pipe specification – alphanumeric code that defines pressure
class and pipe and pipe accessory materials.
Examination – activity conducted by qualified or certified PHs
or technicians, where required by codes or standards,
to evaluate that certain products, processes or services are in
conformity with specified criteria.
-
External examination – examination of the surface and external
components of a piece of equipment, which may be performed while
operating, in order to evaluate their structural integrity.
Internal examination – examination of internal surface and
internal components of a piece of equipment, performed
visually, using appropriate assays and tests to evaluate their
structural integrity.
Manufacturer – company responsible for construction of boilers,
pressure vessels or pipe.
Engineering flow chart (P&ID) - diagram showing process flow
with equipment, piping and its accessories, and instrumentation
control grids.
Process flow chart - schematic diagram of the process of
industrial plants showing the route or path traveled by fluids.
Force Majeure – any unavoidable event, in relation to employer’s
will and to which the latter did not directly or indirectly
contribute. Employer’s lack of foresight excludes Force
Majeure.
Steam generator – equipment for producing steam at greater than
atmospheric pressure, without accumulation, which is not
included within the pressure vessel codes.
Special safety inspections – inspection performed due to unusual
occurrences that can affect the physical condition of the
equipment, such as extended hibernation, change of location,
development of unexpected deformations, large-impact
mechanical collisions, or leaks, among others, involving
boilers, pressure vessels and pipe, with coverage defined by a
PH.
Initial safety inspections – inspection performed on new
equipment, assembled in the final installation site and before it
goes into operation.
Periodic safety inspection – inspections performed during
service life of a piece of equipment, with criteria and
periodic
intervals determined by a PH, in compliance with maximum
intervals established in this Standard.
Monitoring or control instruments – devices used for monitoring
or control of operational variables of equipment of the
control room or appropriate equipment.
Structural integrity – set of physical properties and
characteristics required for a piece of equipment or item to
perform
those functions for which it was designed safely and
efficiently.
Line – individual pipe section between two defined points, which
adheres to a single specification of materials, transported
products, design pressure and temperature.
Predictive maintenance – maintenance with emphasis on prediction
of failure and on actions based on the condition of the
equipment to prevent its failure or degradation.
Preventive maintenance – maintenance performed at predetermined
intervals or according to prescribed criteria, and
intended to reduce the probability of failure or degraded
operation of a component.
Fluid machinery – machinery whose main function is to exchange
energy with a fluid that passes through it.
Damage mechanisms - set of factors causing degradation in
equipment and components.
Machine package – set of equipment and devices comprising
auxiliary fluid machinery systems for cooling, lubrication, or
sealing purposes.
Qualified Specialist – a professional with knowledge and skills
enabling the performance of certain tasks, and certified
where required by code or standard.
Nameplate - plate containing equipment information according to
requirements established in this Standard, mounted in a visible
place.
Inspection Plan - description of the activities, including the
examinations and tests to be performed, necessary for
evaluating the physical conditions of the boilers, pressure
vessels and piping, considering the history of the equipment
and
the mechanisms of foreseeable damage.
Maximum Allowable Working Pressure (MAWP) –is the highest
pressure to which a piece of equipment can be
continuously subjected, in accordance with the design code,
strength of materials used, dimensions of the equipment and its
operational parameters.
Inspection Program – schedule containing, among others, dates of
periodic safety inspections to be performed.
-
Change or Repair Plans – PAR (Brazilian acronym) – a plan
performed in connection with repair or change that involves
structural intervention or significant process change to boilers,
pressure vessels and pipe.
Alternate Installation Plan – a plan conceived to minimize
safety impacts for the worker when the installations are not
meeting a certain item of this NR.
Installation Plan – plan containing the positioning of safety
equipment and systems within the facilities and, if applicable,
accesses to their accessories (vents, drains, instruments). The
facility design consists of the inventory of safety valves with the
respective DCBIs and protected equipment.
Records – set of documents and records of the construction
design, manufacture, assembly, inspection and maintenance of
equipment.
Movable vessels – pressure vessels that can be moved within a
facility or between facilities, which cannot be classified as
transportable.
Transportable vessels – vessels designed and built to be
transported pressurized.
Safety Log – log of the occurrence of inspections or abnormal
conditions during operation of boilers and pressure vessels,
maintained by a PH or by operational, inspection or maintenance
personnel, directly involved with the event triggering the
notation.
Inspection Report – formal record of results of inspections
performed on equipment with a conclusive finding.
Repair – intervention undertaken to correct damages, defects or
failures in equipment and their components, in order to restore the
condition of the construction design.
Emergency lighting system – system intended to provide required
lighting to access a piece of equipment or facility safely
in the event of inoperable main systems intended for such
purpose.
Boiler interlocking system – management system of activities of
two or more protection devices or instruments monitored
by a safety interface.
Pipe system – set consisting of lines and pipes that performs a
process function, or that were grouped together for
inspection purposes, with technical or similar process
characteristics.
SPIE – In-house Equipment Inspection Service.
Airtight Seal Test – type of pressure test performed for the
purpose of certifying fluid retention capacity, without leaks, in
equipment, pipe and
its connection fittings before it goes into or re-enters
operation.
Hydrostatic Test – TH (Portuguese acronym) - type of pressure
test with non-compressible fluid, performed in order to evaluate
the structural integrity of equipment and the rearrangement of
potential residual stresses, according to the design code.
Piping – set of lines, including their accessories, designed per
specific codes for piping intended for conveyance of fluids
between pieces of equipment of the same industrial unit of the
same company, equipped with boilers or pressure vessels.
Process Units – set of equipment and interconnections of a
manufacturing unit designed to transform raw materials into
products.
Pressure Vessels – reservoirs designed to safely withstand
internal pressures different from atmospheric pressure, or
subjected to external pressure, thus complying with their
basic function in the process in which they are incorporated;
for purposes of this NR, the following are included:
a) heat exchangers, evaporators and similar equipment;
b) pressure vessels or parts subjected to direct flame that are
not within the scope of other NR’s, nor of the items
13.2.2 and 13.2.1, line “a)” of this NR;
c) jacketed pressure vessels, including reboilers and
reactors;
d) autoclaves and thermal fluid boilers.
Remaining life – estimate of remaining lifetime of a piece of
equipment or accessory, made during evaluations of its integrity,
in pre-determined periods.
Service life – lifetime estimated in the design phase for a
piece of equipment or accessory.
-
Volume - useful internal volume of the pressure vessel,
excluding the volume of internal accessories, fills, or
catalysts.
ANNEX I PERSONNEL
TRAINING
A. Boilers
A1 General Provisions
A1.1 For purposes of this NR, the boiler operator shall be
deemed the person who meets one of the following
conditions
a) has a certificate of Safety Training in Boiler Operation and
proof of hands-on apprenticeship as per item A1.5 of
this Annex;
b) has a certificate of Safety Training in Boiler Operation
provided in NR 13 approved by Order.
SSMT No. 02, dated May 08, 1984 or in Order SSST No. 23, of
December 27, 1994
A1.2 The minimum prerequisite for participation as a student in
Safety Training in Boiler Operation is the certificate of
completion of basic learning.
A1.3 The Safety Training in Boiler Operation must
necessarily:
a) be technically supervised by a PH;
b) be administered by professionals trained for that
purpose;
c) at a minimum, comply with the curriculum proposed in item A2
of this Annex.
A1.4 Those responsible for promotion of Safety Training in
Boiler Operation will be subject to the prohibition on
conducting new courses, as well as other applicable legal
penalties, in case of non-observance of the provisions in item
A1.3 of this Annex
A1.5 Every boiler operator must complete a hands-on
apprenticeship in the operation of the actual boiler that he
will
operate, which shall be supervised and documented and have
minimum duration of:
a) Category A boilers: 80 (eighty) hours;
b) Category B boilers: 60 (sixty) hours;
c) Category C boilers: 40 (forty) hours.
A1.6 The establishment where the supervised hands-on
apprenticeship will be performed, as provided in this NR, must
report, when requested by the labor union representatives of the
predominant professional category in the establishment:
a) period of apprenticeship;
b) entity, employer or professional responsible for Safety
Training in Boiler or
Process Unit Operation;
c) list of apprenticeship participants.
A1.7 Training must be conducted as a refresher course for
workers directly or indirectly involved with the operation of
the facilities, whenever significant modifications occur in the
operation of pressurized equipment or replacement of methods,
processes and work organization.
A2 Minimum Curriculum for Safety Training in Boiler
Operation.
1. Notions of physical magnitudes and units. Duration: 4 (four)
hours
1.1. Pressure 1.1.1. Atmospheric Pressure
1.1.2. Internal pressure of a vessel
1.1.3. Manometer pressure, relative pressure and absolute
pressure
-
1.1.4. Pressure units 1.2. Heat and temperature
1.2.1. General Notions: what is heat, what is temperature
1.2.2. Heat Transfer Modes
1.2.3. Specific heat and perceptible heat
1.2.4. Heat Transfer at constant temperature 1.2.5. Saturated
Steam and Superheated Steam
1.2.6. Table of saturated steam
2. Boilers – General Considerations. Duration: 8 (eight)
hours
2.1. Types of boilers and their uses
2.2. Parts of a boiler
2.2.1. Fire-tube boilers
2.2.1. Water Tube Boilers
2.2.3. Electrical Boilers
2.2.4. Solid Fuel Boilers
2.2.5. Liquid Fuel Boilers
2.2.6. Gas Boilers
2.2.7. Burners 2.3. Boiler Control Instruments and Devices
2.3.1. Feed Device
2.3.2. Level Viewer 2.3.3. Level Control System
2.3.4. Pressure Gauges
2.3.5. Safety Devices
2.3.6. Auxiliary Devices
2.3.7. Valves and Pipe
2.3.8. Smoke removal
3. Boiler Operation. Duration: 12 (twelve) hours
3.2. Start and stop
3.2. Regulation and control
3.2.1. of temperature 3.2.2. of pressure
3.2.3. of energy supply
3.2.4. of the water level
3.2.5. of pollutants 3.3. Operation failures, causes and
provisions
3.4. Daily Inspection Chart
3.5. Operation of a system with several boilers
3.6. Procedures during emergency situations
4. Water Treatment and Boiler Maintenance. Duration: 8 (eight)
hours
4.1. Water impurities and their consequences 4.2. Water
Treatment
4.3. Boiler Maintenance
5. Prevention against explosions and other risks. Duration: 4
(four) hours
5.1. General risks of accidents and health risks
5.2. Explosion risks
6. Legislation and Standardization. Duration: 4 (four) hours
6.1 Regulatory Standards
6.2 Regulatory Standard 13 - NR-13
B. Pressure Vessels
B1 General Provisions
-
B1.1 The operation of process units that have category I or II
pressure vessels must be performed by a specialist with Safety
Training in the Operation of Process Units.
B1.2 For purposes of this NR, the individual who meets one of
the following conditions shall be considered to be
a specialist with Safety Training in Operation of Process
Units:
a) has a certificate of Safety Training in the Operation of
Process Units, issued by a competent institution for
training;
b) has proven experience in operation of category I or II
pressure vessels of at least 2 (two) years before the effective
date of
NR13 approved by Order SSST No. 23, of December 27, 1994.
B1.3 The minimum pre-requisite for participation, as a student,
in the Safety Training in the Operation of Process
Units is the certificate of completion of basic education.
B1.4 Safety Training in the Operation of Process Units must
necessarily:
a) be technically supervised by a PH;
b) be administered by professionals trained for that
purpose;
c) as a minimum, comply with the curriculum proposed in the item
B2 of
this Annex.
B1.5 Those responsible for promoting Safety Training in the
Operation of Process Units will be subject to the prohibition
on
conducting new courses, as well as other applicable legal
penalties, in case of non-observance of provisions in item
B1.4.
B1.6 Every specialist with Safety Training in the Operation of
Process Units must complete a supervised hands-on
apprenticeship in the operation of pressure vessels lasting 300
(three hundred) hours for the set of all category I or II
vessels;
B2 Minimum Curriculum for Safety Training in the Operation of
Process Units.
1. Concepts of physical magnitudes and units. Duration: 4 (four)
hours
1.1. Pressure
1.1.1. Atmospheric Pressure
1.1.2. Internal pressure of a vessel
1.1.3. Manometer pressure, relative pressure and absolute
pressure 1.1.4. Pressure units
1.2. Heat and temperature
1.2.1. General Notions: what is heat, what is
temperature
1.2.2. Heat Transfer Modes
1.2.3. Specific heat and perceptible heat
1.2.4. Heat Transfer at constant temperature
1.2.5. Saturated Steam and Superheated Steam
2. Process equipment. Duration established according to the
complexity of the unit, maintaining a minimum of 4 (four)
hours per item, where applicable. 2.1. Heat exchangers 2.2.
Piping, valves and accessories
2.3. Pumps
2.4. Turbines and ejectors
2.5. Compressors
2.6. Towers, vessels, tanks and reactors
2.7. Furnaces
2.8. Boilers
3. Electricity. Duration: 4 (four) hours
4. Instrumentation. Duration: 8 (eight) hours
-
5. Unit operation. Duration: established according to complexity
of the unit 5.1. Process description
5.2. Start and stop
5.3. Emergency procedures
5.4. Disposal of chemicals and environmental preservation
5.5. Evaluation and control of risks inherent to the process
5.6. Prevention against deterioration, explosion and other
risks
6. First Aid. Duration: 8 (eight) hours
7. Legislation and Standardization. Duration: 4 (four) hours
ANNEX II
REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION OF AN IN-HOUSE EQUIPMENT
INSPECTION SERVICE -
SPIE.
Before implementing the special periods between inspections,
established in items 13.4.4.5 and 13.5.4.5 “b)” of this NR,
the company’s "In-house Equipment Inspection Services",
organized as a sector, section, department, division, or
equivalent, must be certified by Product Certification Entities
- OCPs accredited by INMETRO, that will verify through
scheduled audits, compliance with the following minimum
requirements stated in lines “a” to “h.”
a) presence of the company’s own personnel where boilers or
pressure vessels are installed, exclusively dedicated to inspection
activities, evaluation of integrity and residual life, with
education, qualification and training compatible
with the proposed safety preservation activity;
b) labor force hired for non-destructive tests certified
according to current regulations and services of any nature,
selected and
evaluated according to criteria similar to those used for its
own labor force;
c) proposed equipment inspection service has an individual
responsible for its management, formally assigned for this job
title;
d) presence of at least 1 (one) PH;
e) existence of conditions for maintenance of updated technical
file, necessary for compliance with this NR, as well as mechanisms
for distribution of information when required;
f) existence of written procedures for the main activities
performed;
g) existence of equipment consistent with the performance of the
proposed activities;
h) minimum fulfillment of the inspection schedule.
The SPIE certification and its maintenance are subject to the
specific Regulations of INMETRO.