Guidance in the Safe Operation of Boilers

BG01

By David Parsons, Head of Training & Assessment

GASTEC at CRE limited

Who is GASTEC at CRE?

Our 65+ history has been a journey from being the Fuel Research Station in the 1930’s, through the Ministry of Fuel & Power, The National Coal Board, British Coal, then we merged with GASTEC in 1994. The CRE in our name is short for Coal Research Establishment.

Today we are involved in:

• Energy efficiency

• Carbon reduction

• Testing

• Certification

• Training & Assessment

Who is GASTEC at CRE?

For all of this time we have been involved

in combustion processes and often raising

steam for boiler operation

Hence our close relationship with Spirax

Sarco for whom we are pleased to share

today’s event to open the new “Steam

Technology Centre”

Background to BG01

To be Published 25th October 2011

Drafted by Combustion Engineering Association (CEA); Safety

Assessment Federation (SAFed); and the Health and Safety

Executive (HSE)

Provides practical guidance to the HSE’s “Safe management of

industrial steam and hot water boilers” (INDG436)

BG01 gives specific advice about how to achieve the aims of the

HSE document – more helpful for day-to-day working with boilers

Background to BG01

David Arnold, Acting Director of the

CEA:

“INDG436 does not give much

guidance for a person working at the

sharp end. It tells you what the

regulators want but not how to do it.”

What does it replace?

BG01 and INDG436 replace the HSE’s PM5 document –

“Automatically Controlled Steam and Hot Water Boilers”

Last revised in December 1989

PM5 didn’t take account of the increasing computerisation of

boiler controls

e.g. Remote boiler controls were not even in use when PM5 was

published

What does it mean?

Equipment:

Wider range of control options

Personnel:

Recommends the achievement of specific standards:

It is recommended that operators and managers achieve the national industry standards in:

• Certified Industrial Boiler Operator (CertIBO) for operators • Diploma in Boiler Plant Operation Management (DipBOM) for managers

These qualifications form part of the Boiler Operation Accreditation Scheme (BOAS)”

BOAS

This is a “proper” Accreditation Scheme:

A syllabus created by stakeholders and the scheme run by the CEA

Training courses provided by Spirax Sarco and other authorised centres

Candidate assessment carried out by GASTEC at CRE

1,000 candidates have already completed BOAS training and not all of them pass the assessment first time ~90%

The aim is to find competent operatives and safety is paramount

IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE EASY

BOAS promotes safety and energy efficiency in the boiler

house with due regard to environmental aspects and legal

requirements :

Heat and heat transfer Boilers and auxiliaries

Feedwater Draught and combustion

Control and instrumentation Fuels Safety and legal Energy efficiency

BOAS

Other benefits to BG01 compliance

It demonstrates to regulators and insurers that you’re

committed to adopting best practice

Other benefits to BG01 compliance

Improves the safety of boiler

operations

Other benefits to BG01 compliance

Improved operation and

maintenance of a steam

system is the key to

improving efficiency,

boosting productivity and

reducing costs

Summary

BG01 is a significant long awaited improvement to boiler-

house safety and good practice but...

The key to getting the message

across is face-to-face contact with

actual boiler operatives by trainers

that believe in what they are doing

The facilities at Spirax were brilliant

before the refurbishment, I can’t wait

to see them now

Thank You.