(1) This chapter applies to all boilers, pressure vessels, and related piping in the
Commonwealth unless statutorily exempted.

Terms Used In Kentucky Statutes 236.060

  • ASME: means American Society of Mechanical Engineers. See Kentucky Statutes 236.010
  • boiler: shall include fired units for heating or vaporizing liquids other than water where these units are separate from processing systems and are complete within themselves:
    (a) "Power boiler" means a boiler in which steam or other vapor is generated at a pressure of more than fifteen (15) pounds per square inch gauge. See Kentucky Statutes 236.010
  • Boiler external piping: means boiler piping as defined by ASME. See Kentucky Statutes 236.010
  • boilers: means and includes a closed vessel in which water or other liquid is heated, steam or vapor is generated, steam is superheated, or in which any combination of these functions is accomplished, under pressure or vacuum, for use externally to itself, by the direct application of energy from the combustion of fuels, or from electricity, solar or nuclear energy. See Kentucky Statutes 236.010
  • Department: means the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction. See Kentucky Statutes 236.010
  • Domestic: when applied to a corporation, partnership, business trust, or limited liability company, means all those incorporated or formed by authority of this state. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
  • Federal: refers to the United States. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • MAWP: means the maximum allowable working pressure for a boiler, pressure vessel, or piping system. See Kentucky Statutes 236.010
  • Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
  • Owner: when applied to any animal, means any person having a property interest in such animal. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
  • Pressure vessel: means a vessel in which the pressure is obtained from an external source or by the application of heat other than those vessels defined in subsection (1) of this section. See Kentucky Statutes 236.010
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes territories, outlying possessions, and the District of Columbia. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010

(2) KRS § 236.005 to KRS § 236.150 shall not apply to boilers or pressure vessels or related piping under federal control.
(3) KRS § 236.005 to KRS § 236.150 shall not apply to the following:
(a) Portable boilers or pressure vessels located on land dedicated to agricultural use, as defined in KRS § 100.111, and used solely for agricultural purposes;
(b) Boilers or pressure vessels located at any oil refineries;
(c) Steam or vapor boilers used for heating purposes carrying a pressure of not more than fifteen (15) pounds per square inch gauge, and which are located in private residences;
(d) Hot water heating boilers carrying a pressure of not more than thirty (30) pounds per square inch gauge or hot water heaters which are located in private residences;
(e) Any pressure vessels used as containers for liquefied petroleum gases and subject to the jurisdiction of the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction under KRS Chapter 234;
(f) Pressure vessels used for transportation of compressed gases if constructed and operated in compliance with specifications and regulations of another state or federal authority;
(g) Pressure vessels containing air located on vehicles operating under the regulations of another state or federal authority;
(h) Pressure vessels having an internal or external operating pressure of fifteen
(15) PSI or less;
(i) Single wall pressure vessels having an inside diameter, width, height, or cross- section diagonal not exceeding six (6) inches;
(j) Any combination unit having an internal or external pressure in each chamber not exceeding fifteen (15) PSI and differential pressure on the common element not exceeding fifteen (15) PSI;
(k) Pressure vessels with a nominal water containing capacity of one hundred twenty (120) gallons or less, to be used for domestic supply purposes, for containing water under pressure, including those containing air, the compression of which serves only as a cushion;
(l) Pressure vessels not exceeding the design pressure at the top of the vessel and with no limitation in size, not exceeding the following:
1. Vessels having an internal or external pressure of fifteen (15) PSI (100 kilopascals); or
2. Combination units having an internal or external pressure in each chamber of fifteen (15) PSI (100 kilopascals) and differential pressure on the common elements not exceeding fifteen (15) PSI (100
kilopascals);
(m) Pressure vessels containing water heated by steam or other indirect means when none of the following are exceeded:
1. Heat input of two hundred thousand (200,000) BTU/Hr.;
2. Water temperature of two hundred ten (210) degrees Fahrenheit; or
3. Water storage capacity of one hundred twenty (120) gallons;
(n) Coil type hot water boilers without a steam space and where no steam is generated within the confines of the unit but where water flashes into steam when released to atmospheric pressure by the operation of a manually operated nozzle, unless one (1) of the following is exceeded:
1. Three quarter (3/4) inch inside diameter tubing or pipe size with no drum or header attached;
2. Six (6) gallon water containing capacity; or
3. Three hundred fifty (350) degrees Fahrenheit water temperature;
(o) Water heaters, hot water supply boilers, or hot water storage tanks, which are directly fired with oil, gas, or electricity, when none of the following limitations are exceeded:
1. Heat input of two hundred thousand (200,000) BTU/Hr.;
2. A water temperature of two hundred ten (210) degrees Fahrenheit; or
3. A water containing capacity of one hundred twenty (120) gallons; (p) Pressure vessels which may be classified as:
1. Pressure containers which are integral parts of components of rotating or reciprocating mechanical devices such as pumps, compressors, turbines, generators, engines, and hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders where the primary design considerations, stresses, or both are derived from the functional requirements of the device; or
2. Structures whose primary function is the transport of fluids from one location to another within a system of which it is an integral part, that is, piping system;
(q) Pressure vessels ASME “UM” stamped and which do not exceed the following:
1. One and one-half (1-1/2) cubic feet in volume and six hundred (600) PSI MAWP;
2. Three (3) cubic feet in volume and three hundred fifty (350) PSI MAWP; or
3. Five (5) cubic feet in volume and two hundred fifty (250) PSI MAWP;
or
(r) Compressed air receivers of one hundred twenty (120) gallons or less.
(4) This chapter shall apply only to piping associated with boilers and pressure vessels operating in the Commonwealth in the following applications and fluid services:
(a) All boiler external piping, conforming to ASME B31.1;
(b) Non-boiler external piping, including steam, boiler feedwater, blowdown, vents, drains, and chemical injection outside the boiler boundary conforming to ASME B31.1 or B31.3;
(c) All building services piping conforming to ASME B31.9;
(d) All compressed air piping emanating from a pressure vessel conforming to
ASME B31.1, B31.3, or B31.9;
(e) All hot oil piping conforming to ASME B31.1 or B31.3; and
(f) All anhydrous ammonia piping conforming to ASME B31.3 or B31.5.
(5) Piping associated with boilers and pressure vessels exempted in subsection (2) of this section shall conform to the appropriate ASME piping code. The owner of the piping shall assume all oversight and responsibilities as established in the appropriate ASME piping code.
Effective: July 14, 2018
History: Amended 2018 Ky. Acts ch. 59, sec. 1, effective July 14, 2018. — Amended
2012 Ky. Acts ch. 14, sec. 6, effective July 12, 2012. — Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch.
24, sec. 519, effective July 15, 2010. — Amended 2003 Ky. Acts ch. 77, sec. 1, effective June 24, 2003. — Amended 2000 Ky. Acts ch. 415, sec. 1, effective July 14,
2000. — Amended 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 89, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1994. — Amended
1990 Ky. Acts ch. 284, sec. 1, effective July 13, 1990. — Amended 1980 Ky. Acts ch.
207, sec. 7, effective July 15, 1980. — Amended 1978 Ky. Acts ch. 117, sec. 34, effective July 1, 1978. — Amended 1974 Ky. Acts ch. 74, Art. V., sec. 24(11). — Amended 1970 Ky. Acts ch. 246, sec. 4. — Created 1962 Ky. Acts ch. 89, sec. 6.