Background
The Static and Mobile Pressure Vessels (Unfired) Rules, 2016 were notified by the Government of India to regulate the manufacture, storage, import, transport, and use of pressure vessels containing compressed gases. These Rules replaced earlier regulations to align safety requirements with modern industrial practices and technological advancements. Their primary objective is to prevent accidents arising from improper design, fabrication, operation, or maintenance of pressure vessels. The Rules prescribe mandatory approvals, inspections, and licensing under the supervision of the Chief Controller of Explosives. Overall, they aim to ensure public safety, worker protection, and uniform enforcement of safety standards across industries handling compressed gases.
Applicability
The Static and Mobile Pressure Vessels (Unfired) Rules, 2016 apply to all static and mobile pressure vessels intended for the storage, transport, or handling of compressed gases in India. These Rules are applicable to manufacturers, fabricators, importers, repairers, owners, and users of such pressure vessels and their fittings. They cover activities including design, manufacture, fabrication, import, installation, operation, testing, modification, and repair of unfired pressure vessels. The Rules apply to both industrial and commercial establishments where compressed gases are filled, stored, or transported. However, nothing in these rules shall apply to vessel(s) which form part of a processing plant.
Compliance Requirements under the Rules
Any person cannot fill compressed gas in any vessel or transport any vessel filled with any compressed gas unless such vessel is manufactured in accordance with standard or code specified under Rule13 and fitted with fittings approved by the Chief Controller.
Application for approval of Chief Controller shall be submitted as per prescribed form and procedure mentioned in Rules.
Prior approval of Chief Controller shall be taken to manufacture any vessel, its fittings and vaporiser thereof.
Application for approval of Chief Controller shall be submitted as per prescribed form and procedure mentioned in Rules.
Prior approval of Chief Controller shall be taken for fabrication shop for fabrication of pressure vessels, vaporisers or fittings, its fittings and vaporiser thereof. Such approval shall remain valid for 1 year which can be renewed based on the performance report up to 10 years.
For approval, applicant shall submit following documents to Chief Controller:
(i) Copy of ISO-Certification or equivalent certification
(ii) Scrutiny fee as specified in Schedule I of the Rules
(iii) Particulars specified in Appendix–I of the Rules
(iv) For approval of vessel design –
A. Two copies of design calculations as per fabrication code, accepted by the Chief Controller,
B. Two copies of fabrication drawings prepared as per fabrication code and design calculations.
4. Prior approval for Import of Vessel (Rule 4(4))
Prior approval of Chief Controller shall be taken to import any vessel. Application for approval of Chief Controller shall be submitted as per prescribed form and procedure mentioned in Rules.
Compressed gas filled in a vessel shall not be delivered/dispatched to any person other than the holder of a storage licence or to a port authority or a railway administration.
Gas delivered or dispatched, shall also not exceed the quantity which the which the person to whom it is delivered or dispatched is authorised to store under his licence person to whom it is delivered or dispatched is authorised to store under the licence held by him.
For repair or modification in an existing vessel (e.g., welding, adding attachments), prior approval for the proposed work (method, design) from a recognized inspector / Chief Controller shall be taken.
This rule shall not apply to the replacement of any of the fitments of the vessel which does not involve any heating.
Before using any new vessel or before refilling of any existing vessel which has been made gas-free, air contained therein shall be purged by an inert gas or by the gas for which the vessel is to be used.
If the vessel is purged by means of a flammable gas, the flammable mixture so formed shall be vented from the vessel only after taking adequate precautions to prevent its ignition.
Following persons shall not be employed for the loading, unloading or transport of any vessel containing compressed gas, or in any premises licensed under these rules:
Operation of Licensed Premises shall be under the supervision of persons having knowledge of the equipment’s being used in the premise and who are trained in handling the compressed gas.
Other operators shall be conversant with the hazards associated with the compressed gas and fire fighting operation.
Precautions against accidents must be followed such as:
Every person storing compressed gas in a vessel and every person in charge of, or engaged in the storage, handling and transport of such gas in vessels, shall at all times—
(i) comply with the provisions of these rules and the conditions of any licence issued there under;
(ii) observe all precautions for the prevention of accident by fire or explosion.
Penalty & Punishment
In case of Contravention, Vessel License may be suspended or cancelled by licensing authority. Further, authority can also impose civil and criminal penalty under section 9B of Explosives Act, 1884
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