11-4-900 Inspection – Hydrostatic tests.

   All boilers, tanks, jacketed kettles, generators or other apparatus used for generating or transmitting steam for power or using steam under pressure for power or using steam under pressure for heating or steaming purposes, and all other tanks, jacketed kettles and reservoirs under pressure of any kind, shall be inspected under the authority or pursuant to the mandate of the building commissioner as often as the commissioner deems necessary. If a hydrostatic pressure test is deemed necessary, the hydrostatic pressures used in such test shall not exceed the maximum working pressure of the apparatus being tested by more than 50 percent and a careful external and internal examination of the apparatus shall be made prior to administering the test. In all cases where a hydrostatic pressure test is used, an internal examination of such apparatus shall be made after the test is administered.

(Prior code § 17-2A.5; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604; Amend Coun. J. 12-2-09, p. 78837, Art. 7, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 2-22-17, p. 43916, Art. VIII, § 15)

11-4-910 Drilling of vessels to determine thickness.

   Any boiler, tank, jacketed kettle, generator or reservoir having been in use eight years or more and in such condition that in the opinion of the inspector the same should be drilled in order that the exact thickness and condition may be ascertained, shall be reported to the department of buildings which shall serve the owner or agent with a written notice to show cause to the said department of buildings within five days why such boiler, tank, jacketed kettle, generator or reservoir should not be drilled. If, after the owner or agent has been heard or at the end of five days, the department of buildings deems it necessary, then such boiler, tank, jacketed kettle, generator or reservoir may be drilled at points near the water line and at the bottom of the shell of the boiler or at such other points in the boiler, tank, jacketed kettle, generator or reservoir as the inspecting officer may direct and the thickness of said material shall be determined thereafter at such periodic inspection as the inspecting officer may deem necessary and the steam pressure or other pressure allowed shall be governed by such ascertained thickness and general condition of boiler, tank, jacketed kettle, generator or reservoir. The drilling and plugging of said holes shall be done at the expense of the owner.

(Prior code § 17-2A.6; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604)

11-4-920 Certificate of operation.

   When a permit-related inspection of a boiler or unfired pressure vessel has been made and the same has been approved by the department of buildings, the department shall make and deliver to the person for whom the inspection was made, subject to payment of the required fees, a certificate of operation together with a general description of such apparatus. This certificate shall be framed and hung in a conspicuous place in the boiler room.

(Prior code § 17-2A.7; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. V, § 5)

11-4-930 Repair of vessels.

   It shall be the duty of the department of buildings upon any application in writing made by any person owning, leasing or controlling the use of any boiler or unfired pressure vessel stating that the same is out of repair or has been repaired, to examine the same when so repaired; and it shall be unlawful for any person to use any boiler or unfired pressure vessel after the same has been repaired until a certificate shall have been procured from the department of buildings to the effect that such repairing has been properly done and that such boiler or unfired pressure vessel may be safely used.

   No repair shall be made on a high pressure boiler until the department has examined the apparatus and issued a permit for the work to be done with the exception of minor emergency repairs that do not involve the safety of the apparatus; provided that the department of buildings shall be notified within 24 hours that such emergency repairs are made.

   All repairs must be made in accordance with the applicable chapter of the National Board of Inspectional Code issued by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessels Inspectors, dated 1977 or later, except where such chapters conflict with these rules.

   All repairs involving the safety of a high pressure boiler shall be of construction in accordance with Section 1 of the ASME Code covering the particular kind of boiler or kind of work to be done.

   Note: It is the sense of this requirement that apparatus shall be the same construction after repair is made as it was before the repair was necessary with the exception that construction can be made in accordance with the existing ASME Code.

   Repair work on low pressure boilers in general shall be guided by the Rules 11.01 and 11.02 and Section 4 of the ASME Code.

   All repairs involving the safety of an unfired pressure vessel shall be of construction in accordance with the Section VIII, Divisions 1 and 2 of the ASME Code.

   All high pressure boilers which have reached the age of 50 years must be subject to a full internal and external inspection of rivets, welds, butt straps, shell and/or drums. The procedure for this type of inspection will be spelled out by the department. Findings of such test will determine the allowable working pressure of the boiler at the time of said inspection. Any person engaged in or desiring to engage in the work of repairing, erecting steam boilers, steam kettles, pressure tanks, super heaters or generators or any part attached to a boiler in the City of Chicago shall obtain a license from the department of buildings to do such repair work and/or erection of the apparatus.

(Prior code § 17-2A.8; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604)

11-4-940 Reserved.

Editor's note – Coun. J. 12-12-07, p. 17167, § 8, repealed § 11-4-940, which pertained to permit fees for the installation of boilers or unfired pressure vessels.

11-4-950 Periodic inspection fees.

   Periodic inspection fees for boilers and unfired pressure vessels shall be paid to the city comptroller.

   The provisions of this section shall not apply to single dwellings nor to multiple dwellings having less than four apartments.

(Prior code § 17-2A.10; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. II, § 6)

11-4-960 Remission of inspection fees.

   The department of buildings may, and is hereby directed to, remit all inspection fees charged, or that may hereafter be charged against any charitable, religious and educational institution when the boiler or other apparatus inspected is located in or upon premises used or occupied exclusively by such charitable, religious or educational institution; provided, however, that such charitable, religious or educational institution is not conducted or carried on for private gain or profit.

(Prior code § 17-2A.11; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604)