(a)

1. (1) No person shall operate or cause to be operated any new boiler or unfired pressure vessel which has been installed or erected, or any used boiler or unfired pressure vessel which has been reinstalled or re-erected in the State of Arkansas, until it has been inspected by a state boiler inspector or an authorized insurance inspector and a certificate of inspection has been issued as required by Arkansas Code § 20-23-301.
2. (2) The certificate of inspection for power and heating boilers shall be posted in the boiler or engine room in a location where it may be easily read by the engineer or firefighter.
3. (3) Certificates of inspection for unfired pressure vessels or portable boilers shall be kept on the premises where such pressure vessels or boilers are located and shall be accessible at all times.

(b)

1. (1) The owner or user of a boiler which requires annual internal inspection shall prepare the boiler for inspection by:

   1. (A) Cooling it down;
   2. (B) Blanking off connections to adjacent boilers if necessary;
   3. (C) Drawing off the water;
   4. (D) Removing the handhole and manhole plates;
   5. (E) Opening the low-water cutout;
   6. (F) Removing the water column plugs; and
   7. (G) Removing the grate bars from internally fired boilers.
2. (2) When considered necessary by the inspector, the brickwork, lagging, jacketing, appliances, other parts or fittings, and any boiler covering shall be removed.

(c)

1. (1) The combustion chamber and passages and the firebox shall be cleaned and soot and ashes removed.
2. (2) Water, scale, and mud must be removed from the interior portions of the boiler.
3. (3) Unfired pressure vessels shall be prepared for inspection in a manner that will ensure a thorough and proper inspection.

(f)

1. (1) If at any time the owner, user, or agent of the owner of any boiler within the state shall desire a special inspection of any boiler or unfired pressure vessel, it shall be made by the Boiler Inspection Division after due request, and the inspector making the inspection shall collect a fee of one hundred dollars ($100) for each boiler, together with his or her expenses from Little Rock to the place of inspection and return at the rate authorized for state employees.
2. (2) All inspection fees shall be paid by the owner, user, or agent of the owner, and the inspector is authorized to receive such fee and issue his or her receipt therefore.

(g)

1. (1) All boilers or unfired pressure vessels that have been inspected and found unsafe by an authorized inspector shall be stamped “XXOOOXX”, which will designate it as an unsafe boiler.
2. (2) No person except an authorized inspector shall deface or remove such stamping.

(h)

1. (1) If, upon an external inspection, there is evidence of a leak or crack, enough of the covering of the boiler or unfired pressure vessel shall be removed to enable the inspector to determine the safety of the boiler or unfired pressure vessel.
2. (2) If the covering cannot be removed at that time, the inspector may order the operation of the boiler or unfired pressure vessel stopped until the covering can be removed and proper examination made.

(i)

1. (1) If in the judgment of an authorized inspector the condition of a boiler warrants the certificate being withheld or withdrawn, such reasons shall be stated fully in a report to the Boiler Inspection Division.
2. (2) When a certificate has been withdrawn or withheld, it shall not be reissued until a repair or inspection report has been filed with the Boiler Inspection Division showing that the boiler has been placed in a safe working condition.

(k) Inspectors.

1. (1) Inspectors of boilers and/or unfired pressure vessels employed by insurance companies are required to hold certificates of competency issued by the Boiler Inspection Division.
2. (2) Any inspector of steam boilers who shall report a boiler for a certificate of inspection as safe to operate while knowing such report to be false and that the boiler is unsafe to operate, or who shall fail to perform his or her duties as required by this part or Arkansas Code § 20-23-101 et seq., or who shall cause the repair, installation, or sale of a boiler that does not comply with the standards as set out in Arkansas Code § 20-23-101 et seq., and this part, shall be subject to the criminal penalties provided by Arkansas Code § 20-23-403, as well as sanctions or fines issued by the Boiler Inspection Division pursuant to 20 CAR § 880-401 et seq., and 20 CAR § 880-703.

3. (3)

   1. (A) All boilers inspected by insurance companies shall be inspected as follows:

(i) High-pressure steam boilers shall be inspected internally and externally at least once each year;

1. (ii) All low-pressure steam boilers shall be inspected externally annually and internally once each three (3) years as far as construction permits; and

   1. (iii) All hot water heating boilers shall be inspected externally annually, and internally if required, by the inspector.
   2. (B) These times may be shortened at any time an inspector feels there is reason to question the boiler or controls integrity.
   3. (C) If the internal and external inspections are made on different dates, two (2) inspection reports shall be filed with the Boiler Inspection Division.
2. (4) The annual internal inspection, or general inspection where internal inspection cannot be made, shall be made at least once each twelve (12) months, and should be made during the same calendar month each year if possible.
3. (5) If annual inspection reports are not filed with the Boiler Inspection Division by insurance companies who have insurance on boilers in the State of Arkansas within sixty (60) days from the date they are due inspection, the Boiler Inspection Division shall make the required inspection, and a special fee of one hundred dollars ($100) for each boiler or unfired pressure vessel inspected, plus mileage and expenses from Little Rock to the point of inspection and return, not to exceed the current rate authorized by the General Assembly to employees of state agencies who furnish their own transportation, plus meals and hotel bills incurred, shall be charged to the insurance company insuring the boilers or unfired pressure vessels unless extension of time is granted by the Chief Inspector of the Boiler Inspection Division.

4. (6)

   1. (A) When insurance on a boiler or pressure vessel is canceled or new business is written, the Boiler Inspection Division shall be notified on approved forms.
   2. (B) The reason for cancellation must be given.
   3. (C) When insurance is canceled because of an existing dangerous defect, the Boiler Inspection Division shall be notified immediately upon cancellation of the insurance.
5. (7) All representations and recommendations made by authorized inspectors, Division of Labor inspectors, or insurance inspectors, in regard to necessary repairs and pressure to be allowed, are subject to the final approval or disapproval of the Chief Inspector of the Boiler Inspection Division.
6. (8) Insurance companies must report to the Boiler Inspection Division any boiler and/or unfired pressure vessel that is in use and not insured by them in any location of their insured.

7. (9)

   1. (A) All authorized inspectors as well as the owner or user of a boiler or unfired pressure vessel shall notify the Boiler Inspection Division of any explosion or accident involving a boiler or unfired pressure vessel.

   2. (B) No part or parts of such boiler or unfired pressure vessel shall be disturbed or moved until authority to do so is granted by the Chief Inspector of the Boiler Inspection Division.

      1. (l) Data reports.

8. (1)

   1. (A) A data sheet shall be filled out and signed by the manufacturer and the inspector.
   2. (B) When signing each data report, the manufacturer shall show under his or her signature the expiration date of his or her certificate of authorization to use the ASME symbol.
   3. (C) This data sheet, together with the stamping on the vessel, shall be a guarantee by the manufacturer that he or she has complied with all requirements of the ASME code.

9. (2)

   1. (A) A complete data report shall be furnished with the first internal inspection report on all new boilers and unfired pressure vessels.
   2. (B) At the time of the first inspection, the boiler shall be stamped with a state number preceded by the letters “AR”, said letters and figures to be not less than one-fourth inch (1/4”) in height.

   3. (C) The stamping shall not be concealed by:

      1. (i) Lagging;
      2. (ii) Covering; or
      3. (iii) Paint.
   4. (D) On high-pressure boilers, the state number shall be attached as close to the code stamping as possible.
   5. (E) On cast iron boilers and boilers (encased), the state number shall be stamped on a metal tag attached to the boiler.